"The Hidden Queen"
by Alana Sophia
Throughout history, the skin has been one of the most beautiful entities that life has to offer. I have taken several women and photographed them in their nudity to capture the beauty of the skin in its most natural form. The melanin in their skin makes them look golden and rare, which they are. I wanted the women, who are all of African-American decent, to appear statuesque to convey the message of royalty—much like an African Queen. They appear to be cracked and rusted to convey the idea that despite time, we should never forget the exquisiteness of the African empress. The juxtaposition of time, skin, and royalty is demonstrated in this series of photographs. I invite you to enjoy the effortless beauty that has manifested itself into this photo documentary.
