Turning the camera on herself, photographer Lulu Mhlana explores her nude black body and confronts her dislike for its shape, colour and size.
This collection of self-portraits by photographer Lulu Mhlana (26) explores her blackness in the nude form.
“I have vivid memories of me not liking the shape, colour and size of my body when I was younger,” says Mhlana.
“I have learnt to love myself unconditionally and I have embarked on a journey of recording ubumnyama bam [my blackness] through photography.”
She studied through a part-time photography programme at Orms Cape Town School of Photography.
Through this project, Mhlana has gained a great deal of self-respect and confidence, something she struggled with for years. She uses the spaces she occupies to frame her portraits and says every photograph is accompanied by an emotion.
“Whenever I look at my portraits I know exactly how I felt at the time of turning the camera on myself,” she says.