YU MENG CI
Photographer

Mengci Yu (于孟慈, yú mèng cí) is a Chinese photographer based in NYC, specializing in portrait, fashion, and beauty photography. Her work blends natural light, refined styling, and a minimalist approach to reveal the strength, elegance, and individuality of her subjects.

Born and raised in Dongying, China, Yu earned a bachelor’s degree in Art and Design from Qingdao University before moving to Paris in 2013. There, she studied fashion design at ESMOD (École Supérieure des Arts et techniques de la Mode) Paris and French at La Sorbonne, while working as a stylist and in luxury retail. These experiences shaped her visual sensibility and deepened her connection to fashion and image-making. In 2019, she began studying photography at the School of Visual Arts in New York and later continued at the International Center of Photography. In 2020, she moved to New York City to work full time in photography.

Her debut at The SVA Flatiron Gallery received an honorable mention from the International Photography Awards. Her editorial work has appeared in PhotoVogue, Schön, Vanity Teen, CAP 74024, and The WOW. She collaborates regularly with top modeling agencies and emerging talent to create clean, emotionally resonant imagery.

Through a modern lens, Yu captures the quiet power of beauty, elevating each portrait into a study of grace and presence. She currently lives and works in New York City.