David Jay was born in Oakland, CA but has spent most of his life between Australia, Europe and New York City.
As a fashion photographer his work has been featured in international editions of Vogue, Elle, Cosmopolitan, Style, Shape and countless others.
Jay’s personal work however, is the antithesis of fashion—capturing often unseen aspects of humanity. On the surface, Jay’s images reveal the realities of abuse, war, poverty, disease and of course, beauty. Their overarching message however, is much greater . . . and universal in its intent. Through Jay’s photography, context evaporates, and the viewer is left to engage the subjects, trade places, and for a moment, live behind their eyes. We recognize our shared emotions and scars, and pause to consider our role. David Jay’s portraits reveal the immense power of our every interaction and the future they create.
Jay’s series include The SCAR Project, The Unknown Soldier, Grief Camp, The Alabama Project, and Naked Ladies.
Jay’s photography has been published in the New York Times, BBC, LIFE, Forbes, USA Today, and countless publications throughout the world.
A book entitled "The SCAR Project” was published and a documentary on the project entitled “Baring It All” won an Emmy Award in 2012.
Acquisitions of Jay’s photography include The Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, The Library of Congress and the Phillips Collection among many others.
In 2015, Jay was awarded the Lucie Award for Photographer of the Year—Deeper Perspective.
