How to photograph/snap/vine your dark-skinned friend
I had a lot of white friends in high school and perhaps the most trying aspect of all these friendships was the inability to capture all of our memories. I say this because there aren’t, to my knowledge, a lot of pictures of me together with my friends from around this period. In fact, I would go on add, this was partially responsible for us growing apart.
Picture taking is central to our culture because pictures/videos are what we use to form an archive of our memories — however sacred or inane they may be. So when I scroll through old photo’s of my friends from high school my absence appears to speak volumes about my role in their lives, or lack thereof. Thus, as we continually share and upload images of our lives on social media, new memories easily erase or take the place of old ones, and your old friends become the ones who aren’t tagged in your new archive of images. With that said, I’m writing this for all my new friends new or further down the line, who often struggle or find anxiety in capturing me in their images.
- Don’t be afraid of the light
Sometimes you may find yourself in a dark place, such as the outdoors, where there are minimal sources of light. If that’s the case, utilize them. Be creative. If there’s someone who’s not in the picture get them to direct the light source. This can only benefit the picture and perhaps enhance its texture as well.
2. Use flash as freely as you can
It’s really self-explanatory. Your phone or camera has a flash function. Use it.
3. If the lighting is poor, take the picture anyway
Important to note here is that visibility is key. If everyone in the photo is visible and clearly discernible, then take the picture anyway. It doesn’t have to flashy or sharp; so long as it tells a story.
4. As a black/dark-skinned person, I am not ashamed of my complexion
If you’re feeling that you could’ve taken a better picture or that the lighting could’ve brought out some more features, you should relax. I’ve found that some of my favorite photo’s are the one that I’ve grown to appreciate over time. They weren’t the most impressive photo’s and I definitely didn’t appear photogenic or attractive but at least they captured a certain quality of me. Learning to appreciate this aspect of myself has been crucial to my ever-developing self-esteem. It has also taught to be more aware of the qualities in me that my friends cherish because there is nothing more exhausting than being that token friend. If there is one thing that I let my white friends know is is that my blackness is not there for their consumption. I am comfortable in my skin in whatever shade or tone it may appear to be.
5. Ask for permission/make me aware that you’ve taken a picture
Because unfortunately there are many trolls on the internet.
And that’s it really. I don’t ask for much.
x
