Vanessa Charlot

Vanessa Charlot is an award-winning documentary photographer, filmmaker, lecturer, and curator. Her work focuses on the intersectionality of race, spirituality, economics, and sexual/gender expression. She shoots primarily in black and white to disrupt compositional hierarchy and explore the immutability of the collective human experience. The purpose of her work is to produce visual representations free of an oppressive gaze. Vanessa seeks to humanize Black bodies through her photography, restoring the dignity and vitality of those often shot as subjects divorced from context, motives, and histories. Her work invites us all to question our relationship to what we think about when we see Black bodies as static images and in motion.

She has worked throughout the U.S., Caribbean and Southeast Asia. Her photographs have been commissioned by The New York Times, Gucci, Vogue, Rolling Stone, The New Yorker, Oprah Magazine, The Atlantic, The Guardian, Apple, New York Magazine, Buzzfeed, Artnet News, The Washington Post, and other national and international publications. She lectures at the International Center of Photography.

Polly Irungu

Polly Irungu is a Kenyan-born, Washington, D.C.–based photographer, photo editor, and community builder who deeply believes in the power of visual storytelling to create access, equity, and change. Driven by curiosity, care, and a strong sense of responsibility, Polly is especially committed to uplifting Black and African women creatives whose stories have historically been overlooked. She previously served as a White House photographer and photo editor, and she cares deeply about representation, fairness, and building systems that allow talented people not just to be seen, but to thrive. Through her work as a photographer and as the founder of Black Women Photographers, Polly is most energized when she’s connecting people, opening doors, and helping creatives gain the confidence, resources, and opportunities they deserve. Passionate about mentorship, collaboration, and community-building, she values both the craft of photography and the business behind it—believing sustainable careers are just as important as powerful images. Whether documenting history, leading conversations about equity in the creative industry, or supporting emerging photographers, Polly approaches everything with intention, generosity, and a belief in collective success.

Leica Camera