Women of color in Photography
As a woman of color, Ms. N had great difficulty in finding a photographer because of the lack of images with women of color in them. We had some great conversations surrounding African American women and the need for more representation in this industry. She was so kind to allow me to not only feature these stunning photos from her session, but to share her experience.
Did you have any hesitations with booking a boudoir/beauty session?
My hesitations were not so much around booking a boudoir session, they were more so in finding the right photographer. I wanted to find someone who had experience and comfort in working with women of color. Dealing with makeup, hair, as well as lighting are important. I had a hard time finding someone online who had multiple images showing women of color. And while it might sound like an odd thing to look for it was very important to me.
Prior to your session with Whitney, had you ever done a session like this? What was your experience?
Before my session with Whitney I had not done a session like this. I did have experience with a professional photographer who I felt had taken better images of Caucasians than they did African Americans.
What made you decide to book with Whitney?
After speaking with Whitney and looking at her images online I felt very confident in her ability to create beautiful images. While it was obvious that she hadn’t worked with many African Americans, it was also obvious that she was still very talented. While there weren’t as many representations of people who looked like me on her page, they all still looked very beautiful and were captured in a way that I knew I wanted to be captured. I did mention my concerns to her and she answered them with confidence so from there I felt like she was the photographer for me.
How did you feel in the weeks or days leading up to your session?
I was definitely excited leading up to my session. I had spoken with Whitney on the phone a few times about wardrobe and maintenance (like nails and waxing) and I was ready to do it.
Describe how you felt going into your session—your hair, makeup, and outfit styling?
Because I have locks I knew I was not going to have my hair styled by her artist, but I was excited about makeup. I don’t normally wear a full face beat as they call it so this was going to be fun for me. I told Danee that she could feel free with her artistic expression as far as choosing colors as well as my concerns regarding my skin tone. She was completely understanding and did an outstanding job. I was completely comfortable with her and was very happy with the end result. She and Whitney both helped me narrow down my selection of outfits I had brought and I was very pleased.
Tell us about your experience during your session. Did you feel comfortable, awkward, etc.? How did you feel with the posing guidance Whitney provided?
I really enjoyed my session. Whitney was very professional, supportive, and encouraging throughout. We didn’t talk as much as I’ve seen with her in some of her videos, but she was still very professional and I felt really good about the entire process. I was very happy with the poses and positioning. I left feeling really great, encouraged, and like a Queen for the rest of the day.
Describe how you felt once you saw your finished photos during your ordering appointment? Were your expectations met?
When I returned for my ordering appointment I was in awe of the images. It was me, but a me that I had never seen because I had on blinders that didn’t allow me to see all the things my husband had always told me but I never believed. Slim legs, tiny curves, and that lower tummy I can never really get rid of were all still there, but now with the blinders off I saw a complete work of beauty.
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Red Stiletto is Norman, OK’s premier beauty and boudoir photographer
