"You are the sum total of everything you've ever seen, heard, eaten, smelled, been told, forgot - it's all there. Everything influences each of us, and because of that I try to make sure that my experiences are positive."
-Maya Angelou
Experience
For over 20 years, stephens has worked at the intersection of portraiture, storytelling, and archival practice, collaborating with cultural institutions, cities, universities, artists, and communities to preserve meaningful stories through photography and film.
Creative Leadership
Owner & Director — JAS Photo (2003–Present)
Creator & Founder — Labor Of Love (2025–Present)
Principal Documentarian — Build Your Archive (2019–Present)
Film & Cinematography
Director of Photography / Producer — ?Enough! Short Film (Cannes 2025 Selection, BronzeLens, Atlanta Auteur, Africa USA)
Still Unit Photographer — Big Losers Feature Film
Institutional & Cultural Work
Official Photographer — Atlanta Jazz Festival (2022–2025)
Lead Photographer — ZuCot Gallery (2015–2025)
Lead Photographer — Emory University Student Services & Marketing (2020–2023)
Photographer — High Museum, Spelman College, City of Atlanta Dept. of Cultural Affairs, City Of Decautur, Emory Arts and Social Justice Program, Emory Center for Ethics (2023–2025)
Archival Photographer — Peg Alston Fine Arts Collection (2020)
Archival & Curatorial Practice
Co-Curator — The World(s) She Made: Kathleen Neal Cleaver Exhibition —
Auburn Avenue Research Library
Archivist & Documentarian — Kathleen Cleaver Family Archive Development
Exhibitions & Recognition
Solo Exhibition — Atlanta Celebrates Photography Festival
Best of Atlanta — Photography (2013–2016)
Publications & Media
Work featured in Atlanta Tribune, Patch Atlanta, Black Enterprise, National SCLC Magazine, Decaturish, local news outlets, university publications, and national literary releases.
Core Skills
Portrait · Documentary · Archival · Commercial Photography
Cinematography · Visual & Written Storytelling · Creative Pedagogy
