Zenab Fofana
In an effort to recreate what I see, I tend to photograph in color. Working in digital photography, I photograph warm bright colors because I think it is more pleasing to the eye. I photograph in color rather than black-and-white because modern black-and-white photos most of the time have no emotion. Though I’m extremely excited to show off the beauty of my friends that they don’t show off often, I also photograph my neighborhood, despite it being gentrified.
Photographing in Harlem is inspiring because it’s one of the only places that is filled with people who look like me, and I feel more comfortable taking photographs in that environment. I take photographs to show off Black beauty, which, at times, is overlooked. I like to take photos when my subject is doing their everyday activities, which makes me think my photos are calming and comforting because there's not too much going on in them and they feel familiar. I tend to reflect my subject by capturing them in a natural pose. At times I direct them to pose how best fits them. World-renowned photographer James Van Der Zee inspires my photography, particularly my black-and-white images. He also inspires me when taking photos of Harlem and the people who live there. I’m from Harlem and love capturing my community, and west Harlem is a majority Black community, which makes me feel more at home. Harlem has so much Black history ever since the Great Migration and I want to be the one capturing that history in the neighborhood. Zenab Fofana, b. 2007
glistening, 2024
Digital inkjet print
Sheet: 20 × 16 in.Zenab Fofana, b. 2007
staring into the eyes of the past, 2024
Digital inkjet print
Sheet: 16 × 20 in.
Zenab Fofana resides in Harlem and is a junior at the Young Women’s Leadership School. She's a part of the Muslim Student Association and crochet club—both communities she’s comfortable being in. She really enjoys cooking and baking and is highly interested in crime and science, hoping to pursue a career in chemistry or criminology. People should know that her sister is also pursuing a career in photography. Zenab finds it really peaceful to play her music and do her makeup at the same time, and she enjoys playing video games, specifically Sims 4.