Carolyne LoreéPhotographer
New York, US. February 4th, 2021
“Everything that’s happening in the world right now is an inspiration in and of itself. So many true colors have been revealed over the last year. Heartbreaking truths have been unveiled, as well as numerous uplifting acts of unity and triumph. There’s so much to reflect on and to consider.”
I’ve always been drawn to visual expression. Making images is something that helps me articulate concepts, memories or simply my moods. Photography often helps me sort through the noise in my head; it’s a form of therapy in a way. I wasn’t sure which medium I was most interested in until college, when I took my first photography class. It felt familiar to me in a way, but I’d had no experience with it yet. I knew then that I wanted it to be my focus.
I was born in California, but we moved several times when I was a child, due to my father’s military career. I lived in Washington, Panama and Virginia before we moved to a picturesque mountain town in Georgia called Dahlonega; this is where I grew up. Coming of age in a small southern town had a profound impact on me as a person and as an artist. I had a happy childhood, and I feel very fortunate to have been raised in a home that was filled with infinite love and open communication.
However, at times I struggled emotionally while my heart and mind were developing in such a politically conservative environment. Those values don’t sit inside me naturally, so as an adolescent this felt very confusing at times. I partly attribute my yearn for connection and understanding in my work to where I spent my childhood.
Everything that’s happening in the world right now is an inspiration in and of itself. So many true colors have been revealed over the last year. Heartbreaking truths have been unveiled, as well as numerous uplifting acts of unity and triumph. There’s so much to reflect on and to consider. All of the introspection within myself and the observation of my environments, past and present, have been significant forms of inspiration for me. I’ve been reflecting on what my impact on the world around me will be and what I still need to learn and grow though. Insecurities that I had last year have lessened, and I’ve never felt more focused on my work, hopes and community.
I’ve been working on an ongoing project shot on Super 8 film with an important artist, Karina Sharif. She works in paper, making wearable and environmental sculptures that reflect on Black women and their experiences, perspectives and feelings. She centers them in her work with such reverence and understanding. Her creations are completely beautiful. Working on this has been the highest honor; I’ve learned so much this year from Karina and this project.
I consider my aesthetic to be minimal, strong, quiet and natural. My work is centered around a femme experience and explores various layers of a femme gaze. Inclusivity and body positivity are two of my most valued principles, and I strive to create work where all parties feel seen, connected, beautiful and empowered.
I love to work with other people I can learn from through an authentic and genuine exchange. I feel so fortunate to have the opportunity of meeting and collaborating with a wide range of brilliant people. Learning from the people I photograph or collaborate with has truly helped me grow spiritually and intellectually. The reality of my privilege weighs heavily on me; I know the opportunities and social interactions I’ve experienced as commonplace my entire life don’t come easily to everyone. For people living on the margins of our society, sometimes they don’t come at all. This has to change. The system we all subscribe to must make room for everyone to have equal opportunities, connections and choices. Otherwise, we need to and will create a new system that does.
The past year has been sort of manic for me with regard to inspiration. Earlier in 2020, I hit a block. I had to give myself the task of making one photo per day and recording what it was in my journal to avoid the weeks totally blurring into grey. However, something changed within me around early June. I’m not exactly sure what happened, but it felt like a switch had been flipped. I can’t keep up with the thoughts and plans pouring out of my mind. It feels amazing, but also overwhelming to keep up with, due to the parameters of COVID-19. I’m so thankful to be working and to remain inspired, though.
I feel like I’m still developing myself and my work, but the last year has allowed me to know clearly what I want to focus on and with whom. It’s important for me to work with people I admire or with brands whose ethos I respect. I feel more selective and purposeful about my work now, compared to even a year ago. I used to say yes to nearly every opportunity, because I didn’t have another option. I’ve become more autonomous, and I feel unbelievably grateful for that freedom. It has elevated my spirit. My deepest hope for the future of humanity is for people to have the opportunity to live an autonomous existence.
My work usually starts with something personal I’ve been marinating on. Sometimes it’s just a mood or headspace. Picturing an image to correspond with these thoughts helps me to articulate the idea or feeling. I make inspiration boards sometimes, though usually only when I’m working on a fashion project. I typically like to do minimal planning prior to a shoot, in an effort to leave some room to see what feels right in the moment.
I shoot pretty swiftly, but I don’t like to shoot a ton of frames. What I love most about shooting analog is the intention that it encourages me to bring with each shot. A couple of years ago, I sometimes couldn’t afford to shoot more than two rolls of 120mm film per project, so every frame mattered to me so much. That mindset has stuck with me, and I think it always will.
After shooting I’ll have the negatives developed and scanned at a lab. I rarely develop them at home, but I enjoy it on occasion whenever I have a slow, peaceful day to myself. The final photograph is either printed soon after or lives as a digital image online until I decide to have it printed. I have a friend who is opening up her own darkroom in Brooklyn, called The Women’s Darkroom, so I’m looking forward to having a facility nearby where I can develop my own film and make prints regularly. Having this available will take my work to a different place.
My list of favorites is pretty long: A few of my most-loved works of art include Cindy Sherman’s “Air Shutter Release Fashions,” Marisol Escobar’s “Women and Dog,” Robert Mapplethorpe’s “Ajitto,” wrapped works by Christo and Jeanne-Claudeand, Baby by Emma Amos and Nan Goldin’s collection, “The Ballad of Sexual Dependency.” Meanwhile, Igmar Bergman’s Persona, Robert Altman’s Three Women, and Cheryl Dunye’s Watermelon Woman are three of my favorite films. And in music, recently I’ve been listening to a lot of Toots & The Maytals, Lena Platonos, Fleetwood Mac, Sonya Spence, Kate Bush, Ahmad Jamal, Megan Thee Stallion, David Bowie, FKA Twigs, The Talking Heads—and that’s just a start. I also love ‘70s and ‘80s television series, like Columbo or Murder, She Wrote.
I deeply admire many creative people, and I’m so inspired by what they’re working on, everyone from Deana Lawson, Alva Claire, Michaela Stark and Karina Sharif to Indya Moore, Paul Mpagi Sepuya, Charlie Max, Jenna Westra, and many others.
During this period in fashion, the industry has no choice but to evolve. People have spoken up, and fashion is waking up to the values of holistic racial justice, body positivity, gender nonconformity and protecting the environment. The status quo has been disrupted. We’ve all been confronted with ourselves, along with ample time to reflect. While some actions being taken in the industry feel fear-based or performative, there are so many genuine, beautiful initiatives happening right now.
Earlier this year I was afraid the steps toward social justice in fashion were going to end up as just another exploitative trend, but I don’t feel that anymore. Over the past year, I’ve had so many conversations with brilliant people working in the industry who are changing it from the inside out. These talks have meant everything to me, and it all makes me feel very hopeful for the future of fashion.
As we move forward, I want sustainable practices and products to be a larger priority in our industry, and for those practices to be more accessible to brands and consumers. I would love to see people who are currently marginalized to be running the industry one day very soon. I also want the stereotypical bitchy side of fashion to fully die, and I hope that “chic” will become synonymous with respect, inclusivity, empowerment and connection.
