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Hi! I'm a photographer here to talk about (some of) why this Vogue cover thing is a big deal, because I totally get how it might seem insignificant. And yeah, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris looks great despite the photo issues! But that's not the problem... (thread) https://twitter.com/yashar/status/1348145019408900102
First, this is a weak shot. A lot of people have complained about the backdrop, but it could absolutely work if used correctly. Here? Not so much. The pose is unflattering, Harris looks uncomfortable, the angle of the photograph is unsophisticated, and the lighting is poorly done
The editing is also not up to par. I can't speak to whether the skin lightening issue is from the shoot or post, but the HSL values were not properly adjusted for her skin tone during edits. Every photo editor at Vogue should know the basics of editing photos of people of color
None of this is a criticism of the photographer! I would never claim to be at the "shooting a Vogue cover" level, but I would still consider this an outtake if I shot it. Or at least a shot to be used within the editorial (properly edited), where it could be better contextualized
And having outtakes is totally normal!! Very few photographers nail every shot -- that's not normally the goal. If my clients saw how many photos I take during a shoot 
But that's why photo selection is a thing! And at this level, one done in conjunction with the subject's team
But that's why photo selection is a thing! And at this level, one done in conjunction with the subject's team
So I absolutely see why this wasn't the photo selected by mutual agreement. And it's incredibly rude for that change to have been made by the Vogue team alone. It's a violation of the photographer-subject relationship and of the agreement between the VP's team and Vogue
But when we talk about a cover change being made "by the Vogue team" it's important to know that we actually mean by Anna Wintour. The responsibility falls fully on her. She's the only person who would have been able to approve this change. Period.
Here's where this goes beyond fashion. Anna Wintour has a history of approving subpar covers for Black women. She has a record of hiring racist photographers. And now, if all of this is true, she has undermined the Vice President-elect and removed her control over her own image
This Vogue cover matters. Whether or not it's a "good" thing, how powerful women are depicted matters. This cover isn't just seen by Vogue subscribers; it's seen by millions in grocery stores, by millions more on the internet. And those impressions inform how we see the VP...
VP-elect Kamala Harris looks great on the Vogue cover. But she also looks uncomfortable. The pose is neither powerful nor engaging. Her skin tone is inaccurate and sallow. The photo is unsophisticated. And all of that informs split second judgements millions of people will make
This keeps happening: Vogue features a poorly done cover of a Black woman; everyone from former Vogue employees to prominent photographers and editors to activists speak out against Wintour's history of disrespecting Black women; and then... nothing changes
Anna Wintour is one of the most powerful people in the fashion world, and she's using that power to undermine Black women and to negatively impact our perceptions of them. Enough is enough. There needs to be a real discussion about her culpability and professional consequences
Update: this is the intended #Vogue cover - which will now be the digital cover - compared to the print cover. The difference is staggering. (Also, the intended cover is a fantastic example of how a drape background can work well!)
Shot by Tyler Michell
Shot by Tyler Michell
