The Phoblographer

Creating the Photograph is an original series where we interview photographers about a photo that they shot and how it was achieved. The results are some knowledge passed on to you. Want to be featured? Email chrisgampat[at]thephoblographer[dot]com

Jaroslav is a Polish photographer that hails from London. He has a Fine Arts background with a degree is Architecture–which taught him how to solve lots of complex problems. That problem solving helped with the founding of this studio: AurumLight (WARNING NSFW LINK). The studio specializes in limited calendars, advertising, and conceptual photography; and they’ve had many campaigns in Europe and the US.

So when we found Jaroslav’s Milk PinUps, we were very intrigued as to how they were done. We talked to Jaroslav for this latest edition of Creating the Photograph.

And here’s his story.

The Concept

Milky Pinups Series is an upcoming 2014 calendar and continuation of well received AurumLight’s Milk Calendar for 2013.

For the 2014 Milk Calendar – I choose to illustrate The Pinups look and work around the classic references. Mainly based on the iconic work of Gil Elvgren. If you are enthusiast of the genre you will easily identify the classic pieces.

The Gear

Cameras:

Phase One IQ180. +Lens Schneider 80mm f/2.8 LS AF Lens. Nikon D800. +Lens: Nikkor 50mm f/1.4, 70-200mm F2.8

Tripod: Gitzo GT5660SCT Giant with a Manfrotto 405 Geared head

Lighting: Paul C Buff, Einstein E640. + 86″ PLM, Giant softbox, giant stripbox

Paul Buff Cyber Commander

. and many liters of Milk.

The Shoot

Liquid Illustrations are made with milk or water. Using special lighting and camera the movement and the splash of liquid is frozen in time and morphed into hi-fashion.

Yes, real milk is thrown onto a real model. Every single element, splash and prop is photographed on the day and in the same time. We really throw liquid on the body of the model – it is as simple as that.

But at the same time it is a very precise, and “technically” orientated work that requires a lot of dedication and patience from the whole team.

It reminds me a lot of golf. at the first glance it is quite simple really. There is a guy with a funny looking stick. He whacks the ball and walks. whack the ball and walks, whack the ball and hits the hole. But when you start looking into it is not as straightforward as you first thought, his position and posture, the kind of club matters, it is important how much force on prescission you apply to the attempt.

It is almost exactly the same scenario just a different environment – the effect you are after sometimes require a specific tool, force or precision to make a shaped splash, the kind of milk is important too.

The shoot itself is reasonably quick, however setting out all of the elements testing and cleaning after, takes a great deal of time. All together to shoot a single illustration you might need a couple of hours to a whole day. It all depends on your concept.

Post Production

Some illustrations need around 200 frames to make sure that we have everything, others even more than that.

The bottom line is that every single element you see in the final illustration comes from a RAW photograph–it is not painted in Photoshop. The number of frames with separate splashes of milk are layered in Photoshop and carefully seamlessly mixed to complete the dress.

Post production can take anything from a few hours to a few days, it all depends on how elaborate the illustration is. I am just used to projects with a long creative process which pay offs in the long run and I just like to take my time. I love to shoot and work with people, there is nothing better than that but I like the post production process too. You need to be happy with sitting for hours working with photoshop . It is 21st century darkroom, you can love it or hate it, but that is a reality.

Working towards the specific look is a particularly challenging. Our first series was based on the sketches and if we moved away from the original idea ga...

All images by Critsey Rowe of Couture Boudoir. Used with permission

Critsey Rowe of Couture Boudoir is the author of “Boudoir Photography- The Complete Guide To Shooting Intimate Portraits“. Critsey teaches boudoir workshops and seminars across the nation and abroad. She’s been featured in magazines, on television and on podcasts talking about her work. It goes without saying that she is a photographer that is well respected in the industry.

Critsey works with clients to create beautiful boudoir images that make them feel more confident about themselves and like many portrait shooters, she likes to tell a story about people. And when it comes to Bridal Boudoir Photography, each person has their own unique and specific story.

You can check out more of her work on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook.

Phoblographer: Talk to us about how you got into photography.

Critsey: Not unlike many photographers, Photography has always been a passion of mine. I have always been a “photographer”.always the girl with a camera at parties and family affairs. I remember photographing my friends for fashion portraits in junior high and high school. I look back at those photos and laugh because they are so bad but at the time I thought I was big time. Thankfully I have grown so much in my craft since those days.

Phoblographer: What attracted you to portraits and how did that evolve into you starting out in boudoir photography?

Critsey: Portrait photography has always been my favorite genre of photography because it is capturing a person and showcasing something unique about them. Whether that is their serious side, their sensuality or their brilliant smile. There is always something unique about every person. I evolved into boudoir photography through weddings before boudoir was popular. It actually started with bridal boudoir. As one of my brides was getting ready I took photos of her wearing her bridal lingerie. I shared one of the images on my blog and it grew from there. In the last few years the boudoir genre has exploded. Not only are brides opting to have sexy portraits taken but women from all walks of life.

Phoblographer: What do you personally think are essential pieces for a Bridal Boudoir shoot?

Critsey: Having the bride bring her wedding accessories such as veil, sash, shoes, jewelry, hair jewelry and other bridal accessories can make for stunning bridal inspired images. Some additional items would be anything that says “Bride” or “Mrs” such as panties, robe and/or tank. A mock bouquet or similar wedding day flowers can all be great props. White lingerie can also add a bridal appeal to the shoot.

Phoblographer: What are some of the best ideas that you think you and your clients have developed for a bridal boudoir shoot?

Critsey: It is a great idea to incorporate some of the groom’s items; his wedding day attire, his grooms gift, photos of the groom. I once had a client bring 30 8×10 photos of her groom to lay around her for one of her poses. I love when clients think outside of the box and want to do unique poses or incorporate unique props. I have a bridal boudoir shoot coming up where the client is bringing white angel wings because her groom calls her his “angel”. Discussing ideas with your clients is always helpful in creating something unique.

Phoblographer: Talk to us about retouching, you’ve got a section on your site that explains it and you seem to try to keep the images still very natural and true to their original form. What’s your philosophy when it comes to this type of stuff.

Critsey: I try to keep it simple and natural. I do get requests for more then I would typically do but most clients prefer a natural retouched look. Becoming a pro retoucher takes some time and a lot of photoshop hours but it is beneficial to keep things looking more natural when retouching skin. It is so worth it in this genre of photography because almost every client that contacts me has this as their first question: Do you offer retouc...

All documentary photography by Jenna Shouldice. Used with permission.

“During labor, I feel like a magnet to the experience,” explains Jenna Shouldice. She’s a documentary photographer based on Vancouver Island. Her curiosity in the human experience has led her to document one of the most emotional moments a person can go through – giving birth. The process of giving birth is often misunderstood. People cringe at the thought of blood, pain, sweat, and tears. But in her series, The Labor Process, Jenna has managed to show the beautiful, gentle, binding journey people go on when moving into parenthood. This project is extremely moving. To see such a moment of vulnerability communicated in a series of powerful images is special. We spoke to Jenna to learn about how she first had the idea, and to understand how the process of putting it all together was for her.

Phoblographer: You describe the series as starting from the natural lure to the beauty of laboring women. What do you personally find so compelling about the labor process?

JS: I’m very fascinated by the intuitive nature of the birthing process. It interests me that around the globe, women, without any guidance, can give birth. That our bodies are designed to grow and recover and that babies are born knowing how to eat. The sounds of a laboring woman are like music to me, and I instinctively want to be near them. To top it off, I’m also fascinated by the process of people going from individuals to parents. People have been trying to describe this experience to each other for years and come up short. If I could possibly capture a slice of that experience, I’d be happy.

Phoblographer: Can you tell us about the process of finding your subjects?

JS: I have been somewhat lucky finding families to photograph for this work. Years ago (2009) when I first realized ‘hey, you are obsessed with birth why aren’t you photographing it?’ I got asked out of the blue to photograph a friends birth two weeks later. From there it has continued on somewhat naturally. I gave out a stack of prints to the women I photographed early on, and they would show them to their pregnant friends and I’d get hooked up with someone new. Now it’s word of mouth, friends, midwives and often other photographers who I end up photographing.

Phoblographer: Although you can roughly predict a birth, there’s no telling exactly when it will happen. How did you ensure you did not miss the critical moments once these women went into labor?

JS: For most women, I would show up in their labor very early on. I have been at some births for 36 hours, for example. It allowed me to be apart of all the stages of labor and be witness to what those moments bring. Of course, it does require being on call and being able to leave everything at the drop of a hat, and that can be somewhat disruptive to your life. It’s just a time period where I know I’m at the mercy of the labor itself. Luckily, I’m not Type A and don’t mind the lack of control.

“I hope to make work that people can connect with, especially around a time of birth.”

Phoblographer: It’s a very vulnerable moment for any woman. As a photographer, while being so close to the experience, how do you ensure you protect the dignity of your subjects?

JS: I’m always photographing from a position of empathy. My work would be nothing if it exploited its subjects. Instead, my approach is to make pictures that honor and celebrate the depths of the birthing experience. I attempt to give power to the moments no matter how vulnerable the people are in them. Instead of trying to curate an arbitrary idea of what a birth should look like, I photograph with honesty, and with the purpose of celebrating how powerful those honest moments actually are.

Phoblographer: Creatively, did you have an idea of the moments you wanted to capture? Or did you go with the natural flow of the situation in order to create your photographs?

JS: Aside from the obvious expectation that I would attempt to photogr...

Let’s talk about nude photography and the male photographer’s motivation.

Nude photography continues to divide opinion. While many view it as art, some see it as an opportunity for photographers to get cheap kicks. It’s fair to think that some men will only be motivated by the opportunity to see naked women, it’s also reasonable to accept the intentions of others will go way beyond that and come from a place of authentic creativity. Intrigued by the motivations, I wanted to explore the topic further – whilst also sharing my personal perspective on the subject.

Why I Don’t Do Nude Photography

I’m going to make myself vulnerable here by what I’m about to say. However, I believe in transparency in order to have an open and genuine dialogue. So, I’m a street and portrait photographer, they’re my passions and my main photographic focus. I’ve been asked several times to do nude or boudoir shoots, and I always turn them down. I have no creative motivation to do boudoir and nude photography. I appreciate it and I’m very much interested in the subject conversationally, but shooting it does not inspire me. And here comes the honesty: If I was to shoot some nude photography, admittedly the only motive I’d have would be the fact that I would likely be shooting a beautiful half/fully naked women. I do not apologize for finding naked women in potentially provocative positions attractive, for me and my own ethics, I do not think that is a strong enough reason to enter this genre as a photographer.

To be clear, if I were to do nude photography it does not mean my behaviors would be inappropriate. We’ve published horror stories (NSFW) before from models – I wouldn’t ever be part of that narrative. My actions would be no reflection of my thoughts, again the truth is I would be enjoying the fact that I had a beautiful naked woman in front of me. But that’s just me. And I know male photographers who I trust and know have purely creative and artistic intentions for the nude photography genre. So I decided to speak to them, asking them to open up about their motivation.

Phoblographer Editor in Chief, Chris Gampat

A Note from Chris: I haven’t done this in years and I personally don’t really have any interest in it. If someone does, then I’ll do it. But I don’t want to be known for shooting nudes.

How He Got Into Nude Photography

I honestly never really wanted to get into it. The women I’d shoot, who were either friends, burlesque dancers, or actresses, were interested in it. The reason for this is because I had their trust. In 2019, The Phoblographer turns 10 years old, I’d be in this industry for 12 years, and I’m 32. I understand that if I slip up really badly, I’m throwing away 1/3rd of my life. Now think about that, would you be stupid enough to throw away 1/3rd of your life?

The important things to remember are that you can talk about the idea with them if you want to initiate but I’d really read more into how they’re feeling and what they want. Because of the work, these women did and because they trusted me, it turned into some nice extra cash for me a while back. But I haven’t really done nude shooting in a while, at least consistently.

How to Behave on Set

Don’t touch. Instruct using hand signals and before you get into a steadier flow of the portrait shoot, always show the woman what their framing is. If you absolutely must touch, be very careful about consent and tell them what you’re about to do. Then ask if that’s okay. Explain to them why you need to move or touch them. Also, remember to be very careful to pay attention to their whole body. Sometimes things may look unflattering so work with a woman’s curves and the lighting to make them look flawless. Don’t do it in Photoshop.

Lastly, when you’re delivering your images, use something secure. Format has client proofing. Google drive can work too but make sure that you keep that private between you and the other person.

His Thoughts on Integrity

I think another thing that helps me th...

All images by Bruno Massao. Used with permission

Photographer Bruno Massao is a 29 years old half-Brazilian half-Japanese creative that has been shooting for over 10 years.

He first got into photography from his great grandfather–who was more of a videographer. But the affinity for the art form stayed in his family and he did it in school with support from his father. Bruno’s dad loved photography and still does even though now he just uses his phone. However, Bruno sticks to the analogue ways.

Combine this with his family’s open attitude towards sexuality and his quiet confidence in his own work and you’ll get a photographer who understands that doing intimate work is all about trust. As a result, Bruno is one of the founding members of The Foxy Fox Crew, a photo collective that focuses on female beauty.

“.although I really love what I do, my heart always had this huge passion for street photography.” says Bruno. “Seeing photographers such as Steve McCurry, Vincent Laforet and John Free working inspired me to go out and give it a try.”

Phoblographer: Talk to us about how you got into photography.

Bruno: Since I was a child I have had a huge fascination about photography, and my family shared this same passion to some degree. My great grandfather used to have lots of camera gear and used to take a lot of pictures of his day, including our family, which after developing he would attach the images to his personal diary. I looked a lot to him, since he always told me stories about a time when he was in Japan, World War II, how he managed to get out of the country and come to Brazil. My grandfather loved photography as well, but he was way more into video making. Most of his gear was camcorders: VHS-C, Super8, 16mm. He had lots of them. But both of them passed away when I was hitting adulthood, so I never ever had an adult conversation about photography with them – most of it was child curiosity.

I have a bit different story with my father. He still photographs but, nowadays, he just prefers to carry around his phone than a proper camera. But he always, always loved photography. Funny thing is: he always used Nikon, and when I was really getting into photography, he gave my first SLR: a Canon camera – if I recall, it was a Canon EOS 1000 (Rebel S in the US). When I asked “why”, since he used Nikon, he answered “I don’t want you messing with my lenses”.

Then I grew up, and ever since I never left Canon.

Funny thing is: he always used Nikon, and when I was really getting into photography, he gave my first SLR: a Canon camera – if I recall, it was a Canon EOS 1000 (Rebel S in the US). When I asked “why”, since he used Nikon, he answered “I don’t want you messing with my lenses”.

Phoblographer: What made you want to get into intimate portraiture?

Bruno: My parents had a really straight forward relationship with me and my brother about sexuality. They never denied these adult magazines like Playboy when I was about 14/15 years old. Playboy was a huge thing in the 90’s here in Brazil.

When I got older and started studying photography, I did some photos of naked models – both male and female – and they were a huge disaster! I don’t know if it was the ambience (I was in a classroom with lots of other students, and we’d take turns to photograph the models) or if it was excitement over being the first time I’ve got to do something like this – but it was a mess. This first experience was a huge let down, and I didn’t even wanted to try anymore for a long time.

When I finished my photography classes, I started to work as a freelancer photographer for some news agencies, but most of my work came from photographing independent concerts. I spent years doing this kind of work, and just got bored until I decided that I had to take a break and photograph for myself. I just started to take portraits of my friends and a friend of mine asked me if I could shoot her in lingerie, because she wanted to give a book with these photos for her fiancee. We...

All Images By Kalin Kostov. Used with Permission.

“After a while I realized that the most important thing is the man behind the camera not the camera itself.” says Kalin Kostov, a Bulgarian portrait photographer specializing in analog nude portraiture. “Basically I love taking pictures of people,”

In a somewhat unique way, Kostov got his introduction into the art of photography about 6 years ago when his point and shoot was stolen and a friend gave him an old-used DSLR. He began to get more involved with photography, upgrading his kit, eventually coming to the most important realization that your creative vision is more important than the camera itself.

This eventually evolved into Kostov taking an interest in analog portraiture, specifically nude portraiture with medium format and larger film. “I use are the analog Mamiya RZ67, Mamiya m645j, Graflex speed graphic 4×5’ and Mentor Panorama 2 13x18cm.” Kostov says, also noting that his current digital camera of choice is the Fujifilm X-T1.

Kostov is inspired by the film he is using to capture this imagery, and notes that recently he has begun playing with more advanced old techniques of photography like wet plate collodion processing for some really unique images by today’s standards.

You can find a selection of Kalin Kostov’s brilliant analog portraiture below, and you can find more on his website and behance profile. Enjoy!

Essentials is a series featuring products we’re currently lusting over in quick, bite-sized posts.

The old joke used to go that you’d buy a Sony camera, two lenses, and 10 batteries. That’s changed a bit these days, but no manufacturer makes a battery that lasts for an insanely long time. So to keep your camera batteries organized, Battery Mags were developed. They’re exactly what you’d think they are: magazines that hold your cells when they’re not in use. And that’s all they do. Made using 3D printing and available for pretty much every manufacturer, the Battery Mag is for photographers with a ton of batteries for their cameras. Better yet, it keeps everything sorted if you use more than one camera system.

Created initially for videographers, there’s a great reason why a photographer may want Battery Mags too. If you’re more of a mixed media shooter, then you probably need to keep lots of batteries around If you’re a journalist, you also probably need lots of them. If you’re a travel photographer or an adventure shooter, you definitely need more batteries around. And those are whom the Battery Mags might appeal to the most.

The Battery Mag works by letting you slip your batteries into it. The tension is just enough to hold the batteries in place. But a firm shake can eject the batteries. Of course, you don’t need to do that. You can simply give them a tug, and they’ll pop right out. Once you’ve put your batteries in the mag, you just place it in your camera bag. The entire package is around the size of a small lens–so it keeps everything super organized. The significant benefit is that you won’t need to go fishing in your camera bag to get your batteries–especially because batteries are inanimate objects that don’t take the bait.

When using the battery mag, you can develop your own process of organizing to figure out which batteries are dead and which still have juice. It’s all just about flipping the battery upward or downward. As long as you remember your own system, you’re all set. This is very useful on long trips or when you’re out in the field for a while. Then, when you get back to wherever you’re staying, you just look at the battery mag and charge the batteries that need it. We tested first-party camera batteries in them, not third party. Personally, I’ve never really trusted third party options. Years of working at B&H Photo and being right by the house brands department subjected me to horror stories.

A Battery Mag was sent to us for Fujifilm, Old Sony, New Sony, and Canon. They’ve all got around the same level of tension settings. You can’t adjust it, and they’re 3D printed, so they’re going to be the same no matter what. During this time, we also never put the batteries in a place where they’d heat up. But I can imagine that if you do, there’s a possibility that something could go wrong. Personally, I never put my batteries in places that are super warm or super cold. It’s just irresponsible. Keep them in your camera bag and well regulated.

You can check out the Battery Mag website and purchase them for yourself. We recommend them for any working pro, a traveler, or even those who just have a ton of batteries.

All images by Anastasiya Egonyan. Used with permission.

After looking through the Behance profile of Anastasiya Egonyan, one sees not only intimate and very good portraiture, but a sense of respect for the models and their beauty. The images show a sense of admiration for the human body as well as interesting ideas and use of lighting. Combine this with Ms. Egonyan’s use of grain, and you’ve got a winning combo.

Ms. Egonyan was born in Kharkov, Ukraine, grew up in Budapest, Hungary, and is currently in Germany, Karlsruhe. “I started photography in my teenage years and loved it for life. I have finished High School only, having hard times my family could not afford a College nor University for me.” she says. So to make money, she shoots, studies photography, and recently published a Book.

She’s been around the industry having worked with Korbely Attila, a Hungarian photographer for National Geographic for a travel project around Hungary, “I have been accepted to the Vogue Italy online photography gallery.have been teaching retouching and photography in Kharkiv then as well.

But what’s even more interesting about her is her struggle with epilepsy. “Once I had to make a choice – either I want to live with no seizures at all and take medications, but never work in the desired field or have no treatment at all and learn to cope with the illness by myself, but instead have a possibility to do what I love and work hard on my dreams.” She chose the last option.

Phoblographer: Talk to us about how you got into photography.

Anastasia: I am really not sure if I have got there sometime or I have already been there for my whole life. Photography was always a great passion for me. I remember being five when my parents got their first Polaroid camera, it was simply magic, I loved it. Then at about age of 14 I had bought a first digital camera in my life, it had a 1 megapixel sensor, I was really happy with the purchase, taking mostly abstract architecture shots.

Phoblographer: What made you want to get into portraiture?

Anastasia: I think it was a simple curiosity. And right after I made my first portrait session with a stranger I felt like it was my new dope. Before that I was working really hard with composition, making mostly still life photography, using a light-painting technique. But in the terms of interaction it was a still one-way ticket for me. Portraiture is the work of at least two people, it becomes harder this way, yet gives a different level of emotional response. Making a picture of a person is much more complicated than doing the same with an apple. You never know where it will end up and you never have the full control of the situation.

Phoblographer: Lots of your work is done on film. Why do you choose film and how do you feel it helps you get your creative vision across?

Anastasia: I was thinking about this lately and I came to a conclusion that film is actually a game for me. I like to play from the very beginning up to receiving the scans from the lab. It’s a drug, simple as that. Once you try it, you will never forget the feeling of excitement while waiting for the pictures a long time and finally seeing them. Otherwise you must know that doing film photography really makes you a perfectionist freak. I value every single shot on my roll and I hate to waste any, that is why it makes me take my time and do only one good shot per pose. And the grain. I love grain, I need grain, I pray for grain as that is one of the best things that we have in photography.

Phoblographer: When you go about creating these portraits, what kind of conversation do you have with your models to tell them about what you’re going for?

Anastasia: I just tell them they need to be natural and that is all. It really makes no difference between the nude and the portrait sessions, it’s only a matter of point, where people feel confident, whether it is with or without clothes. I am a director of every single shoot, yet I try to take a different level ...

The photography world tends to split nude photography into two categories- erotica and fine art. Can arousal exist within them both?

In our sensitive times, I feel like arousal has become somewhat of a misconstrued feeling. It’s understandable as to why. Decades of the objectification and over-sexualization of women has led to a cultural revolution. Women – and men – demand a change, and rightly so. But as a consequence of the wrongdoing of men, I feel the honest ones are hesitant to explore and discuss the feeling of arousal. For the most part, this is because they worry people will judge or label them as perverted. Photography is a great playing field to explore this.

Note: I’m writing from the perspective of a heterosexual male. But, the feeling of arousal applies to all orientations and genders.

The Differences Between Erotic and Fine Art Nude

Let’s start by separating these two categories and looking at the differences. Erotica tends to be anything from provocative, sexually charged photography, right through to soft adult entertainment. Fine art nude leans more towards a gentle connection and appreciation of the human form. From my experience, there’s a distinct hierarchy between the two. Erotica/glamour/titillation is seen as low-value, less respected photography. Fine art takes a higher ranking seat, seen as something to be enjoyed more by the intellectual. Is that fair? Possibly. But how and why is it viewed in this way?

“It takes the viewer on a journey; it makes them connect to their thoughts and feelings.”

The core reason is the thoughts and feelings each evoke in the viewer. A person who looks at erotica would be judged to be doing so because they want to be excited and aroused by the image. This is viewed as one-dimensional, objectification of women. Those who view fine art will be attracted to the shapes, the lighting, the deep shadows, the vulnerability, and the confidence of the subject. But it’s as if they dare not say that within those emotions is at least a passing feeling of arousal. Because that would tarnish their rating and lump them in with those “lower-category perverts” who see women as one thing – sexual objects.

A Case Study of Fine Art Nude

Photo credit: Oleg Samoylenko

This image from Oleg Samoilenko is one we would consider as being under the fine art nude category. One could argue that his model is in a non-sexualized position. She has a neutral facial expression, and her modesty remains intact, despite that fact she is not wearing any clothes. So, how does this image make me feel? Well, from a technical standpoint, I feel this a lovely photograph. It’s gentle and I like the soft, even lighting on the model. The pose is interesting. I particularly like how her hand covers her eye, suggesting a sense of privacy and security while in what may be viewed as a vulnerable position. There’s a slight stretch in her pose, giving her an open demeanor, which leads me to believe she is confident and secure.

“I believe in the expression of speech and creativity.”

All of these qualities, both in the photograph and the model, are attractive to me. I can respectfully admit that I feel a physical attraction to this woman, most of which comes from the qualities outlined above. Because of this, my brain receives signals which in turn generate arousal. This is a healthy and natural response to the situation I find myself in. Now does this mean I’m drooling on my laptop? Of course not. The feeling of arousal is more of a waving emotion, rather than a fixed one. It moves with all the other feelings the photograph gives me. And this, for me, is why this is pure art. It takes the viewer on a journey; it makes them connect to their thoughts and feelings. It’s objective is to challenge and makes its audience comfortable with the uncomfortable.

In comparison, erotica has one job and one job only, to arouse and fulfill the indulgencies of the viewer. It isn’t nuanced and aims to do what it says on the tin. In other wor...

Lead photo by Aundre Larrow. Used with permission.

All year-round we should celebrate photographers from the black community. February, however, is a great opportunity to shine extra light on the best of the best in the scene–it’s Black History Month in the US after all. In line with Black History month, we have compiled a list of 10 photographers whose work gets our photographic juices flowing. From portrait photographers to street photographers, this list showcases the breadth of quality throughout different sub-genres in the industry.

Allow these fine photographers to provide the glitz and glamour, and let’s get down to the nitty-gritty.

1. Andre D. Wagner (@photodre)

Andre D. Wagner is a photographer based in Brooklyn, New York. His work blends the core elements of street photography and social documentary, creating an eye-opening view of the black experience in NYC. His work is shot with a gritty black and white aesthetic, giving it that raw, unedited feel. In his images, we see hope, togetherness, and little moments that make up everyday life. Andre has been featured in the New York Times, held solo exhibitions at Culturefix, and delivered talks at various events and conferences.

His work is both meaningful and important, hence why we admire and respect it so much.

2. Melissa Bunni Elian (hellobunni.com)

What attracted us to Melissa’s work? Not only does she produce stunning portraits, but her mission is something that can only be admired. Melissa has an interest in documenting people on the margins. Through her work, she aims to breakthrough the singular image certain people have been labelled with. ‘The poor’ for example; Melissa wants to go beyond that one-dimensional description and reach the human. The love, the pain, the laughter – characteristics we all share but yet so many have been stripped of.

Her portraiture, for us, has one key component that makes it so compelling; strength. Her subjects show confidence, self-assurance, and a domineering presence. This is an important quality, as Melissa is able to extract these attributes from people who society has wanted to label weak or beneath.

She is also doing some exceptional photojournalism and her portfolio is something we strongly suggest you spend time with.

3. Jamiya Wilson (jamiyawilson.com)

Jamiya Wilson is a versatile photographer who seems comfortable in any sub-genre he shoots. What is more impressive is that whether it’s portrait photography, street, or videography, his quality and standard never falters. His portraiture is created through the use of well positioned, accurate lighting – giving him amazing results. What’s clear through his work is his ability to connect with people. His subjects look settled and content; something only a photographer with high interpersonal skills is able to achieve.

Jamiya has recently completed his series 100 Faces. The project includes impromptu portraits of people who pass him by. He has set out to break the status quo of people being strangers in one of the busiest cities in the world, New York City. We were impressed by the manner in which Jamiya was able to engage with his subjects and extract emotion in a short period of time (he took three-five shots max). Taken from his artist statement he says, “100 Faces is my humble attempt to get people to stop for a moment and consider that stranger.”

4. Aundre Larrow (@aundre)

Aundre has such a cool body of work. It’s not flashy or overdone. It’s minimal in set up, yet offers so much in aesthetic. From hip locations to eye-catching colorful backdrops, Aundre has the skill of carefully positioning his subjects in order to get the best out of them.

His portraits are powerful and belong anywhere from a huge editorial campaign to that niche pop-culture magazine. It’s no surprise that Aundre was given an Adobe Creative Cloud residency, allowing him a great opportunity to showcase his work.

5. Laylah Amatullah Barrayn (@laylahb)

Based in NYC, Laylah Amatullah Barrayn is a docu...