From Backstage at NYFW to Building Her Own Creative World

Featured Interview: Jenn Xu

Introducing Jenn Xu, a photographer based between Vancouver and New York. Originally from Nanjing, China, Jenn moved to Vancouver at the age of four and has built a creative career that bridges continents and disciplines.

Jenn’s work centers around fashion, portraits, and interiors, and is deeply informed by lighting and color– two elements she loves pushing to their creative extremes in the studio. Beyond photography, she loves fashion styling, brand marketing, and floral design.

One of the memorable moments of her career was working her first New York Fashion Week for SS25, where she captured fashion shows backstage while also gaining experience in fashion PR. She remembers the surreal experience of collaborating on shows with legends like Kelly Cutrone, whom she grew up watching on TV, and assisting in styling and photographing the iconic Alex Consani.

Follow Jenn on Instagram @jennxuxu

We interviewed Jenn on creativity, career pivots, and building confidence in her craft:

If you were to go on a weekend getaway, what are 4-5 items you'd bring with you?

An iPhone, film camera, headphones, lots of asian snacks and gummy candies, and my Shiseido sunscreen and Clinique black honey lip balm. 

What advice would you give someone looking to start or pivot into a new career?

Always stay curious and try everything– it’s the foundation of self-growth and discovering new versions of yourself. 

Your career is long, and it’s okay to feel lost or shuffle around if something doesn’t stick. Every experience teaches you something valuable and will redirect you toward a path that’s right for you. 

I also firmly believe that all your interests, no matter how disparate they seem, will eventually intersect, and everything will make sense.

What has been one of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in building your craft or business, and what steps did you take to overcome it?

In the beginning, my biggest challenge was learning how to advocate for the value of my work, as I was naturally a people pleaser. It’s pretty common for people outside the industry to underestimate the amount of unseen labor involved in photography, from pre-production to post-production. 

It was hard early on navigating the business aspect because I didn’t know how to talk about quotes or have someone to compare notes with. I discovered A Photo Editor, an online forum for commercial/editorial photographers to gather and discuss business, to be really helpful. I learned how to communicate the scope of my work to clients, the importance of contracts, and slowly built an amazing group of supportive friends and collaborators who look out for one another. 

Photography can also get physically draining because shoot days are long, and you’re on your feet a lot. Making sure I get rest days is really important. Doing stretches, exercises, and a nice relaxing massage is always a priority.

What are some of your go-to tools or productivity strategies that have made the biggest impact on your work?

I’m a big fan of Google Calendar for organizing my schedule and staying on top of deadlines. Recently, I purchased a huge poster-sized calendar of the entire year, which I hung up and used to map out the year.

Who (or what) inspires you or your creative journey?

Music inspires me so much. I get a lot of my inspiration when I close my eyes and listen to a song and feel the energy channel through my ears. Some of my favourite artists are FKA Twigs, Imogen Heap, Lykke Li, Eartheater, Lady Gaga, and Kelela. A common thread between these artists is their experimental boundary-pushing nature, emotional resonance, and bold femininity– something I’d hope to channel into my work. 

And of course, nature and travel are endless sources of inspiration for me that remind me that the world is so vast and that we are so small, and to always carry on that child-like wonder and curiosity.

Do you have a manifestation practice, mindset technique, or ritual that you swear by?

Seeing 11:11 on the microwave and telling myself that everything is going to be okay. 

Big Ideas No Chills is an interview series spotlighting real stories of ambition and reinvention—everyday people pivoting careers, taking bold risks, starting new chapters, and chasing big dreams.