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Coming to terms with the extent of colonialist thinking in travel, media, and art is long overdue, and it will be a long process. But Black photographers and creators have been dismantling this framework, regardless of who was or wasn’t following them before. From covering the protests that swept the country to creating portraiture and recommending plant-based recipes, these Black creators are leading the way. 

Nneka Julia (@nnekaj)

A keen photographer, passionate traveler, and insightful writer/podcast host, Nneka curates warm and inviting visuals with her photography and similarly encourages self-exploration and self-education through her podcast projects, The Layover and Passing Through. She is a storyteller in every sense of the word, and her work hums with wisdom, both her own and that of the community that she constantly works to elevate.

 

 

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Girma Berta (@gboxcreative)

From colorful, fast-moving street photography to evocative portraiture and even top-down drone photography, Berta’s work showcases the richness and character of life in Ethiopia, especially in his hometown of Addis Ababa where he curates the accounts @streetsofaddis.

 

 

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Marcus Lloyd (@marky_marc13)

Whether he’s shooting dreamy hotel and boutique interiors on digital, or wandering new destinations and creating postcard-like mementos with a medium format film camera, Marcus is an inspiring photographer who creates mesmerizing, Hockney-esque visuals. From NYC to Texas, his photos are rich in Americana and his portraits of island life are so cool that you can practically feel the sea breeze on your face.

 

 

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Robin Rivera (@rrobin_hood)

Robin Rivera’s photography is buoyant with joy — from the smiling portraits from around the world that adorn his Instagram feed to the videos of dancers, musicians, and travelers he’s worked with. A talented cinematographer, his sense for a story and ability to capture the energy of a scene is unmatched.

 

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Christina Nwabugo (@bynwabugo)

Christina’s chops as a director are obvious even in her still photography, all of which has a deeply cinematic and vibrant look to it. The British Nigerian storyteller explores the “symbiotic relationship between people, culture and nature” in her work, which is obvious in the lush greens and subtle glow of her photos. Somehow they manage to be understated and moody at the same time as they are full of life, a delicate balance only a masterful eye like hers could strike.

 

 

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Holly-Marie Cato (@h_cato)

Holly Cato has a positive obsession with place. When you look at the character that she manages to fit into all of her photos, you feel instantly transported. She goes two feet in to every destination, taking the time to find the places and people that pique her creative interest the most. Based in London, her photography covers the world from Morocco to Hong Kong.

Andre D. Wagner (@photodre

Wagner’s documentary photography is so poignant that it speaks for itself. In his own words, he’s spent every day of the past several years trying “to develop a photographic language that is sophisticated but also gets to the heart of what it feels like to be here. Not just New York but what it’s like to be Black in America.” 

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Sarah Waiswa (@lafrohemien)

Founder of @africancityzens and African Women in Photography (@africanwomenphotograph), Sarah takes intensely personal photographs and documents stories of family, motherhood, womanhood, and citizenship across Africa. Her portraiture is rich and vibrant, and her stewardship of her other photographic projects epitomizes the power of photography as a movement and humanizing force.

 

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Oneika Raymond (@oneikatraveller)

When I read the interview with Oneika recently published on our site, I had no idea that the expertise and confidence she exuded were just the tip of the iceberg — she should truly be the envy of all travel bloggers, because if an issue has ever come up in your travel life, Oneika has probably covered it. She’s been all over the world, has an eye for a gorgeous photo, and can speak on everything from budget travel to being in a long-term long-distance relationship. 

 

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For Africans By Africans (@forafricans)

Curated by Chika Okoli, FABA is an archive for visuals of daily life in Africa whose mission it is to not just increase visibility of African lives, but also to give Africans control of the digital narratives that can determine so much in the modern age. They recently started a video series entitled “Sights and Sounds” that offers an immersive look into the spaces where rural and urban life coexist across the continent, starting in Cote d’Ivoire’s largest metropolis of Abidjan. 

 

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Chris Garner (@zonefocused)

City or countryside, color or black & white, Chris is a knowledgeable and versatile analog photography based in Japan whose work showcases the durability and range of the medium as film continues to make a massive comeback among hobby photographers.

 

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Edward Barnieh (@edwardkb) 

We at Passion Passport have been in love with Edward’s work for a long time. From Hong Kong to his current home base in Singapore, he’s routinely captured some of Asia’s most iconic scenes with originality and flair. And shooting everything from portraits to street photography, with everything from drones to iPhone cameras, he’s simply a pro. One of the best. 

Juni & Bethany Renee (@allthingsjuni & @likkle.vegan.tings)

Juni and Bethany are two plant-based Black women I followed a while ago out of envy for all the delicious food they were enjoying, but I ended up staying for the recipes, fitness inspo, and shout-outs of (often Black-owned) vegan restaurants in the NYC/LA area. I’ve bookmarked a few of these for the next time I make it out to these cities so I can travel and eat with confidence. Definitely worth a follow! 

A Few More 

I don’t want to speak on accounts that I don’t follow and haven’t been following, but here are some other Black creators whose works have caught my eye in recent weeks. We invite you to get in touch with some Black photographers and influencers you follow and admire, either in the comments here or on our Twitter

@asiyami_gold 

@nottaylorgrayson

@nickvantiem 

@WhoIsDaMaster 

@aldidiasse 

@rrobin_hood