In the visually saturated world of modern photography, few artists manage to leave a mark that cuts through trends and transcends genres. Jay Sharan is one of those few. Widely recognized for his breathtaking landscape and nature photography, Jay has spent over a decade behind the lens—but his journey into portrait photography is what has come to define his most powerful and emotionally resonant work today.
It wasn’t always about people. Jay’s earliest acclaim came from capturing the untamed beauty of the natural world involving misty hills, golden sunsets, and architectural marvels like the Lotus Temple from angles no one had imagined before. His landscapes were meditative, often surreal, and framed with a sense of otherworldly stillness. But just as nature evolves, so did Jay’s creative focus.
The Unexpected Beginning...
Jay’s initiation into portraiture wasn’t premeditated instead it was organic, spontaneous, and rooted in collaboration. “Back in the day, I used to do outdoor collaborative shoots with fashion bloggers,” Jay recalls. These shoots, though casual and unassuming at the time, laid the foundation for a new visual language he would come to master. Working with bloggers, influencers, and creatives in outdoor setups taught him the delicate balance between natural light and human emotion.
Parallel to these early shoots, Jay was also documenting events where models strutted down runways...another unplanned step that quietly cultivated his understanding of fashion, posture, angles, and body language. What began as documentation quickly became fascination. And over time, that fascination evolved into obsession.
From 2012 to 2017: The Shift in Focus...
Though Jay picked up the camera in 2012, it wasn’t until around 2017 that portraiture became a serious pursuit. “Portrait photography came a little late,” he admits, “but it evolved into one of my favorite and most challenging genres.”
What makes portrait photography distinct and difficult is its demand for connection. A portrait is not just about framing a face; it’s about capturing a presence, telling a story, freezing a state of being. Jay’s approach to this challenge is deeply intuitive. “I realized quickly that to take a great portrait, you don’t just need a good camera you need empathy, timing, and awareness of the subject’s energy,” he says.
Building a Signature Style...
Jay Sharan’s portrait work is now instantly recognizable. Whether shot in natural light or under studio conditions, his images carry a mood..often soft yet intense, cinematic yet grounded. There's an emotional weight to his portraits, a stillness that draws you into the subject's world.
Over the years, he’s refined a unique aesthetic: muted tones, tight compositions, and expressions that range from unguarded vulnerability to striking confidence. While many chase trends, Jay commits to timelessness. His work doesn’t scream—it resonates.
He’s also known for experimenting with genres within portraiture: fashion, editorial, maternity, character studies, and even conceptual toy photography where human emotion is metaphorically presented through still objects. His versatility, though expansive, never dilutes the soul of his portraits.
Crafting Connection: The Jay Sharan Method...
Behind the camera, Jay is as much a director as he is a photographer. He prefers to build a rapport with his subjects, using emotion-driven prompts and body language to guide expression. Mood boards, location scouting, and natural dialogues often precede a session.
He believes portraits are most powerful when the subject feels seen, not posed. “A camera can only capture what you allow it to,” Jay says. “And it’s my job to make sure people feel safe enough to be themselves in front of it.”
His go-to gear for portraits typically includes full-frame DSLRs or mirrorless cameras, with prime lenses that allow tight depth-of-field and soft bokeh. He makes meticulous use of ambient light but isn’t afraid to craft shadows when needed. Whether it’s a backlit profile at golden hour or a softly lit face in a dim room, Jay has an instinct for turning light into mood.
Vision for the Future...
Currently based in Vancouver, Canada, Jay Sharan continues to expand his creative horizons. He’s now exploring deeper themes within portraiture—identity, isolation, joy, defiance and has hinted at launching a curated series that reflects his decade-long evolution as an artist.
He also mentors aspiring photographers and frequently collaborates with models, stylists, and brands looking for more than just a commercial outcome—they seek an image that lives beyond the frame.
What sets Jay apart is not just his technical mastery but his sincerity of vision. He doesn’t chase fame or validation; he chases moments—raw, real, and rarely repeatable. The collage with this article shows some of his work involving an outdoor shoot with his blogger friend Priyanka, a comic con event click of Yami Gautam, an old tribal lady from south India during a wildlife campaign, click
