Click. As Nobella painted earthSista Aya in preparation for our photoshoot, I captured the process and thought about what I could say about the origins of these images we were about to create. I wondered what you would want to know. Click. Sometime ago I approached Aya joining us in the Garden. Her extraordinary naptual beauty had caught my eye and her vegan lifestyle had piqued my curiosity. I would come to find out that she is one of the Raw Revolutionaries whose “mission is to provide informative delicacies that promote a healthy raw vegan lifestyle in assisting people with their journeys...

Emerald trinkets gracefully draped Violet’s shoulders, ears and wrist while Nobella added the final touches of the earthSista’s adornment; bright white dashes above her eyes. These captures were part of a series of images Nobella and I had been working on. We’ve been creating pictures of her jewelry and paintings for Nobella’s shows and website. And on the day of this shoot, when we had a couple of jewelry sets to capture, Violet was our muse. Violet is inspiration, pure and simple. Open, creative and sensible, the young, natural beauty is full of energy, vigor and optimism....

Radically energetic and focused. Colorful and (despite herself) obscenely cool. RenegadeBarbie displayed all of those aspects to her character during our shoot together. In one of the converted factory loft communities in the Atlanta area, a couple of friends of mine opened up their home, allowing us to create this raw and edgy set of captures. The sun peered through windows and blinds and we reflected it back on the Renegade…Barbie because she was The Star. She danced with the shadows and playfully teased the camera. The radical diva displayed her patented in-your-face attitude that has...

Intimate moments, alone, captured while the faint taste of incense lingers in the air. Warm soft light is ubiquitous. Long locs fall across bare shoulders while bejeweled hands dab into shay buttah so that they can spread it over the brown skin that drinks it in. Blaq Buttaphly and I were in the cool basement loft. And while we laughed and talked we created these captures that were, for me, one of the root inspirations of Pangea’s Garden. Minutes, that happen, privately, so often that their rare beauty is, easily lost in the repetition. Every now and then, I like to take a moment to capture...

The RenegadeBarbie doesn’t just march to the beat of her own drum, she BUILT the damn drum! She continues to build it. She defines the rules that will be the guiding posts for her own visions. Fiercely charismatic and creatively passionate, RenegadeBarbie is expressive and uninhibited. Her style is provocative, raw and full of swagger. Because her unique “in your face” style and her figurative adornments of tattoos and piercings RenegadeBarbie is coveted by SuicideGirls and Blacquewidowdolls as well. Yet as radical as she appears, she is still a loving mother, an adoring lover,...

Mid-afternoon seemed the perfect time for  a good book. This was Kirei Na’s thought when she received a very interesting instant message on my laptop. It was haunting, provocative with a touch of humor. It was an intimate tease sent over miles wire and broadcast airwaves and it captured her imagination. Feeling a little naughty herself, this seemed like the perfect opportunity for a little passionate self-expression, as well as a chance to please the mysterious someone she cared for. So, with a moment of gleeful thought, Kirei went into action. Bathed in sunlight, diffused by the wispy sheer...

Immortal Wisdom from Bob Marley “I do not try to be perfect and I know I’m far from it but before you go pointing fingers make sure your hands are clean” Walking and talking, you find out that Radiantz is a woman whose had her fair share of passion and pain. A talented and caring soul, she is not hard to know but not easy either. In the midst of the shoot, Radiantz opens up and as the day progresses the prickly young woman who can be short-tempered, becomes warm, exuberant and sharing. She talks about the changes in her life. Family, boyfriends and her history tell a story of a life...

Beauty heard about the Garden, purely by chance. She was interested immediately. A very real and down to earth sista, Beauty simply lives life to the fullest as she searches for her place in. She is a woman always on the move as she explores various venues for her own creativity, while providing support for the creative endeavors of those closest to her. Beauty loves being in front of the camera and she eagerly seeks the opportunity to create provocative and striking images as you can tell from he recent captures in the sun. As soon as can fit it into her busy schedule, Beauty will create a new...

Overcast clouds were the forecast, and it was unexpected. As luck would have it, the weather for the week prior to shoot day had been nothing but sunshine. We had this great idea for a shoot but it required a strong burst of natural sunlight, similar to the day before, and the days before that and so on… Anyway, we decided to make the best of it. We shot outside, taking advantage of the even sunlighting you can get when the sun hides behind the clouds. We wanted to use the lush untamed backyard to this Carribean-themed jukejoint when it happened. God smiled on us that day. The clouds parted,allowing...

Hershey is an EarthSista on the move. Young, vibrant, and natural, this beautiful flower is a med student with a serious passion for dance and theater. Her affinity for perfomance grew out of her love for fashion and glamour. Today, she still dreams of owning a her own fashion boutique as well as a performance studio. This woman is doing everything she can to have it all. It is no doubt that with her ambition and energy, Hershey will be successful in whatever she decides to do. Although she is quite busy, Hershey loves her family and makes time whenever she can. Hershey also wants you all to know...