“A voice far beyond what I ever imagined”
Jahna Bird
Why put myself in front of the camera when I feel much more beautiful and in my home body when I’m behind it?
That is the statement I began living by once I picked up a camera.
Before I was a photographer, I was a model. It’s kind of funny– I was such a brutal perfectionist about the photos that were taken of me that I finally just said to hell with it, I’ll do it myself! But it didn’t stop there, I began to long for expansion. I craved diversity, ambition, recognition. I started to explore the art of photography beyond just me and my Instagram feed. I didn’t expect it to go anywhere major, as I’ve been in school studying fashion and expected to go into the design industry. However, my very first amateur photography collection in my first year got the people in my program buzzing, and suddenly I was locally known as “that girl who did that cool photography collection”. Once I realized how much people liked the whimsical, amusing and witty nature of my work, I started really investing myself. Now, I honestly can’t see myself pursuing any other career.
Although I often get misread as a photography student (and some people believe I would have been better off studying image arts), going through fashion school has honestly improved my work better than any photography course could have. If I let myself get caught up in the technicalities and perfections of photographic studies, I fear I would have lost the essence and life behind my work. That’s a big reason why people enjoy my artwork– it manages to have these wacky concepts while still feeling consumable and real.
Fashion tableau is my main photographic medium, I believe it is what makes me stand out as an artist. Most photographers don’t want to deal with big productions and tons of models running around, and that makes sense! But that lack of motivation makes this a much more niche art form. Is it difficult? Absolutely. Managing all those people, lights, garments and whatever else is extremely exhausting. But it is the most fulfilling aspect of my life, I live and breathe for these moments. And the output is so rewarding.
Through my work, I try to capture surrealist concepts with realist production values. A big aspect of my work is to avoid ‘fixing’ things in post wherever possible, I try to stay as true to reality as I can. That being said, I love to pick crazy metaphors, concepts and ideas to guide my photoshoots. I don’t think a single person who’s modelled for me can claim the experience was boring or sensical– or easy for that matter, but that is something I take a lot of pride in.
I take a lot of inspiration from Northern European photographers as it happens…Some people on Instagram I am constantly stalking are @orliphoto_ , @Kai.boet and @photo.destruction . Some bigger names I also adore are Lou Escobar and Aidan Zamiri. All of these photographers incorporate beautiful usage of colour grading and storytelling, two big factors that I always consider when planning my shoots. One thing I can say with confidence is that I will never do a photoshoot that doesn’t have any meaning behind it. What is the point of having the privilege and gift to visually storytell if you aren’t saying anything with your work? No point in having a voice if you don’t know how to communicate.
Photography has given me a voice far beyond what I ever imagined as a model. Stepping behind the camera allowed me to embrace my true creative vision, blending my love for fashion with the artistry of visual storytelling. Though the process is demanding, it fuels me in a way nothing else can. I strive to create work that is not only visually striking but also meaningful—capturing narratives that challenge, amuse, and inspire. I may not have a big platform as it stands, but I am so happy that every single person who supports me does it because they truly believe in and love what I do.
