An introduction to finding your style with Jada Parrish - one half of the creative duo Jada and David. Who combine photography and set design to create conceptual images full of bold colour, big emotion, and wild in-camera effects. They work with musicians, celebrities, and creative brands to produce surreal visuals for album covers, promo photos, and music videos.
In 2021, we challenged ourselves to build and photograph 100 original sets in one year. That project pushed us to think bigger, trust our instincts, and fully commit to our style - and it completely transformed our creative direction.
Creative careers are never a straight line - because creativity is always evolving. Take it from someone who started in photography as a wedding photographer and now blends photography with set design to create conceptual images for musicians, celebrities, and brands. My creative partner (and husband), David, and I photographed weddings for almost a decade but eventually, every wedding started to feel the same. We were uninspired and completely burnt out.
So we made a major pivot and decided to redefine our work by finding and fully committing to our own unique style.
Photo courtesy of Jada and David
In a world flooded with content and images, standing out is one of the most valuable things you can do. As an artist, it’s essential to carve out your own creative identity. Your perspective is like your handwriting - you naturally have a way of seeing the world that’s entirely unique to you. That perspective is your greatest asset.
If you take the time to define and own it, clients will start coming to you for exactly that. They’ll want your specific eye - and that’s what sets you apart. You know you’ve done something right when someone sees your work and immediately knows it’s yours - the same way you recognise a Picasso painting or a Wes Anderson film.Your style is what will make you known. And that doesn’t happen by following trends or making images that look like everyone else’s. Anyone can pick up a camera and take a technically 'good' photo. But no one else has your vision or point of view. That’s your superpower.
Photo courtesy of Jada and David
Here are 3 ways to start finding your style and developing your creative voice:
1. Seek out many forms of inspiration, your brain is a sponge. Everything you see and experience gets absorbed.
Filling your mind with strong visuals is key but I’m not talking about scrolling Instagram or Pinterest. Trends are tempting, but chasing them will only pull you further from your true voice. Instead, seek deeper inspiration. Watch art films and indie movies. Flip through photography and art books. Dig through old record stores and study album covers. Wander through museums and galleries. Explore different mediums.
The more variety you feed your brain, the more your subconscious starts combining things in new, unexpected ways - and that’s where original ideas come from. The whole point of being an artist is to create - not to copy. So avoid the trends. You want to stand out, not blend in.
Photo courtesy of Jada and David
2. Create a personal project for yourself You attract your dream clients by shooting your dream work.
People need to see what you’re capable of before they can believe it. Client work comes with pressure, deadlines, expectations, deliverables. But when you create for yourself, there’s freedom to take risks, experiment, and follow your curiosity. That’s where real growth happens.
Come up with a no-pressure personal project that challenges you.
Set a clear, achievable goal - like one creative shoot a week for a year, or one photo a day for a month. Define your boundaries based on the time, resources, and energy you have. (Remember: constraints are a good thing. They force you to be more inventive.)
Use your personal project to build the portfolio you wish existed, one that reflects the kind of work you want to get hired for. And don’t keep it to yourself. Share the process openly. People love following creative journeys and it builds real connection.
Photo courtesy of Jada and David
Photo courtesy of Jada and David
3. You have to take bad photos to take good photos.
Seriously. Don’t overthink it. Just keep shooting - especially during your personal project. Every 'bad' photo teaches you something about what works and what doesn’t. If you keep showing up, creating consistently, and staying curious, your style will start to emerge naturally over time. Progress doesn’t come from perfection - it comes from practice.
As your style begins to emerge, don’t be afraid to refine and elevate it. Pay attention to the patterns in your work - the colours, editing style, compositions, moods, or subjects you’re naturally drawn to. What keeps showing up? Lean into it.
Start making more intentional choices that reinforce your voice. Elevating your style isn’t about making it more complicated - it’s about making it clearer. The more you commit to your creative instincts, the more distinctive and memorable your work will become. And through all of this... experimenting, observing, making mistakes. You won’t just develop your visual style, you’ll also build your own creative process. A way of working that feels natural, fulfilling, and true to you.
Then, when the dream clients come, you’ll be ready - with a clear voice, a strong identity, and work that’s unmistakably yours.
