Jasmine Monroe, A master of her craft, whose lens captures emotions in their rawest form, revealing the essence of her subjects and the stories they hold. Collaborating with Projext Liquid Studios, she creates a series of captivating images that transcend the boundaries of convention and elevate the artistry of her subject, Yiigaa.
Based in East London, Jasmine’s natural inclination toward the medium blossomed at a young age. Since then, her style has evolved, as she has fearlessly delved into various genres, ultimately finding her calling in fashion and portrait photography on film. There is an unmatched allure to film photography – an invitation to slow down, to be deliberate with each shot, and to embrace the timeless qualities that it bestows upon the images. But in this collaboration, she embraced a new challenge with a mesmerising fusion of vulnerability and experimentation.
This collaboration was not just an aesthetic endeavour; it was an exploration of the connection between artist and artistry. Yiigaa, a singer-songwriter and multi-disciplinary artist, possesses a remarkable musical style that blends her Ivorian heritage with dance and soul music. Her melodies are a symphony of sound, daringly bridging genres, and igniting the souls of her listeners. Jasmine, with her profound understanding of storytelling through photography, embarked on a mission to visually encapsulate the essence and ethos that define Yiigaa's artistry.
The concept behind the shoot was to mirror the transformative phase in Yiigaa's music and artistry. As her newest music seeks to uncover the rawness and honesty within her lyrics, she aimed to mirror this through a series of looks that represent different themes in her music. It was not just about capturing Yiigaa's physical presence but delving into the very core of her being, exposing the raw and authentic emotions that fuel her art.
Photographer: Jasmine Monroe
Talent: Yiigaa
Creative Director: Coree Jayvon
Stylist: Joshua Meredith
Makeup Artist: Antonia Yiltay
Nail Designer: Canelo Nails
How long have you been a photographer?
Photography has been part of my life from a young age. My Mum used to be a press photographer, so I grew up around cameras and was naturally drawn to the art form. I started pursuing photography as a hobby at around 14 years old, then at 16 I dropped out of school to go to art college and study photography.
Introduce us to your work, what attracts you to photography and describe your style of images?
Over the years my style has changed and developed a lot and I have experimented with many genres of photography such as travel, documentary, weddings and dance. These days, I focus on shooting fashion and portraits on film using natural light. My affinity for shooting on film is rooted in the tangible and timeless qualities this medium offers – I love being able to slow down and be intentional with each shot. I am also interested in learning more about studio lighting, so this shoot was a great way to experiment. What has always attracted me to photography is the sheer variety of photographic styles and the many ways this practice can be a form of storytelling, serving as a visual chronicle to the human experience. My first exposure to other photographers work were great documentary photojournalists such as Tim Page, Martin Parr and Nan Goldin, who all used their cameras as an invitation to connect with the human experience.
What was your thought process when setting up the shoot with Yiigaa?
Yiigaa is coming into a new era with her music and artistry, and we wanted the shoot to reflect that. As her new music is focussing on the rawness and honesty in her lyrics, as well as genre blending, we wanted to shoot a few different looks to represent the different themes in her new music.
Were there any specific styles you wanted to explore to showcase the artist or your own photography process?
With this shoot I wanted to push myself out of my usual comfort zone of using film and natural light, and experiment with shooting in the studio.
