2025, A Year In Review: Justin Mayer
PHILADELPHIA, PA-The parade images came from my second Super Bowl Parade coverage, which has quickly become my favorite kind of assignment. I approached my equipment pack out a little differently this year, leaning into a super wide lens, and staying close, just a few feet away, to keep things intimate without ever feeling uncomfortable. The energy made it easy. Everyone was having a blast, completely present, genuinely happy to be on camera. Year two felt different in the best way, players and fans everywhere, moments constantly unfolding. It was hard to miss a good one. If they win every year, I’ll keep photographing it and stick with the same two-camera, two-lens setup, but definitely wear better shoes.
The Fourth of July shoot at the Loews Hotel was all about the view. It was my first-time photographing fireworks from that location, and the vantage point really mattered. I’m usually viewing them from home, but here I had a unique perspective. The focus shifted to framing. I am a big fan of this image, particularly the foreground and how the framing itself supports the scene. Despite how it may appear, it’s not the easiest to get fireworks in focus.
Philadelphia Water Department water inlet testing was completely new for me. I spent time thinking through composition and angles while trying to capture the movement of the water. It was a big team and a real learning experience. I walked away with random but useful facts about water management, things you don’t always retain, but give you a greater appreciation of how infrastructure projects work in Philadelphia. Even after all these years working with PWD, I learn something new on every shoot.
BrightAI was just fun. It was the first travel project JPG / Veracity I had done in nearly ten years, and it felt good to be back on the road, working alongside the video team. The client was great, the feedback was really positive, and the project itself was genuinely interesting.
The American Red Cross x PAC-MAN collaboration was small but memorable. I walked away with a token and a great sense of nostalgia. Growing up in the ’90s obsessed with Ms. PAC-MAN, getting to work on a licensed PAC-MAN project was surreal. Eleven-year-old me would’ve been completely stoked.
Vestergaard at Sher Rockee Farms was my first time working in agriculture. The team was incredibly hospitable and easy to work with, and the space itself was interesting but challenging, dark, wood-heavy, and tight on time. We made the most of what we had, mainly for video. On shoots like this, especially working with a video crew, it’s about reading the room, knowing when it’s your moment to jump in, being quick on your feet, and staying flexible. It always helps when everyone’s happy to be there.
The F1® Arcade US shoot was chaotic in its own way. A lot of moving parts, an understanding that the photo wasn’t the top priority, and long stretches of waiting. When the window opened, though, I made it count. Despite the challenges, the staff were stoked, kind, and easy to work with, which made a big difference.
Engine Ladder 2 was another Philadelphia Water Department assignment, this time testing water at the fire department. It was a younger team, full of energy and clearly passionate about the work. We shot at an older firehouse and did a few portraits, all lit with natural sunlight thanks to perfect weather. Some situations call for lighting setups, this one didn’t. With PWD, you never really know what to expect, but it’s always refreshing to see that level of pride and care from their team.
The final image came from an Human Rights Campaign event featuring Wanda Sykes. I’ve photographed similar events in the past, but it had been a while. She’s a comedy legend, and her speech that night, when she was being honored, was sharp, thoughtful, and funny. There was a time when you couldn’t turn on a TV in the ’90s without seeing Wanda, and it was great to be able to capture a really great photo of her.
Taken together, these images are less about individual events and more about showing up, paying attention, and working within the moment. Each assignment came with its own pace, constraints, and opportunities, and the work lives in responding to those conditions honestly.
As we begin 2026, these images remind us of the moments that make our work meaningful: the unexpected, the joyful, and the powerful. From shared celebrations to small acts of connection, it’s the people and their stories that shape the year. The year ahead is full of stories, and we’re ready to capture them all.
