Body in Motion, Mind in Frames: Sitting Down With Jae By Indigo Mapa

Apr 27, 2026by Milk Room Staff

In a city saturated with creatives, there’s no doubt it’s easy to get swept up in what or who is authentic and what an artist’s intention is. But the real ones? They’re not impossible to find, you just have to look in the right direction. I was ecstatic to reconnect with Jae, a Kingston-born, Los Angeles-based multimedia artist. Their intention mixes fluidity with a groundedness, resisting the idea of sticking to one medium. From photography to cinematography to modeling, Jae weaves the various tools with storytelling.

It was a sunny Thursday afternoon at Manhattan Village where we caught up at Reborn Coffee. I may be biased because Jae and I have built a somewhat solid rapport years prior to this interview, but the conversation that came out of our time together was everything I hope for when looking to share someone’s story.

Upon asking what sparked their love for photography, videography, and modeling, I learned that Jae started off as the muse for their best friend and the simplicity of being surrounded by fellow creatives. This ignited the flame inside of Jae, spurring them on to get behind the camera for once. “I started as the muse,” they say. “Then I wanted to start capturing things for myself and instead of being the painting, be the one painting it.”

There was a shift in their lives that came like a quiet storm that perhaps was there all along. Growing up playing instruments, sports, video games, and utilizing movement, Jae saw that as a type of artistry. From subject to storyteller, their philosophy on their craft focuses less on concrete roles one should play, but rather, perspective. I had asked them to share their process of being behind and in front of the camera and they explained that shooting isn’t necessarily one or the other. There’s a volatile aspect, seeing the larger picture, placing every frame as a piece of a bigger story. There’s a priority of feeling over structure or form.

At the very foundation of their inspiration, it’s more obvious and simple than you think. It’s people.

Jae shares the two questions they ask the people they meet: “Are you an artist?” and “What brings you joy?” They describe it as a less invasive, yet open-ended way to build relationships and uncover the artistic gem in everyone. Not the biggest fan of small talk, Jae further proves their inquiries to be successful.

“People don’t realize that they’re walking around with the aura of artistry… I see that and I can create it and embody it into something else.”

Jae’s adoration for photography stems from their work with event photography. Many tend to highlight and create prominence with the spectacle of large events, but Jae is more interested in capturing the intimacy that chaos unwittingly breeds. The fleeting human moments, a hug, a handshake, dancing, a shared laugh. They’ve even built entire folders based on these specific interactions.

Much like any job, creative or not, there are contradictions to doing what you love. Enjoyment can sometimes teeter on the edge of becoming labor.

“It’s a double-edged sword,” they confess. “ When I’m not shooting, it still feels like work, I don’t enjoy going out to these events as much as I used to in the past.”

This opened the floor up to a talk on balance. More specifically, the importance and awareness of its existence. There’s a need for equilibrium between passion and profession, personal and commercial. Jae takes initiative to make sure they separate personal projects from professional ones, while allowing their identity and integrity to bridge the two. “You have to create for yourself personally to keep your creative brain intact.” They say. They emphasize that your personal touch as an artist is what people hire you for.

For Jae, growth is perpetual and reflection is necessary in the creative process. This mindset reveals itself in their favorite shoot. They did a Halloween shoot with their close friend, it wasn’t the most pristine and polished, but the one that made an impact. It was a turning point for them, representing a starting line and as a proof of progress, reminding them of where they started and where they are now.

This way of thinking plays hand-in-hand with how they view imperfection.

“All work is necessary work,” they claim. “Even if it’s not something you’re the most proud of, you put the leg work in… I made this, I can move forward and the next thing I know not to do this or I know to do a specific thing.”

Jae’s view dismantles the illusion of “artist’s block,” their solution is to take a step back rather than brute force it. Giving yourself space from your work, allowing yourself to absorb and consume other art forms will help your inspiration return naturally.

I had asked them what they believed set them apart from other photographers, I was not disappointed with their answer. Beyond technical skill, Jae truly encapsulates the malleable way of thinking, believing perspective is truly everything, not something tangible.

“I am me. I never am going to see anything the same way as anyone else. It’s never going to be edited the same way as anyone else.”

Even after a terrible loss of their camera equipment from a robbery, Jae’s relationship with this philosophy thrives. Jae tells me their favorite tool without a second thought: their eye. They go in depth in an intelligent manner, reminding us that material items can be replace, but what is you, and an extension of you? Impossible to replace.

The strong sense of self transcends through their visual identity. When asked to describe their work in five or less words, they off: vibrant, dramatic, surreal, loving, and black. Lived experiences fall in love with a reflection of aesthetic and what is a part of them as an artist and as a person.

Outside of the lens, Jae’s personal style and fashion mirrors their craft. Fluid, evolving, and rooted in movement. Not married to a certain formula, Jae gravitates towards layered fits, silhouettes, and pieces that give the body the ability to move freely. Their intention with their art lies with what they wear: to feel alive.

As we came to a close with the interview, Jae proceeded to bestow more wisdom upon us. Jae’s practice relies and speaks on freedom, freedom to explore, transform, and create without constraints and boundaries. They subvert the idea of specializing in one thing, embracing the identity of being an “all-rounder” regardless of its stereotypes.

“People say ‘Jack-of-All-Trades, Master of None,’” they say, “But oftentimes, they never finish the rest of the phrase which is ‘a Jack-of-All-Trades, Master of None is often better than a Master of One.”

Their advice is blunt, “You just have to do it.”

Not in a certain way, not perfectly, not strategically. Just start.

For Jae, it isn’t the outcome that serves as a reward, it’s the act itself. “The fact that I have the ability and the capability to create is a blessing.”

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