What Chester Higgins Jr. saw

Look closely at this photograph. Let your eyes stay with it, and ask yourself, "What am I really seeing?" A man kneels in the sand before a cross. His back is to us. His arms are raised in quiet petition. A pair of sandals lie behind him, half-buried

What Liz Johnson Artur saw

Look closely at this photograph. Let your eyes stay with it, and ask yourself, "What am I really seeing?" Three boys ride through a tunnel. The night wraps around them, but they don’t flinch. One chews gum. One stares ahead with wired focus. One stays half-turned, face

What Gordon Parks Saw

Look closely at this photograph. Let your eyes stay with it, and ask yourself, "What am I really seeing?" Look again. Not at the composition. Not just the lines, the posture, or the texture of the light. Look at the person. The face. The setting. Let your eyes

Chester Higgins Jr.: Mastering the Black Gaze in Photography

Introduction “I don't take pictures. I make them.” — Chester Higgins Jr. If you’ve ever struggled with how to honour your heritage while building a name in an industry that rarely sees you fully, Chester Higgins Jr. offers something rare: a map. Not the kind found in textbooks

The Black gaze vs the de facto gaze

The dominance of the de facto (Orientalist-rooted) gaze "Representation itself is the main instrument of empire. The power to narrate, or to block other narratives from forming and emerging, is a very powerful tool of control." — Edward Said, Orientalism What is the de facto gaze? In photography, the

The Camera Means Nothing Without Your Vision

What separates a simple snapshot from a timeless photograph? Vision. In a captivating episode of The Black Shutter Podcast, legendary photographer Chester Higgins Jr. reveals how he channels the spirit within each photograph he captures. Higgins’ work is nothing short of iconic. He has photographed luminaries such as Muhammad Ali,

Documenting the Ordinary

The Radical Power of Everyday Black Moments Picture this: a group of cousins playing tag in the front yard. Your grandma humming in the kitchen as she stirs the pot. The folding chairs lined up in the back yard at a family cookout. These moments may feel small, even forgettable,

If I were a racist (Photographer’s Cut)

Photography, Power and the Frame We Don't See In his powerful poem If I Were a Racist, musician and educator Dr. Nathan Holder exposes how racism is often embedded not in overt acts, but in the everyday norms of music education, in what's taught, what'

The Soulful Shutter: Why the Best Black Photography Starts in the Gut

Introduction: Beyond the Shutter Click There’s a moment, just before the shutter clicks, when everything aligns. Not technically, but spiritually. The light is soft. The subject exhales. The silence feels full. And the photographer knows. That’s the moment they shoot. Not because the settings are perfect, but because

Autograph are hiring

Join Autograph as a Team Assistant Autograph is looking for an enthusiastic and creative person to join them as a Team Assistant. Apply to join us by 10am (BST) on Monday 12 May 2025. This is a full-time role, based at Autograph’s gallery in the heart of London’s

From Ally to Co-Conspirator: What’s the Difference?

You’ve read the books. You’ve shared the posts. You’ve shown up to workshops and started having harder conversations with friends and family. You’ve taken steps toward allyship, and that matters. But what if there’s more? What if being an ally is only the beginning? Across

Books Allies Can Read, Part Two: Photography and the Power of the Visual

In Part One, we shared 10 essential books to help allies grow in understanding and commitment to anti-racism. In this second instalment, we’re shifting the focus to photography and visual culture. Images shape how we see the world and how the world sees Black people. These books are for