British Vogue Wanted To Showcase Black Beauty And It’s Done Quite The Opposite
How can you find beautiful something that you cannot see?
It’s been a few days now since British Vogue released its’s February 2022 front cover. On it, you’ll see nine famous, stunningly beautiful Black African models posing on a lovely divan. In all my 51 years on earth, I have waited to see several Black African models on the cover of Vogue, one of the eldest and most prestigious fashion magazines in the world. But, when I finally discovered this much-awaited cover, I, a Black African woman, was extremely disappointed. Why? Because the photo is simply odd. Let me explain.
Firstly, the lighting in the photo is definitely off, and it is almost impossible to see the models’ facial features. The first and most elementary rule of photographing Black people is to always ensure that there is a good amount of light. How could Vogue, heralded as one of the most iconic publications in the world where some of the most renowned photographers have featured their work, ever get that wrong? I am still trying to make sense of it.
I’ve searched the internet extensively to understand whether there is a reason for the poor lighting in the photograph. Were they trying to replicate a dark cinema genre or time in history? I have found no…
