Stephen Mayes

Stephen Mayes has worked within the fields of photography, art, and journalism since 1987. He was the New York head of VII Photo Agency, and secretary of the World Press Photo Competition.

Mayes studied at Lancaster University.

He has worked as Editor at Rex Features from 1987–1989; Director of Network Photographers (an independent reportage agency) from 1989–1994; creative director for Getty Images from 1994-1998; CEO of Photonica, USA from 1999–2001; Creative Director for eyestorm.com from 2001–2002; Director of the Image Archive at Art + Commerce from 2003–2007; Non Executive Board Member at VII Photo Agency from 2007–2008; Chief Operating Officer (Americas) at Image Source from 2007–2008; Secretary to the International Jury, World Press Photo Foundation from 2004–2012; CEO at VII Photo from 2008–2013; freelance from 2013 as well as executive director of the Tim Hetherington Trust since 2013.

He has also curated photography exhibitions.

• Positive Lives: Responses to HIV. London: Network Photographers; Cassell, 1993. ISBN 0-304-32846-4. Part of the Cassell AIDS Awareness Series. Edited by Mayes and Lyndall Stein. Mayes also contributes an introduction, "Photographing the Invisible - a Statement of Intent". Includes photographic essays from Denis Doran, John Sturrock, Michael Abrahams, Mike Goldwater, Judah Passow, Mark Power, Jenny Matthews, Paul Reas, Barry Lewis and Christopher Pillitz, Steve Pyke, Paul Lowe and Gideon Mendel. Foreword by Edmund White. Each chapter also includes a written essay.
• Critical Mirror: Photojournalism Since the 1950's. London: Thames & Hudson, 1996. ISBN 978-0500278482. Edited by Mayes. Introduction by Richard Avedon.
• No Heroes: The Photographs of Roger Hutchings. London: London Institute, 2003. ISBN 978-0953996728. Mayes contributes an introduction.
• The Noir A-Z. Brooklyn, NY: Mark Batty, 2009. ISBN 978-0981780573. Mayes contributes an afterword.