PHOTOGRAPHERS TO KNOW: SOUKAYNA DIENG
SOUKAYNA DIENG
Soukayna Dieng is a New York based director, photographer, producer and healing artist born to Senegalese parents. She creates imagery that is deeply inspired by human identity, connection and ascension, even incorporating her meditation teaching practice as a service to photography clients. Soukayna’s work has been featured in Vogue Italia, Cosmopolitan Magazine, Forbes Magazine, and Lady Gunn.
SHEER: Tell us a little bit about yourself.
SOUKAYNA DIENG: My name is Soukayna Dieng. I’m a New York based photographer and multimedia artist. I come from Senegalese born parents with a Senegalese, Ghanian, and Moroccan background. Through photographing and other artistic mediums, I create imagery and environments that are deeply inspired by human identity, connection, and ascension.
SHEER: When did you realize you wanted to break into a creative field? What was that early stage of your career like?
SK: I realized I wanted to break into the creative field from a very young age. Probably when I was 10 or 11. At first I wanted to be a fashion designer but sometime in high school that changed to a stylist so I applied to LIM College which specialized in the business of fashion, and I got accepted.
In the earliest stage of my career I was still in college but I interned and worked as much as my body could. I interned first for celebrity stylists Claudine De Sola and Kanayo Ebi in my freshman year. Then I went on to intern and freelance for PR agencies, design houses, production companies, and magazines. But in my junior year of college was when I realized I wanted to be the photographer.
SHEER: How did you get your start in photography?
SK: My amazing friend Gabbi, lended me her Canon 50D one day, along with 2 of her lenses and I shot my first editorial in June 2018 for Sophia Schuppe, which ended up being picked up by Vogue Italia. It felt like confirmation that I was meant to do this.
“In the earliest stage of my career I was still in college but I interned and worked as much as my body could. I interned first for celebrity stylists Claudine De Sola and Kanayo Ebi in my freshman year. Then I went on to intern and freelance for PR agencies, design houses, production companies, and magazines. But in my junior year of college was when I realized I wanted to be the photographer”
SHEER: What have been some of your favorite brands/projects to photograph for?
SK: Some of my favorite projects have been the more personal ones, where I was able to see myself and connect with the nature of the shoot. My favorite projects were my Libertas series, and all of my collaborations with Domi Reina, Gisela Castillo and Geraldine Henriquez who are amazing Fashion Directors and Stylists. They're responsible for the beautiful styling in my photos.
SHEER: What qualities would you say are unique to your photography style and approach?
SK: My artistic style is a host of juxtapositions. Between the themes of groundedness and warped realities, fashion editorial and portrait styles, I allow myself to create an idealized sense of reality, where I intend to invoke feelings of reimagination, self-creation and hope in viewers of my work.
“Through photographing and other artistic mediums, I create imagery and environments that are deeply inspired by human identity, connection, and ascension.”
SHEER: How do you stay grounded in your craft and navigate the photography world, an often white male dominated industry?
SK: I always like to think there's always room for more. The fashion and photo industry has done a terrible job of making people of color feel like there's room for a all of us, but that is changing. I've always hated the idea that I couldn't do something or be successful in something because of the color of my skin or because where I started in life. I want my career in photography to reach certain heights, and knowing myself and the love I have for this art, I'm going to get it by any means necessary.
SHEER: What advice do you have for women of color looking to break into the photography industry?
SK: Advice I have for women of color looking into the photo industry is to firstly, start today. It's a beautiful time for us to document our creativity and history. Secondly, research photographers that you're deeply inspired by and if they're still alive reach out to them to see if they need assistants. Although it may be difficult to get into assisting bubbles, it's worth a try. It's a great way to see how they work, how larger productions operate and also, it's an amazing networking opportunity, which is just as important as taking a picture.
“ I always like to think there’s always room for more. The fashion and photo industry has done a terrible job of making people of color feel like there’s room for a all of us, but that is changing. I’ve always hated the idea that I couldn’t do something or be successful in something because of the color of my skin or because where I started in life. I want my career in photography to reach certain heights, and knowing myself and the love I have for this art, I’m going to get it by any means necessary.”
SHEER: What is the lasting impact you hope your art will have?
SK: The lasting impact I hope my art will have is to invoke positive feelings in people when they look at it. Whether it be nostalgia, joy, kinship, peace and so on. At the moment that feels most important to me.
By Tiara Starks
Zhané Aliya is a content creator based in the Nashville bringing her own flair to the fashion, lifestyle, and DIY beauty content niches while speaking in-depth about her experiences as a Black creator navigating the platform’s ever-changing algorithm.