Caribbean Chromatic Kaleidoscope Portraits

This year I was invited back to my alma mater, Webster University, in St. Louis, MO, to have a solo photography show in their gorgeous, newly renovated Kooyumjian Gallery.

The invitation motivated me to create some new images specifically for the show. For this new series, I drew inspiration from life in Miami and the vibrant Ankara wax print fabrics of Afro-Caribbean culture. These photos showcase Nayla, a Haitian-born beauty, and Athena, a Dominican-American model.

Throughout the creative process, I experimented with different approaches, spending hours sourcing and curating the perfect fabric and clothing selections from local Miami boutiques. The wax print fabric played a pivotal role, serving as the backdrop for Athena's portraits and later, photographed as a separate element, and digitally integrated behind Nayla.

As intended, the dynamic Ankara fabric enveloped the models in a kaleidoscope of colors and patterns that mirror and celebrate the richness of their Afro-Caribbean heritage.