Chantel has a special focus on beauty & portraiture. She developed a passion for visual storytelling whilst working as a photo assistant, armed with over 10 years of experience she embarked on an adventure of her own. 

Her photographic style is cinematic, dreamy & intimate. Chantel loves experimenting and playing with different lighting techniques and styles. Her work has a beautiful crossover from soft and gentle to bold and dynamic and she just loves a POP of colour. 

Chantels’ commissions include shoots for Revolution Beauty, Stylist, Grazia, Hunger, Tush and Schon! magazines. Her portfolio also features portraiture for titles such as The Guardian Saturday & The Sunday Times Magazine. As a black female photographer, she is aware of the lack of people like her in front of and behind the camera, and she strives to strike a more inclusive balance within her work.

We sat down with NERD’s beauty photographer Chantel to chat through her favourite projects, her creative push and the importance of diversity and representation not only in her work but also on set.

Q> What inspired you to pursue a career in beauty and portraiture photography, and how has your journey from art foundation to graphic design influenced your unique style?

Chantel> I began my career exploring fashion photography. I was captivated by Tim Walker’s portraits. I love his wonderful, creative use of lighting and oversized props to enhance his images. Honestly, I began shooting beauty due to a lack of finding a brilliant fashion stylist, which is extremely important in fashion. To my surprise, I find so much joy in shooting beauty and portraits and wouldn’t look back. I love photographing all skin types well and capturing the realness of a person.

Q> Your portfolio showcases a diverse range of projects, from soft and gentle portraits to bold and dynamic compositions. What is your favourite project to date and why?

Chantel> There are many favourites of mine; however, if I had to choose one, it would be my ‘Synthesis’ series. I love this series because it’s not merely a portrait, but a collaborative piece involving makeup, hair, styling, and art direction. I shot the portraits alongside still lifes, which were then collaged together by the art director to form a new portrait, hence the title ‘Synthesis.’ These portraits have received much praise and recognition.

Q> Your commitment to inclusivity and representation in photography strongly aligns with our values at NERD. How has being a black female photographer impacted your journey in this industry?

Chantel> Representation is extremely important to me; being seen makes a huge difference in this industry. I address this message wherever I can. I also ensure that I have a diverse team, whether in front of or behind the camera. This diversity is reflected in my portfolio and the stories told through my work. I notice the significance of subtle surprises from models who recognise me as the photographer, and the fact that the majority of assistants who reach out to me are women of colour. They see themselves in me, which is deeply rewarding. Additionally, I strive to pay my expertise forward in various ways.

Q> Experimentation seems to be a key element in your creative process, from playing with different lighting techniques to exploring various styles. Could you tell us about a particularly memorable experiment or project that pushed the boundaries of your artistic expression?

Chantel> Yes, I love playing with light. The shoot where I pushed myself the most was in my ‘Art of Glass’ beauty series. For this series, I held different vases in front of the lens, creating a beautiful spherical viewpoint of the image that I simply could not recreate in post-production.

Q> And finally, tell us a NERDy fact about yourself 🙂

Chantel> I absolutely love all types of puzzles whether it’s jigsaws, escape rooms, sudoku, or any puzzle where I have to solve something, I get so excited and even more when I complete it.

See more from Chantel here.

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A dramatic photograph of Greta Van Fleet frontman Josh Kiszka mid-performance has won the top prize at the So.Co Image of Music Awards.

The annual awards, launched last year by music storytelling platform So.Co, took place at a ceremony in central London and saw prizes handed out for a number of categories, incuding Legend of the Year, Venue of the Year, and Young Photographer of the Year.

The shot of Kiszka by Fearghal McGlinchey, which is aligned carefully to give the appearance that the onstage fire pyrotechnics are emitting from the musician’s raised hand during his concert at Wembley in London, won the Image of Music prize, which was voted for by the public.

London-based McGlinchey was also named music photographer of the year at the ceremony, which was held on Tuesday 26 March.

Reflecting on his process to capture the winning photo, McGlinchey said: “I decided to watch some of their recent live performances on YouTube, to get a gist for the stage design.

“As soon as I saw their pyros go off, I thought to myself, ‘I have to be in the perfect position for these later on.’ Josh’s harmonica even looks like it could be a lighter.”

Last year, the prize went to Belinda Enthoven for her snap of McFly singer Tom Fletcher mid-concert, showing him arching backwards on stage and stretching out his hand to the audience while performing at the O2 in London.

Elsewhere during this year’s ceremony, New York-based Grace Prachthauser received the inaugural Young Photographer of the Year prize, which aims to shine a light on emerging talent under the age of 23.

The judges were impressed by her creative entries that included live shots of US rapper Ashnikko and Eurovision stars Maneskin.

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Ahead of the ceremony, it had been announced that Jill Furmanovsky had been awarded the Legend of the Year award for her long-standing career in the music industry.

Over a career spanning more than 50 years, Furmanovsky has captured defining moments in music history including Oasis at Knebworth and Pink Floyd at Live 8 in 2005, while also shooting up-close-and-personal portraits of artists such as Amy Winehouse, Sinead O’Connor and Charlie Watts.

Venue of the Year was awarded to the Hackney-based Paper Dress Vintage, which operates as a vintage clothing store in the daytime before transforming into a music venue at night, hosting artists such as Arlo Parks and Sam Fender.

Meanwhile, Mercury Prize-nominated rock duo Nova Twins took home the Must-See Artist of the Year, voted for by the public, and Innovation of the Year went to the Canon EOS R50, selected by judges for its ability “to squeeze high-end tech gear into an entry-level camera”.

Vince Bannon, So.Co chief executive and co-founder, said: “We are thrilled again to highlight and honour the great work done by music photographers throughout the year.

“As you can see from the quality of the entries, the standard just keeps getting better.”

Photographer Kevin D. Reilly pulled into the Fraser Street garage on an overcast and at times rainy fall afternoon. He looked up at the sky and questioned if it would clear. He hoped the weather forecast would be accurate and he wouldn’t lose the perfect lighting.

The clouds parted and as the sun came out, Reilly trekked to College Avenue with a ladder and camera equipment. Like a true Happy Valley resident, he remembers the day—Oct. 21, 2016—because it was the Friday before Penn State blocked a field goal kick against Ohio State.

Standing atop the ladder on the campus side of the street, he snapped a shot of a building. He climbed up and down the ladder from Burrowes Street to Garner Street, capturing every foot of College Avenue. The photos he took that Friday are now showcased in his “Impressions of Happy Valley” collection.

Reilly grew up in State College and, like many, has seen the town change over the years. As the buildings and businesses he knew began changing, Reilly felt called to do something.

“I grew up walking College Avenue pretending to be a college student,” he says of his high school days. “I have to photograph this for posterity’s sake, for history and who knows, maybe we’ll be able to do something with it.”

Alongside other projects, Reilly worked on his perspective of College Avenue, merging each photo, toning colors, removing cars and moving people throughout the scene.

Reilly cites Impressionism, a style of painting developed in 19th-century France, for his inspiration with the “brushstrokes” and coloring in his works, including “College Avenue West.”

“I felt jealous of how painters can put people in certain positions where they want. They can draw things the way they see them or the way their mind sees them,” he explains. “You have more freedom than what’s in front of the lens and a photograph.”

Reilly worked for decades in film photography shooting photo essays, exhibitions, advertisements and more. His work was published in the Philadelphia Inquirer Sunday Magazine and used by Fujifilm USA. He spent decades running his studio, Oh! Reilly Photography, in Philadelphia, but in 2008 he returned home to the mountains of Happy Valley. 

Now, Reilly enjoys digital photography and the creative freedom that comes with editing software.

“As a modern artist, I feel I’m responsible to use some modern techniques to further my career,” he says. “Digital photography with Photoshop has opened the door to so many possibilities.”

“A Year in Happy Valley” takes viewers on a year-long trip through the most beloved parts of the Centre Region. A single print combines shots from across the region for a year in the life in Happy Valley.

It starts with fall and Mount Nittany, football and foliage before transitioning into the restaurants of downtown State College, snow and holiday decorations. With springtime comes new growth and kaleidoscopes of lush, green colors, ushering in the red, white and blue sparkle of summer and Arts Festival in downtown State College.

Each photo is an inspiration from his own formative years in State College, as well as seeing how others explore the Centre Region through photography.

“I go and try to find it [a location] and give it my own interpretation,” he says.

A scene from the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts captures the bright colors of flags zigzagging down the street, while a print of Mount Nittany showcases the rural landscape of the region. Both scenes appear like canvas oil paintings, an effect Reilly perfects using Painterly in Photoshop.

Another work showcases Bellefonte with fan-favorites of the town like the courthouse architecture, old Victorian houses and Tallyerand Park.

“That’s how I see Bellefonte,” he says.

Reilly’s photography expands into nature with his “Random Symmetree” and “Megacosm” projects. “Ripples” of “Megacosm” is a photo of clouds, a favorite subject to photograph for Reilly.

“They’re always fluid in some ways, but yet they’re stationary,” he says.

Spheres and ripples move the viewer’s eye through the photo and beckon them to think deeper about reality.

“It’s there to allow everybody to have their own interpretation of it,” Reilly says.

Reilly is the in-house digital artist at State College Framing Company and Gallery (160 Rolling Ridge Drive, State College). To view and order artwork, visit OhReilly.net or find him on Facebook at Oh! Reilly Photography. T&G

Hannah Pollock is a freelance writer in State College.

South African photographer, visual artist and fashion icon Trevor Stuurman has become one of the country’s most sought-after creatives by unapologetically challenging the global perception of African cultures through his powerful visual storytelling.

“My style is, I’d say Afrocentric, I’d say contemporary, I’d say cool,” he said.

This narrative shift was fully on display with his work on Beyoncé’s Grammy-nominated visual album “Black is King,” in 2020, which Stuurman knew would reach a massive audience.

“You have to be so intentional with every color you choose and how you frame things and what things could possibly mean to other people outside of their understanding,” Stuurman, 31, told CNN in a recent video interview.

His modern takes on diverse styling, photography and visuals have garnered him acclaim in South Africa and beyond. In 2012, at the age of 19, he won Elle Magazine’s Style Reporter award, and was voted among GQ’s Best Dressed in 2015.

Six years later, Stuurman was selected as one of TIME Magazine’s Next Generation Leaders, and was the photographer behind the “Coming to America 2” Black Is Magic beauty collection, which he says highlighted the decadence of Black beauty in its authentic form.

“We are in the middle of a renaissance … and it’s so important to stay rooted in that energy because it has the ability to inspire people from all over the world,” he said.

Now, he hopes to light the way for other creatives to dismantle African stereotypes with his latest endeavor, called “The Manor” – a multifaceted platform consisting of an online site, art events, and a quarterly publication featuring diverse voices.

In the welcome issue, which debuted last year, Stuurman documented the production of the successful South African TV show “Shaka iLembe.” The latest photography edition, titled “Reflecting B(l)ack,” showcased a special Pan-African publication curated by Stuurman.

“Africa is the cradle of mankind, but also the cradle of creativity,” he said. “[My work is] basically my way of honoring our stories and protecting them.”

Reaching the “truest potential”

Through his visual storytelling and partnerships with everyone from international fashion icons such as Naomi Campbell, Gigi and Bella Hadid, and Kendall Jenner, to former US president Barack Obama, the United Nations, and the Gates Foundation, Stuurman is unveiling new narratives with a wider appeal.

“I think it’s not for Africans to bring anything to a global audience, I think for us it’s to create and exist to our truest potential,” he said. “The world will always meet us where we’re at.”

Drawing inspiration from his hometown of Kimberley, in central South Africa, Stuurman’s 2022 exhibit, titled “A Place Called Home,” paid homage to his own journey with diverse portraits, themed spaces, and installations.

Last year, he expanded on the creative vision for “The Manor” with “Home Away from Home,” building an experience for the audience and a community for creatives in multiple disciplines.

Also included in “The Manor” is a section called the Style Diary, a visual blog of stylistic creations and images of fashion and art events from Johannesburg and Cape Town to London – another way Stuurman is working to uplift a range of artistic voices from across the continent and beyond.

“Everyone has the artistic ability, but not everyone has the professional tool set to execute and build a long-lasting career,” Stuurman said. “[The Manor] is about extending the table and creating a table as opposed to asking for a seat at the table.”

Watch the full episode of African Voices Changemakers featuring Trevor Stuurman.