Featured Article Written By UK Black Female Photographers Member Keisha George Kaptured by KaGe
As we celebrate Black History Month, we’re reminded of the power of representation visibility.
We are UKBFTOG, a collective of Black women photographers in the UK, working across every genre imaginable: from portrait photography and celebrity shoots to weddings, beauty, documentary and editorial photography, our work has been published, exhibited and recognised globally.
As professional photographers we naturally find comfort behind the lens. We have the eye, the creative vision and talent to create and tell powerful stories, yet we rarely step into spotlight. Sometimes it’s down to insecurities or the fear of being seen.
Personally, I love being in front of the camera and behind the lens, but noticing how many of us shy away from the lens gave me even more reason to do something about it.
That’s why, for Black History Month 2025, I wanted to do something different. I wanted to honour our community of photographers and celebrate us in a vibrant, fun way.
Inspired by an Iconic Essence Magazine Cover
A few weeks before the shoot I came across the legendary 2000 Essence magazine cover, shot by Timothy White, featuring some of the most iconic Black actresses of our time: Halle Berry, Loretta Devine, Regina King, Jada Pinkett Smith, Vivica A. Fox, Queen Latifah, Michael Michele.
As someone who loved and studied performing arts, there was nothing like seeing beautiful Black actresses on the cover. It gave pure girl power energy. I knew instantly it was something I wanted to recreate.
Recreating the Essence Cover – Our Way
With halloween approaching and it being pretty common in the creative industry to recreate scenes and images from iconic films and album covers, it just made sense to bring UKBFTOG together to recreate the cover.
When I have an idea, I need to bring it to life straight away, so there wasn’t much time for prep. I think I gave everyone nine days notice, tops! But honestly, I’m thankful to the women who saw the vision, were available and trusted me.
Challenging the Stereotypes in the Photography
Let’s be real, when most people picture a “photographer”, they tend to imagine an older white man. That’s who we’ve seen for decades highlighted in magazines, represented on film sets and documentaries. But it’s 2025 and we’re changing that narrative.
We’re here to educate the world and remind them that we exist too. You can be a photographer at any age. You can be Black, be a mother of three, be stylish, come from a deprived background and have multiple passions and none of that takes away from your ability to be professional, experienced, talented and highly skilled.
You can learn through university, paid courses or by gaining experience on the job and it’s all valid!
We are Black women.
We are photographers.
We are artists.
We are the storytellers.
We are part of history and the future too.
📸 Credits:
• Original inspiration: Essence Magazine (2000), photographed by Timothy
White
• Recreation concept and direction: [Keisha George / Kaptured by KaGe]
• Featuring: [Kaptured by KaGe, Labelle London, Malika Roberts, Mellz
Photography, Shot by Severine, Yes.yesi snaps ]
• Photography: [Labelle London]
• Written by Keisha George Kaptured by KaGe