04/29/2026
I had Mayeluz Devour My Lens
There’s a saying in our industry: Those who can, do. Those who really understand, sit on the other side of the camera.
A few weeks ago, I was in St. Louis, and I finally met up with Mayeluz—the visionary behind SoulFoul Portraits By Mayeluz. And let me tell you, she didn’t just show up for the shoot. She DEVOURED it.
From the first click, it was clear: this woman doesn’t direct—she summons. Every pose, every glance, every raw pause between frames felt intentional and electric. Mayeluz didn’t just model; she embodied the energy she captures for her own clients. It was a masterclass in presence.
But here’s the uncomfortable truth:
Most photographers hide behind the lens. We use the camera as a shield, a control panel, a way to stay safely in the observer seat. We tell clients to “be vulnerable,” “trust the process,” and “just relax”—yet we’ve rarely felt the vulnerability of being on the other side.
That’s why I booked this session. I called it market research. But really, it was a mirror.
If you want to understand what it feels like to wait for the proof gallery, to wonder if you looked awkward, to hope the light hit your “good side”—you have to walk the talk. You have to sit in the chair. You have to feel how exposed a client feels when the room goes quiet and all they hear is the shutter.
And after being devoured by Mayeluz in St. Louis, I am a better photographer. Not because I learned a new lighting trick—but because I remembered what it costs to be seen.
So here’s my challenge to every creative reading this:
Stop hiding behind your gear. Book a session with someone whose work terrifies or inspires you. Let them point the lens at you. Call it research. Call it growth. Call it humility.
But don’t ask your clients to bare their souls if you’re not brave enough to bare yours first.
And while we're at it — I don't want to hear you say "but I'm not photogenic." You just haven't met YOUR photographer yet.
If you're in the Charlotte,NC area, hit up Soulful Portraits by Mayeluz!
\ MagMod Union Station (St. Louis)
