Finding Magic in the Everyday: The Inspiring Journey of Photographer Joi Conti

Some people discover their calling slowly. Others know early, deep in their bones, that they were meant to create. Joi Conti belongs firmly in the latter category. “I’ve been passionate about being an artist since I was little,” Joi says. “But it took a different form back then. I was determined to be a prima ballerina.” Growing up in the Philippines, Joi spent her childhood immersed in classical ballet, rehearsals, and stage productions. The experience gave her more than technical skill, it shaped how she sees the world. “I grew up on stage, witnessing how productions came together, the moving parts behind the scenes, rehearsals, costumes, technical elements,” she explains. “The lights and set design captivated me, as did performing and embodying a character.” That early exposure to production, storytelling, and physicality would later become the blueprint for her photography career, even before she knew it.

When Joi’s family moved back to the United States, ballet was no longer accessible. But her artistic instinct didn’t disappear, it simply shifted mediums. “My love of photography actually started at age 6 with a pink Barbie 35mm camera my mom gave me,” she shares. By age 14, Joi had made a bold declaration that startled her guidance counselor: she would major in photographic illustration at the Rochester Institute of Technology, despite her high school not offering photography at all. “I fully committed at age 14,” she says. “I knew what I wanted.” After earning her BFA, Joi assisted fashion and still life photographers in New York City who shot for ELLE and Cosmopolitan. There, she learned the mechanics of the industry, licensing, agencies, and what it truly takes to run a creative business. But Joi wasn’t just absorbing technique. She was forming a philosophy. “I wanted my work to be more than a college degree,” she says. “I saw terrible photographs of people who deserve better.”

What sets Joi apart isn’t just her technical skill, it’s her emotional intelligence.“I actually care whether people get to know you through a photo and how my client feels every step of the way,” she explains. “Visual cues reveal personality [...] the smirk, the tilt of the head, what the eyes say.”Her goal is transformation, not artificial perfection, but recognition. “I can transform someone who thinks they’re not photogenic into someone who finally sees themselves,” she says. “They don’t just need someone who knows equipment, they need someone who gives a damn.” This people-first approach is especially powerful in creative industries where representation and empathy still lag behind progress. According to the World Economic Forum (2023), women hold fewer than 30% of leadership roles across global creative industries, despite making up a large portion of the creative workforce. Meanwhile, minority artists remain significantly underrepresented in commercial photography, publishing, and media leadership (WIF Talent, 2025). Joi’s work, and her presence, actively challenges those gaps.

Joi’s creative confidence didn’t come from comparison, it came from kindness.“My biggest influence growing up was Mr. Rogers,” she says. “His message was simple: be kind to everyone and be kind to yourself.” That lesson still anchors her, especially in moments of doubt. “At networking events, when I’m explaining my work and wondering if people resonate with it, I remember that what I have to say is uniquely mine, just by being me,” she explains. “And that’s enough.” Later, as her artistic voice evolved, fashion photographer Tim Walker became another guiding force. “His view of fashion and set design are unmatched,” Joi says. “He showed me that imagination and artistry don’t have to be compromised for client work, they can coexist beautifully.”

One of Joi’s most defining moments came not in a studio, but at a local market. When Austin-based soap maker Emlyn of Solid Soaps invited Joi to photograph a curated event, Joi noticed something powerful. “That opened my eyes to the thriving Filipino artist community in Austin,” she says. “I started asking, ‘Are there Filipinos in Austin? How can I celebrate them?’” That question became TAYO NA, a 40-page, art-book-quality editorial magazine celebrating Filipino artists in Austin.“TAYO NA means ‘Let’s Go’ in Tagalog,” Joi explains. “It’s both an invitation and an answer.” In a digital era where content disappears in seconds, Joi made a radical choice: print. “In a world where content is fleeting, printing a physical magazine distributed for free became my way of showing profound respect for their craft,” she says.

Joi’s journey also reflects a larger movement happening right now. According to Gitnux Market Research (2025), there are over 28 million solopreneurs in the United States, with women owning more than 41% of solo businesses. Yet creative solopreneurs, especially women of color, often operate without institutional support. Funding TAYO NA has been one of Joi’s biggest challenges. “It’s a free, art-book-quality publication,” she explains. “I distribute it to the Austin public at no cost because I believe in making art accessible and honoring artists without charging them to be included.”Despite the financial hurdles, she persists. “Every time someone tells me they’ve put TAYO NA on their coffee table or used it to hire a featured artist, I’m reminded why it’s worth it.”

For Joi, success isn’t transactional, it’s relational.“Owning a business as an artist is my biggest accomplishment,” she says. “I didn’t set out to have a business first; I set out with a vision of how I wanted to see the world.” That vision recently reached an international stage when her work with Anna of Cosmic Chaos was featured in British Vogue. But even that moment came full circle. “I later found out Anna teaches ballet,” Joi recounts. “It’s not a coincidence that dancers work best together.” Still, TAYO NA remains closest to her heart. “It’s allowed me to lean into community and challenge the notion that being an artist isn’t a ‘real profession,’” she says.

When asked what truly shaped her success, Joi doesn’t hesitate. “The most crucial decision was committing to yoga teacher training,” she says. “It helped me quiet my internal critic and trust myself deeply.” She also credits intuition. “Letting my heart, not my head, lead me to people has been essential,” she says. “That intuitive connection led to work being featured in British Vogue. When you trust that pull, magic happens.” And above all: empathy. “I know what it feels like to walk through the world feeling unseen,” Joi says. “I refuse to make anyone feel that way in front of my camera.”

Joi’s advice is refreshingly grounded; “Assist for other photographers,” she says. “Learn how seasoned professionals run their businesses.” She adds, “Trust your intuition. Choose empathy always. And invest in yourself, mentorship, coaching, personal growth. That foundation will carry you through every challenge.”

To stay balanced, Joi embraces both stillness and movement like yoga, meditation, dance, boxing. “Balance isn’t just about quiet,” she says. “It’s about listening to what you need in the moment.” Her personal mantra ties it all together: “Come home.”

“Come home to how I want to see the world,” she explains. “A beautiful fairytale where every person feels worthy of wonder and celebration.”And through her photography, her business, and her community-driven work, Joi Conti is doing exactly that, inviting others home, one image at a time.

Ready to see yourself through Joi’s lens? Come home at her website and follow along on Instagram for daily doses of wonder.