USA

Jada Imani M

Shaun Connell

13 Dec 2020 — 2 min read

"The Black gaze is the way Black people see ourselves and the outside world. Because of the intersections within our community, this can vary based on gender, sexuality and skin tone. As a Black woman, I use my work to show viewers the various ways I see myself and my community."

— Jada Imani M

How does the Black gaze relate to your photography practice?

I make it a habit to photograph Black people, especially Black women.

What do you want to say or address with your photography?

I want to show people that we are not a monolith. We can exist in different spaces without having to assimilate. Growing up I was called weird and I was uncomfortable with this terminology. I use my odd/weird perspective to fuel my art.

What influences and inspires you? How is this reflected in your work?

Black art inspires me. When I look at 90s Hype Williams videos I am reminded to be my authentic self as an artist.

I am influenced by fantasy and I showcase that through the way I photograph people, the way I edit, and through the sets I build.

Who are your favourite Black photographers from the past? Why?

Gordon Parks and Carrie Mae Weems because of the way they documented the Black gaze.

Please describe the highs and lows of your experience as a Black photographer?

The best part about being a Black photographer is knowing our perspectives are the same, but different. We have a lot of stories to tell. Though we all relate in some ways, one can always find differences in our life experiences. I would say this can also be the worst part.

Our experiences unify us, but divide us at the same time. There is sometimes confusion over who our target audience is, what we are promoting, and whose side we are on based on the work we present.

What work are you producing and what more would you like to do?

I am balancing commissions with passion projects. I want to have more time for my personal work through editorial/documentary photography and film-making.

About Jada Imani M

Jada Imani M is a photographer, videographer, and creative director from Prince George’s County, Maryland. She began her journey in 2015 while attending The Art Institute of Washington where she studied Digital Film-making and Video Production.

Connect with Jada Imani

Website / Instagram / Twitter

Add your voice

Through The Black Gaze, we don’t just reflect the world, we reshape it. Your story matters. Share it. Honour it. Hold space for others. This is where truth lives and vision leads.

We invite Black photographers to contribute in two meaningful ways through story and image.

Get started

Documenting the Ordinary

The Radical Power of Everyday Black Moments Introduction: The Beauty in the Everyday Picture this: a group of cousins playing tag on the front lawn. Your grandma humming in the kitchen as she stirs the pot. The folding chairs lined up in the backyard at a family cookout. These moments

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'

Photograph of Grandma Ruby and Me by LaToya Ruby Frazier

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

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