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The images in “Studio Sessions” (exhibited at Grace College) were birthed from a desire to quell imposter syndrome by learning studio lighting. At the onset, with only a few hours to plan, a seemingly simple desire and promise to myself to conduct monthly shoots for a year, led me to push past what I thought myself incapable of realizing. These seventeen of twenty-six images are the culmination of copious amounts of prayer and shoots where I collaborated with at least fifteen BIPOC models, five makeup artists, two hair stylists, one wardrobe stylist and assistant photographer across three states. I also utilized six studios, one hotel room, and a make shift hallway studio. Most lighting setups were either continuous, flash, or gel. Red as well as other warm tones became unintentional color anchor points. Moreover, I explored ideas of shape, movement, flowers, characters from Willy Wonka, and even the beginnings of my own fantasy world of butterfly-centric personalities named Pollination.
On some mobile devices, click on black dot in the lower right corner for descriptions of the pictures.
Cares of this World
Model: Iman
Month: 2
Stylist(s): Reese B and Mony Nation
MUA: Iman
Studio: Alchemical Studios
Set Up: Flash/1 light
Theme: Cares of This World
I See You Aleka
Model: Aleka
Month: 1 (the beginning)
Stylist: Mony Nation
MUA: Aleka
Studio: Alchemical Studios
Set Up: 1 light, continuous
Theme: Beauty
Father & Son
Models: Max & Steffon
Month: 1 (the beginning)
Stylist: Self-styled
Theme: Father and Son
Studio: Alchemical Studios
Set Up: 1 light, continuous
Faces
Model: Esther
Month: 2
Stylist: Self-styled
MUA: Esther
Studio: Alchemical Studios
Set Up: 1 light, continuous
Theme: Headshots
Heritage
Model: Sonia
Month: 3
Studio: Light Studio NYC 2
MUA: Yuraisi (@makeup_yourlifee)
Set Up: by Sophia Williams with Flash/1 light + red gels
Theme: Lighting Workshop with Sophia Elizabeth Photography
The Matrix
Model: Shannon
Month: 4
Stylist(s): Mony Nation & Shannon
MUA: Amina Garrett-Scott
Studio: Creative Playground Studios
Set Up: Flash/1 light
Theme: The Matrix
The Baroness
Model: Naomi
Month: 5
Stylist: Mony Nation
MUA: Tiffany Nicole
Studio: Studio6480
Set Up: Flash/1 light
Theme: Pollination-White Butterfly
The Couturier
Model: Queen
Month: 6
Stylist: Mony Nation
MUA: Aices Armani
Studio: Studio6480
Set Up: Flash/1 light
Theme: Pollination-Monarch Butterfly
4 am Travel
Model: Weléla
Month: 7
Stylist: Self-styled
MUA: Weléla
Studio: Home Studio
Set Up: 1 light, continuous
Theme: Travel Lewks
Confident Beauty
Model: Tasia
Month: 8
Stylist: Mony Nation
MUA: Amina Garrett-Scott
Studio: Unlmtd Studio
Set Up: Flash/1 light
Theme: Confident Beauty
The Enigma
Model: Shannon
Month: 9
Stylist: Mony Nation
MUA: Shannon
Studio: 6036
Set Up: 1 light, continuous
Theme: Pollination-Etheral Butterfly
Sunset
Model: Ashley Danay
Month: 10
Studio: ISO Studios
Set Up: Natural light
Theme: Black Women Photographers’ meet-up
Are You Sitting Down
Model: Ashley Lynae
Month: 10
Studio: ISO Studios
Set Up: Flash/1 light
Theme: Black Women Photographers’ meet-up
The Bedouin
Model: Tasia
Month: 11
Stylist: Mony Nation
MUA: Tasia
Studio: Midtown Collective ATL
Set Up: Flash/1 light
Theme: Bedouin
Peppermint Veruca
Model: Urian
Month: 12
Stylist: Mony Nation
MUA: Amina Garrett-Scott
Assistant: Angelo Byrd
Studio: Studio6480
Set Up: Flash/1 light with beauty dish
Theme: Peppermint Veruca Salt
Peppermint
Model: CeCe
Month: 12
Stylist: Mony Nation
MUA: Amina Garrett-Scott
Assistant: Angelo Byrd
Studio: Studio6480
Set Up: Flash/1 light
Theme: Peppermint
The Red Admiral
Model: Queen
Month: 13
Stylist: Mony Nation
MUA: Amina Garrett-Scott
Studio: Studio6480
Set Up: Flash/1 light with beauty dish
Theme: Admiral Butterfly/Warrior