We recently connected with Jai Mayhew and have shared our conversation below.
Jai, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Getting that first client is always an exciting milestone. Can you talk to us about how you got your first customer who wasn’t a friend, family, or acquaintance?
I learned photography through test shoots with friends and models. Sometimes we shot against the white wall of my DC apartment, other times we went on location. It was a low budget, passion driven education. My first commercial client owned an upscale boutique and wanted to shoot a lookbook showcasing the newest styles. I was brand new to pricing myself (and to photography in general), so I didn’t yet have the technical confidence to ensure a flawless day, but I had a huge desire to prove myself and to create something beautiful and to not disappoint. I kept watching youtube videos, I tried really really hard. And although it wasn’t perfect, it was a beautiful day.
Jai, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I’m an luxury women’s portrait photographer.
I started my career in commercial and fashion work, which created & fed my love of creative, visual storytelling. When I began shooting portraits, I knew I wanted to bring that editorial magic with me. To me, what truly elevates a portrait is that vision-driven sense of style that’s created through moodboards/lighting/styling/posing and retouch. My goal is always that my clients see themselves as art. As iconic. As their highest and most confident self.
How did you build your audience on social media?
Social media is incredible for facilitating genuine connections. Your clients can connect with you, their friends/potential clients can connect, anyone interested can connect. The downside being, of course, that platforms are so saturated with content it can be a challenge to stand out. While the algorithms keep changing, what has worked best for me is a specific point of view and consistent work. In my stories I post inspirational images & quotes while my captions tell the clients’ stories (yes they take awhile to write up but worth it) and then the images hopefully speak to who I am before they even see the name.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
Undoubtably my clients. While I might boost a post on occasion, I don’t use traditional advertising. I’ve been fortunate to have incredible clients who post about their experiences, repost my work and share my name with friends. My business has literally been built one kind word at a time.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jaimayhew.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaimayhew/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JAIphoto/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimayhewphotography/