Photographer of the week: Daniella Almona

The “Photographer of the Week” series is dedicated to highlighting photographers within the SCAD community that demonstrate unique abilities behind the lens. This week, Daniella Almona, a senior photography student, shares her recent projects and personal insight.

What or who helped you develop an interest in being a photographer and what significance does photography hold for you? 

Being the first black woman I saw take up space in the white male-dominated world of photography, Yagazie Emezi’s aura, talent, and courage pushed me to be the photographer I am today. She expresses herself authentically, irrespective of the unfailing judgment and opinions of society. A documentary and lifestyle photographer from Nigeria, her storytelling skills, editing, and overall artistry inspire me. My culture also plays a huge role in my appreciation for color. I am from Nigeria and being surrounded by beautiful patterns and designs on clothes shaped the way I look at color. Other African photographers such as Sarah Waiswa and Trevor Stuurman have been huge influences in the work I create and how I capture photographs.

Do you have a muse? If so, who, and or what is it? 

I don’t think I do, I find inspiration in multiple things, people, and experiences what is your overall creative process per project?

Do you like to follow the common steps of photographing or is there something more unique to the way you work? 

Art is the most fluent way I communicate and creating art is more than essential to me. It is who I am. My creative process is continuous and ongoing rather than a task with a start and endpoint. My inspiration comes from all around me, physically and virtually, as well as within. Whatever inspiration I decide to build upon for a certain project, I visually take notes using sketches or mood boards. Most times I bounce my ideas off people (friends or models) and then I go deeper into planning and set design. This is my favorite part of the process because I get to create my own ‘world’ by curating this photographic space.

What impact do you want to have within the industry? 

As a black woman, amplifying the voices of people like me is essential. This can be by telling their stories or including them in shoot concepts I have. Black women are underrepresented in the media and even when we are, we rarely have agency over how we are portrayed. This inclusivity is one I try to push in my work and in the stories I tell.

What challenges have you faced in your creative journey? 

Starting out, it was harder to find inspiration from photographers that looked like me. A lot of my classes had white old men as references to learn from and I did not feel connected or inspired in any way. Another challenge was not letting social media and engagement affect my love and passion to create.

Is there any advice you’d like to leave for other photographers or SCAD students? 

For SCAD students specifically, I would say create outside of class. Some of my best work has come from projects that had nothing to do with grades. Don’t spend so much time trying to ace an assignment that you forget to do the things you love.

To see more of Almona’s work, you may visit her Instagram and website.