We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jiayue Yu a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jiayue, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
My work ethic has been largely shaped by the experiences I’ve gained from working alongside others. Throughout my professional journey, I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate in both positive and challenging group settings, and these experiences have been instrumental in shaping my approach to work.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am a freelance visual artist specializing in photography and 3D rendering. Photography has long been my primary artistic medium. However, as I’ve begun experimenting with 3D rendering, I’ve become deeply fascinated by the connections between this digital technology and the photographic medium, and their shared relationship to the material world we inhabit. Drawn to the unique visual texture of film and the unrestrained potential of 3D modeling, I am trying to incorporate them together in my artistic practice. In an age of rapid technological advancement, particularly the rise of AI-generated imagery, the commercial landscape has become increasingly saturated with homogeneous visual content. I believe my unique approach of incorporating both film photography and 3D rendering holds immense potential in the realm of visual storytelling that cannot be easily replicated.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Ambitious. Prior to my freelancing career, I worked as an in-house photographer for an architecture and design firm – a stable, comfortable position that granted me a sense of security. While the freelance path may lack the stability of my previous in-house role, each new project serves as a chance to reinvent myself, to push the limits of my artistic abilities. It is a journey of constant growth and self-discovery, one that I believe will benefit in the long term, both professionally and personally.
Know Yourself. The process of developing my own visual language and aesthetic is quite challenging. But I had a lot of fun experimenting and messing around. The lessons I’ve learned in this process is always remember to dig deeper into yourself – know your interest and find out why. Why am I attracted to this particular image? What’s so special with it? What can I create out of this particular visual element that I am passionate about?
Keep learning. There are a lot of skills and areas of knowledge out there that I’d love to learn about. During my bachelor’s degree, my major was photography, which has always been my primary creative medium. The enforced time at home during the lockdowns in 2020 sparked the new interest in 3D rendering as another way of image making. With extra time on my hands, I decided to teach myself the 3D software Cinema 4D which I have benefitted tremendously.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
I am always looking for fun and creative people to work with! I am particularly drawn to those working in the music and fashion industries, though I’m open to exploring opportunities across a wide range of fields 🙂
This is my website with personal projects and commission works: www.jiayue-yu.com.
If you are interested, email me at okjiayue@gmail.com or find me on instagram @ok.jia
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jiayue-yu.com
- Instagram: https://ok.jia
- Other: okjiayue@gmail.com
Image Credits
My portrait is photographed by Xinyu Liu.
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
