Queen Bey always knows how to use her platform for good, whether it’s speaking out about feminism, writing lyrics about racial inequality, or bringing voices to the causes most important to her, she’s a force to be reckoned with. Championing people of colour into the spotlight, Beyoncé’s chosen photographer for her sure-to-be iconic September cover shoot, Tyler Mitchell, is the first ever black person to shoot a cover for the magazine. When agreeing to the issue, Beyoncé was contractually given “unprecedented control” over her images and captions by Anna Wintour, Vogue’s Editor-in-Chief.
In the 126 year history of the magazine, never has a black photographer been hired to shoot the cover: not only does this portray the industry’s lack of diversity, but emphasises the importance of inclusion behind the scenes as well on the forefront of representation. At just 23 years of age, Tyler Mitchell has made history as the first black photographer to shoot a US Vogue cover, and also the youngest. An artist focused on presenting “an honest gaze” of his subjects, as he describes, Mitchell shoots predominantly people of colour in “a really real and pure way”.
Graduating from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts just last year, Mitchell has already shot the likes of director Spike Lee, #NeverAgain gun-control activist Emma Gonzalez and her classmates for Teen Vogue, as well as various other shoots and fashion campaigns. Usually choosing from a specific pool of photographers, Wintour’s inclusion of Beyoncé’s photography choice hopefully reflects the magazine’s stepping in the right direction – notably away from the numerous white male photographers recently accused of sexual misconduct. Using her power and influence for empowerment and representation, the singer proves herself to be a vital activist voice in music, and hopefully it will be the start of seeing more celebs be just a little bit more Beyoncé.
Check out Tyler Mitchell on Instagram here and stay tuned for the cover soon.
