Blaze Squirewell

Sunkissed demonstrates that people of color can be documented beautifully with intentional lighting and direction. All photos for the exhibition were taken outdoors during different seasons and times of day to show that it’s possible to achieve stark and pleasing photos that are not solely manufactured in a studio. Black, Indigenous, People of Color have been misrepresented throughout the art world, especially in photography. Many large-scale magazines such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, and Time that didn’t have an abundance of people of color in the early 2000s. When there were African American, Latinx, or Asians gracing the cover of these well-known publications, they were paler than normal. Even with darker skin tones, photographers focused more on illuminating their subject rather than making the light blend with their skin to create a cohesive appearance. Between postproduction, artificial lighting, and backdrops, some photographers believe that is the best way to get the best shot. After researching photographers, magazine covers, and the processes involved, this thesis will call attention to the many struggles photographers face in terms of lighting and postproduction and how to improve upon them.