Mei Tao

Chinese-Born and Brooklyn-raised, photographer / director Mei Tao has the soul of a true New Yorker, and personified by her animated and expressive speech, Mei’s bold style, whimsical humor and creative candor constantly subvert the expected.

Fueled by her love of fashion, Mei initially believed her calling in life was to be a fashion designer, but she was redirected down the path to photography when she hit a small roadblock (she didn’t have a knack for illustration). She went all in on a career behind the camera, majoring in Photography at Parson’s School of Design, and she graduated without a Plan B. Thank God it stuck!

As a result, Mei’s bold agenda has driven her to a career working with brands not limited to J. Crew, Mango, Warby Parker, CVS Beauty and Kule and photographing the likes of Michelle Obama & Jill Biden, Blake Lively, America Ferrera and Awkwafina.

Mei truly thrives on set, head over heels for the experience in its entirety: meeting fresh faces, traveling to new and beloved locations, working as one part of the larger effort required to bring a project to life. She wholeheartedly believes that having fun at work should be a top priority, and she’s arguably gained a reputation for achieving just that, described by those she works with as “spunky, confident and fearless.” Despite all of this, she’s been permanently labeled by her teenage daughter as “super uncool.” It’s hard to believe, but I guess something’s got to keep her grounded!