Today we’d like to introduce you to John Mai.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I’ve always been into photography ever since I was young. Whether it was borrowing my mom’s tiny digital camera or using the 0.7 megapixel camera on my iPod touch, I always wanted to capture images that I thought looked nice. Back then I never really thought too much about actual photography, I just took photos, and that was it.
It wasn’t until my junior year of college that I began to realize that there was a difference between photography and just taking photos. The more I saw photography pages on Instagram, the more I realized photo edits were away for a photographer to express themselves as an individual, and as an artist. Photography is an art. I hung onto those thoughts, and thus my interest in photography blossomed into an actual hobby.
I purchased my first DSLR camera, and although I didn’t really know how to work the camera, I immediately asked a couple of friends to go out and shoot with me. That motivational fire stayed with me everywhere I went, so I would always bring my camera out to events, hangouts with friends would turn into photo shoots, and the urge to work with new creatives and learn from them was at an all-time high.
Please tell us about your art.
My end goal is landscape and architectural photography, but my work mainly consists of portrait photography because it was simple and easy to get into. The more I shot with others, however, the more I realized there was so much more to portraits than a simple point and shoot. I started approaching photography a different way and made it my own.
Taking photos is one thing, but editing them is a whole nother ballpark. A lot of my edits circle around vibrant poppy blues and slight shadows, but I’d like to think that my editing style is overall very versatile. I see inspiration everywhere I go, and so I take that inspiration home with me to create my own craft.
If there was one message I’d like for people to take away from my work, it would be to do what makes you happy. You don’t have to follow the trends or shoot a certain way because it is the cool thing to do. If you create something your own that you are happy with, chances are people will take notice of that and will stand by what you do. Do what makes you happy.
Given everything that is going on in the world today, do you think the role of artists has changed? How do local, national or international events and issues affect your art?
I definitely believe the role of artists has changed in this day in age. With everything that has been going on with the world today, artists have the power to affect people in all sorts of ways. If a person is going through tough times, you could put out a photo that captures a lot of positive vibes. It isn’t even limited to one form of art; there is art everywhere.
My work isn’t really affected by events that happen around the world, but I can see how it could affect others.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
Unfortunately, I do not have a website up just yet. I plan on creating one very soon!
For now, people can reach me by:
My email: johnkmai95@gmail.com
My personal Instagram: www.instagram.com/johnkmai
My photography Instagram: www.instagram.com/photokmai
Contact Info:
- Website: www.instagram.com/johnkmai
- Email: johnkmai95@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/photokmai
Image Credit:
John Mai
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