A Story Behind A Photograph by Aisha Seriki

Develop Ambassador Aisha Seriki shares a story behind her photograph #BIBBY1.

This photograph was captured in a field near Woolwich. For years I passed this field during my daily commute, each time daydreaming about its potential for a future shoot. My attraction to the field as a location for shooting was fuelled because it is largely unattended for the most part allowing the plants to flourish in their natural state. Here, mother nature reigns not man. The field sticks out as an anomaly, a place of tranquillity, a shy away from the skyscrapers, cranes and the concrete towers populated with human inhabitants, which surround the field and dominate the London skyline.

This photo is of Bibby (Grace), and this was the first time I had met her and I was instantly charmed by her radiant energy. This image was captured during the sunny spell that occurred last summer in England. The weather presented me with great difficulties, and I remember vividly struggling with my camera setting as the lighting conditions were too harsh. I generally tend to give my models little direction because I am inspired by the beauty of natural movements. However, I encountered frustrations when directing my model, not from her abilities but because the sun limited our abilities significantly. Despite our constraints, all are absent from the final image. I wanted to capture the calm essence of the location successfully, my styling and makeup choices reflected this motivation, as I wanted something effortless and carefree.

I particularly like this image because I think it is laced with mystery, the viewer is given no context to decipher the image, and are free to make their own assumptions on the muse. Just like I was daydreaming and creating my own imaginations of the field, the viewer is also able to create their own fantasies from the image.   

– Aisha Seriki