Whitney Hayes is an American portrait photographer living and working in Manhattan and New Jersey. She began taking photos professionally later in life, after raising a family and caring for her mother who was stricken with early onset Alzheimer’s disease. Her work was most recently selected to be included in the American Photography 38 book, and chosen as a winning image by The British Journal of Photography for 2020 Portrait Of Humanity. A 2020 Lensculture award winner, her work received two honorable mentions in the Julia Margaret Cameron 2020 awards. She has won several PDN awards, and has been a selected American Photography winner for three years.
With a client list that includes The Last Magazine, Collina Strada, Carolina Herrera, Ignant, Nike, VSCO, Moda Operandi, Donna Karan, Vogue online, and Schön Magazine, Whitney Hayes is a photographer passionate about capturing the defining moments of humanity, driven by mood as a compositional element. Searching for emotion within a landscape of disconnect, Hayes purveys youth and beauty through a range of projects from backstage and runway to editorial.
“I’ve spent my summer working with The Highlands Natural Pool in Ringwood, New Jersey to paint a picture of what is truly a magical place. Unexpected, it is an oasis in the middle of a forrest. As a place that is welcoming to all, and full of untouched natural beauty, these images have been a joy to create. A non profit, the pool is largely maintained by a dedicated group of board members who volunteer their time. True to the pool’s origins, the board members maintain a chemical free pool that is open to the public and kind to the environment.”
