As we enter Black History Month and begin to celebrate Black figures in education, politics, and entertainment, it’s important to highlight those who have made changes in artistic areas as well. As I continue to dive into photography and explore photographers, both new and old, I have been exposed to many photographers that have slowly started to become inspirations to me. So to start the month, I wanted to share a few of my favorites.
To start off with one of the greatest photographers of the 20th century, Gordon Parks is known for photographing American culture from the 1940s up to the 2000s. Focusing on race, civil rights, and urban life, Gordon has worked with and photographed celebrities, politicians, artists, and athletes. With experience in shooting urban street life and studio portraits for magazines like Glamour and Ebony, he began to develop a distinct style. Dabbling into other forms of art like filmmaking, creative writing, and music, the works from his career are in multiple areas. After his death in 2006, The Gordon Parks Foundation was founded to preserve his art and bring attention to new artists.
Carrie Mae Weems started her photography career in 1973 when she received her first camera. After studying photography in school, her work became more popular in the 1990s when she began placing herself in her work. As she considers her presence in the pictures her muse, she has stated that “it’s very important that as a Black woman she’s engaged with the world around her. She’s engaged with history, she’s engaged with looking, with being.” In one of her most popular works, The Kitchen Table Series, she showcases this as she set up a camera in front of her kitchen table which is lit by a single overhead light. With this, she snaps photos of a fictional character and the close relationships that she has with those around her. Outside of it being an example of Black representation in photos, the series also speaks to women’s issues revolving around their body image and perception of self.
Moving into more recent times, Tyler Mitchell has recently caught my attention and the attention of others. Reaching the height of his fame after photographing Beyoncé for the cover of Vogue in September of 2019, he became the first Black person to shoot a cover photo for the magazine. Since then, Tyler has participated in many photo exhibitions, published a book, and hosted his own MasterClass lesson. Focusing on photographing Blackness in a new, softer light. His first solo exhibition, and my personal favorite “I Can Make You Feel Good” captures a Black Utopia, capturing Black people living expressive and free outside of racial trauma.
While art and photography continue to be used to document lives and showcase trends in popular culture, it’s essential that we use them as a vehicle to drive social change. As digital and film photography becomes more accessible, a new wave of photographers like Kendell Bessent, Braylen Dion, and Maya Iman, use their work to change the narrative for Black representation by showcasing us as luxurious, soft, and effortless.