Our September 2020 photographer of the month’s name is Denisse Ariana Perez. She was born in the Caribbean and uses her skills as a photographer to attempt to redefine masculinity specifically in men of color. Rather than photographing stereotypical “male activities and poses” she captures the more vulnerable side of black men. So often, men who are shown in media are portrayed to fill this dated definition of what being a man is. Pictures, movies, and TV shows star men who are rough around the edges and head of the household, never really breaking down and revealing their more sensitive and emotional sides. Perez photographs her models in natural landscapes and some of her most recent work featured many shots in water all around Africa.

The reason that Perez deserves Photographer of the Month is because she likes to think and capture content outside of the box. Not many photographers or people who work behind cameras are comfortable testing boundaries, there is no way to know if it will be a success and actually be accepted by viewers. Perez pushes the envelope and goes against the typical way we view specifically black men in. Rather than supporting and accepting the preconceived, stereotypical light, black men are shown in, she highlights their aspects of comfort, freedom, and tenderness. Not only is her work very complex but it also tells a story and allows the viewer to see the many layers of black masculinity.