There's a certain attitude that those of wealth carry as they move through the world. A certain amount of confidence that is emitted when you lack a scarcity mindset. That's the energy I wanted Cynthea to bring to shoot. The loose theme for this shoot was "Old Money vs. New Money".
Fortunately, Cynthea did not need much direction from me in order to possess this energy. Cynthea already gives off a self-assured sense of poise. You can actively see it through the fire in her eyes and the power in her stance.
With this style shoot, I wanted to challenge myself in the realm of color. I'm naturally drawn to rich and vibrant hues, colors that demand to be seen. I ventured in the opposite direction with this shoot, choosing to stick with an overall muted and neutral color palette, introducing a limited number of pastel hues. Through this color story, I was able to show the level of sophistication that can be achieved with varying tones, light materials + subtle textures. My goal was to communicate a confident and simultaneously carefree sense of class that young black women can ascribe to have (if they so choose to).
With every wardrobe change, I could sense Cynthea's energy level up. Each look making her feel more powerful than the next. It also could have been the music that I was playing. Cocky + cheeky hype songs ONLY on this shoot. So a little Megan Thee Stallion...and a lot of Rico Nasty!
Such a beautiful friendship has blossomed since this shoot! Now Cynthea and I get together every month for what's called our Manifestation Meetup where we discuss our goals for the year. It's an intentional moment for us to check-in, celebrate our milestones and hold each other accountable every step of the way. I can't wait to see what we accomplish by the end of 2020!
Be sure to follow Cynthea on Instagram @lacedincyn and through her business, Brunch for the Soul.