Shifting the Gaze
The Power of Photography to Reclaim Identity Photography holds a unique ability to capture moments that reveal our deepest truths. It can document history, celebrate identity, and challenge assumptions about who we are and where we come from. In recent years, a new wave of Black British photographers has emerged.
Shifting the Gaze
Photography is more than image-making. In the hands of the right artist, it becomes a form of care, a way of seeing, holding, and honouring people and their stories. For Black creatives in Britain, this has often meant reclaiming space and reshaping narratives. It’s about challenging how we’ve
Shifting the Gaze
Photography has long been a tool for observation. But for many Black photographers, it becomes something more, a way to document truth, connect with community, and honour lived experience. Adama Jalloh is one of those artists. Her work cuts through noise and spectacle. It captures people as they are. No
"The Black gaze is about the experiences that exist within each and every single one us. There are stories at every single corner. And it’s those stories that allows us to have a voice; especially when so many people are voiceless, and don’t get to share those
"This question has come to me a few times, in many different contexts and places in the world and each time my answer is the same, the Black gaze, is the perception of ourselves and that also answers why it matters." — Magno Daniel How does the Black gaze
"To me, the ‘Black gaze’ is about shifting the visual power and narrative to, and through, the lens of Blackness. Having that awareness means working with the understanding that experiencing life in Black bodies, environments, forms and aesthetics is varied and complex, where the ‘white gaze’ may be, and
"The Black gaze means looking within, it means revisiting stories that were documented by the White folk when it comes to our own stories. I can give you Ethiopia, my own country, as an example. A lot of its history, including imagery has been written and photographed by White
"The Black gaze to me simply means being different. Everyday I see photographers and I go, “What goes on in the head of these guys?” I want that for me someday, I want people to wonder and crave how I think." — Kester Onyemaechi How does the Black gaze
"Being a photographer comes with responsibility, so for me the Black gaze means telling our stories without confusion or harm to our community. Intention is important." — Karis Beaumont How does the Black gaze relate to your photography practice? We’re all made and wired uniquely, which means our
Sign up for news and updates from theBLKGZE
Photography as Witness, Protest, and Power Some photographers make you look. Others make you see. Misan Harriman belongs in the second group. His images don’t just document moments, they amplify them. His work captures not only what is happening, but what it means. Through protest portraits, magazine covers, and
Reimagining Beauty, Identity, and Representation In a world flooded with images, some photographers manage to cut through the noise. Not by shouting louder, but by seeing deeper. Campbell Addy is one of those artists. His portraits are bold and cinematic. They are rich in colour, culture, and symbolism. But behind
By Shaun Connell 07 Jan 2024 — 9 min read Introduction Gordon Parks (1912 to 2006) remains one of the most influential American photographers of the twentieth century. His camera was both a mirror and a window, reflecting the harsh realities of the nation while offering a glimpse into lives too
"The secret of getting ahead is getting started." – Mark Twain About four years ago I was on a photo walk in downtown Atlanta. I came to an intersection and across the street I see this brother walking with the unmistakable bop of a free man carrying a little
The Black gaze is relatable, humanistic, empathetic, authentic, truthful, inclusive, defiant. My father Stephen Kofi Adu-Sanyah became a victim of a tragic surgical mistake in a German hospital in 2016. The doctors didn’t provide him with a blood transfusion during surgery, and let my father bleed out in front
"The Black gaze is relatable, humanistic, empathetic, authentic, truthful, inclusive, defiant. It is important that we shape our identity and see ourselves beyond the outsiders’ limited beliefs. False beliefs stemming from a bleak history. The Black gaze allows us to see each other in an understanding and dignifying light,
"The Black gaze to me, means Black visual artists having the ability and ample opportunities to tell our own stories without the fear of not meeting the expectations of non-Black people." - Henry Danner How does the Black gaze relate to your photography practice? This relates to my
"The Black gaze is about the experiences that exist within each and every single one us. There are stories at every single corner. And it’s those stories that allows us to have a voice; especially when so many people are voiceless, and don’t get to share those
"The Black gaze shows the importance and perspective of art and influence through Black individuals. It’s unapologetic in staying true to how our culture views and interprets ourselves." - Brandon J. St. Jean How does the Black gaze relate to your photography practice? This relates to my
"It’s amazing how Black creatives can be interviewed and their process documented, it inspires." — Ebuka Mordi How does the Black gaze relate to your photography practice? It inspires. What do you want to say or address with your photography? I want to uplift the name of Nigeria
"This question has come to me a few times, in many different contexts and places in the world and each time my answer is the same, the Black gaze, is the perception of ourselves and that also answers why it matters." — Magno Daniel How does the Black gaze
"The Black gaze means an admiration of everything Black. Admiration that is not only external but also internal. Internally in regards to politics, culture, emotions, and mental illness. Overall, the Black Experience." — Zaria Love How does the Black gaze relate to your photography practice? This relates to my
Copyright © 2021-2025 theBLKGZE. All Rights Reserved.
Every image belongs to its maker. We’re just holding space.
