Portraits


"I tend to get nervous when it comes to having my photo taken...As these shots were for my portfolio, I wanted to look confident and warm. It went better than I could have hoped and I have some really lovely photographs that I feel capture my personality and look very natural."

     - Kiri Kankhwende -  journalist, political commentator, public speaker

Head and shoulders portrait of Ruth - she stands in front of a large print of one of her own portraits, and looks directly into the camera.
Dzifa sits on a bench in dappled sunlight beneath unseen trees; they are wearing a brightly patterned jumpsuit, and looking off to the side.
Tina laughs in surprise, mouth wide and eyes closed, standing in front of a patent green brick wall, dressed all in black.
Head and shoulders portrait of Yusuf - he is smiling widely, wearing a white shirt, grey jacket suit and glasses, and standing in front of a plain white wall.
Deborah Marie stands, looking proudly upwards, the light falling on her face.  She is wearing a bold print top, and there is a white brick wall in the background.
Ana smiles, looking off to the side; her striped top matches the silver and black of her braids.
Rakaya sits in a high-backed, patterned arm-chair, looking downward with one hand on an arm-rest, the other resting on her knees.  She is wearing a black abayyah, and there is a small palm plant next to the chair.
A head and shoulders portrait of Ranjit smiling into the camera; she is wearing glasses, and an embroidered scarf around her neck.
A black and white portrait of Sorena - she is relaxing in a chair in a cafe, looking straight into the camera with a neutral expression, wearing a dark long-sleeved top and a headwrap.
A portrait of my mum, looking regal in a colourfully embroidered white lace outfit, with a bright yellow gele and aso oke.  She is sitting in front of deep red floral curtains, and smiling into the camera.
Azeezat sits in front of a brick wall, gazing and gesturing upwards, a bright smile on her face, as though imagining something delicious.  She is wearing maroon floral dungarees, a black top and a headwrap, and earrings that read "Black Lives Matter"
Samra stands, laughing with eyes closed, hands deep in her coat pockets.  She is seen through a gap between two panels of bright green, translucent acrylic.
Tina stands at the brick pillar of a wrought-iron gate; dressed all in black with her hair up in a bun, she smiles gently into the camera.
Yinka sits in front of a wide tree trunk, looking a little seriously into the camera.  Some of her long braids have clear beads on the ends, and she is wearing glasses and a white top with mint stripes.
Zainab can be seen from the chest up, sitting in a velvety teal chair, and smiling easily up into the camera.  Her locs are in a slanted bob, and she wears a black top and silver chain with a small pendant.
A black and white head and shoulders portrait of Richard - he is looking straight into the camera, uncharacteristically serious, and wearing a jumper and glasses, stood in front of a brick wall.
Naomi stands almost sideways on to the camera, body and face turned towards a window (off-camera) which softly lights her face. She is leaning with one elbow on a wooden ledge, and has her camera in front of her on the ledge.
Leah stands facing the camera, but looking down, both hands raised and lightly touching either side of her face.  She wears a headwrap and heart-shaped sunglasses, and in the background is a black wall with the remains of ivy branches growing on it.
A head and shoulders studio portrait of Pat - he is in front of a grey backdrop, wearing a bright orange shirt, his hair cut to just above his shoulders, and looking off as if into the distance.
A somewhat dramatic head and shoulders portrait of Terrence - he is side on to the camera, but looking directly into it, and his face is contrasted by the dark background and his black jacket, with a faux fur collar.
Liloo stands outside in front of a wooden garage door. She is wearing a black coat over a brown jumpsuit, and a brightly printed headwrap, and looking slightly upwards, a smile on her face.
Dzifa stands in dappled sunlight under a bower of vine plants.  They are wearing a brightly patterned jumpsuit, and stand face on to the camera, hands behind their back, and looking upwards, sunlight playing on their face.
Okka stands in dappled sunlight in front of a bright red door.  She is looking straight into the camera with a neutral expression, wearing a black leather jacket over a yellow dress.
Black and white head and shoulders portrait of Kanoki; his locs are tied up in a loose bunch, some falling over his forehead.  He is looking off to the side, and seems to be about to speak.
Gracie sits at a kitchen table, side on to the camera, looking towards the window beside her, holding a super 8 camera. On the table there is a vase of tulips, an empty plate, and a cup also featuring tulips.
Rivers looks into the camera, their expression neutral but alert.  They are wearing glasses and a button-down shirt, and there is a background of a red-panelled wall.
A black and white portrait of Hodan wearing a black khimar.  She stands in front of a set of tall, narrow windows, surrounded by dappled sunlight, looking down calmly into the camera.
Abdul-Mujeeb sits, his body diagonally side-on to the camera, and his face turned to look directly into the lens.  Half of his face is lit by sunlight, the other more in shadow, and there is a bright multicoloured floral mattress as backdrop.
Zelda sits on a red leather sofa, in front of a large bookcase, looking down and to the side, as though deep in thought.  Her chin rests on her loosely clasped hands.
A black and white full body studio portrait of Jumoke. She stands side on to the camera, looking steadily into the lens.  She uses two crutches and has a brace on one leg, and is wearing white trousers and a dark scoop-neck top.
Yusuf is seen from the chest up, 45 degrees to the camera, but looking straight into the lens.  He is wearing a dark grey suit jacket, white shirt and black frame glasses, and has a neutral expression.
Hakima smiles into the camera in this bright head and shoulders portrait - she is wearing a denim shirt open over a black t-shirt, a chain with an adinkra symbol pendant and glasses.
Victoria is sat outdoors in the sun, seen through green leaves.  She is laughing, eyes closed, and arms gesturing, her head tipped back and to one side.  She is wearing a black and white chevronned dress and a headwrap.
A close up head and shoulders portrait of Zainab - she has her eyes gently closed, and is sat in sunlight in front of a wide tree trunk. Her head is tilted lightly towards the sun, with a peaceful expression.
Three siblings, Izat, Zakiyat and Fatima, stand grouped together, holding each other, beaming and emanating love.  All three are wearing different coloured hijabs and abayahs, and are smiling directly into the camera.
Abdul Mumin stands, hands behind his back, looking up into the camera, in front of a floral mattress as backdrop.  He is wearing red corduroy trousers, a navy blue t-shirt and denim jacket, and looks up almost quizzically.
Hodan's dress and hijab are shades of turquoise and emerald.  She is sat on a corner bench built of bricks, and bent over in laughter, one hand covering her mouth as she laughs.
A head and shoulders portrait of Marai, who is smiling gently into the camera.  She is standing in front of a white wall, dressed in black, with long locs and a silver chain.
A black and white portrait of Ronke.  Her face is tilted up towards a light source, leaving the area below her chin in shadow.  She has a thoughtful expression.
A well-lit head and shoulders portrait of Joyce.  Her body is not quite facing the camera, but she looks directly into the lens with a neutral expression.  She is wearing a long-sleeve black top and a chain, and her silver-grey hair is cut close.
Dalilah stands in an open alley way which appears to converge towards her.  She looks up to the sky, head tilted back, and is wearing a long black coat, mustard coloured hijab and a colourful shawl.
Laura smiles into the camera, her eyes creased in mirth.  She is wearing a white and green checked dress, drop earrings, a necklace and a nose ring, and has long wavy dark brown hair.
Adama laughs joyfully, lit by the daylight through a patterned wrought-iron railing.  She is wearing a denim jacket and rich purple hijab.
A close head and shoulder portrait of Elsie - she is stood in front of lush green leaves, looking into the camera, her wide smile matching her white top.
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