Finding Your Space in Photography with Valerie Leona

Valerie Leona (@valerie-leona) is a relative newcomer to the analogue world and she finds herself in the middle of many exciting experiences. Currently based in London, you can find her in the coolest underground raves, which have influenced her to capture the eccentric attendees and unforgettable nights. Besides this, she also loves to capture the authentic experience of friends and strangers through her intimate portraits. As she begins her analogue journey, we talk to her about what it means to document the lives of the LGBTQIA+ community, and what she wants to achieve in the future.

Hi, and welcome to Lomography Magazine! Can you introduce yourself and tell us how you started your analogue journey?

Hi everyone! My name's Valerie, and I'm a freelance photographer based in London, UK. I started my analogue journey quite recently, around the end of last year. I had shot digitally for a while until some friends asked if I had considered film photography, especially given its popularity among other photographers at the kinds of club nights I went to. At first, I resisted, enjoying the ease and flexibility of post-production offered by digital, but I later bought my first film camera – a secondhand Canon AE-1 and discovered how much I enjoyed the process and the physicality of film. I now primarily shoot film, preferring it for these reasons.

How would you describe your photography style?

I would describe much of my work as candid, documentary-style. As a trans woman, I started to use photography to document the queer events I went to in London, and my style naturally emerged from this. When I was in my mid-teens, I was also lucky enough to receive a free camera and training, as part of the manufacturer's marketing campaign for the camera series, so this gave me a good technical background for when I got back into photography. As well as my documentary-style work, I also shoot portraits, including fashion, usually on the street or in people's homes because I don't have a studio. I prefer working in 'real' environments because it provides more of a context or story than would be gained from working in an artificial environment.

In your photos you tend to gravitate towards music and fashion. How big of an influence have these things been on your photography journey?

A lot of the events I've been to while living in London have been centered around music club nights, pub gigs, warehouse raves, and so on, so naturally these have had a big influence on my journey. Particularly in queer spaces like these, a big way that people explore their presentation is through fashion, so this expression often manifests in my photos. Thinking about raves and club nights, I take inspiration in particular from El Nine and Mars who I see around a lot. Both are incredible at capturing the energy of these events, despite having very different styles and approaches to each other and to myself. It just goes to show that photography isn't an exact science, but an art with many different approaches and outcomes.

Who or what else has inspired you to take up photography?

Some of my other significant influences are Petra Collins and Ajamu X. Much of Petra's work explores femininity, subverting the male gaze which dominates much of photography and cinematography. She exclusively shoots on 35 mm film for her still photography, taking inspiration from her childhood and exploring themes such as teenhood, nostalgia, and even trauma. I would really like to explore themes like these from a queer perspective in my own work going forward. Ajamu also exclusively shoots on film, although prefers black and white to color film, and explores the Black male body in his work. As a queer Black man, he doesn't shy away from pleasure, the erotic, the sexual, things which are often shamed by society. While my style of work is very different from his, I take huge inspiration from both the works and his process.

The photography world is still often cisgender male-dominated. How important is it for women, trans people, and non-binary people to be part of the community and for them to be just as recognized?

It's incredibly important to me, as photography shapes much of how we see and interpret the world. Without diversity behind the camera not just in front, there's a risk of perpetuating harmful stereotypes, if not through the work of individual photographers then through the pattern of work which is shown to, and therefore seen by, a wider population. Much of this lack of diversity and visibility stems from sexism, racism, and homophobia within the wider culture and who is 'allowed' to take up space, as well as who or what is considered profitable. Both these are interlinked, of course.

But I'm delighted to see other young, queer photographers in London carving out space for themselves, often in unconventional ways, using secondhand point-and-shoot digital cameras from the late 90s and early 2000s for instance, and self-publishing work in the form of zines. I haven't yet published or exhibited any of my personal work, but I've been thinking a lot lately about how I want to do this – zines interest me, because they're affordable to make, don't need to pass the gatekeeping of institutions (so can be more experimental), and can easily be shared with friends..., or enemies.

You also tend to shoot people from the queer community. Have you thought a lot about the importance of photographing people from the community?

It's incredibly important as a way to document our own experiences and lives. My friends and people I've met at events have told me how much they appreciate my work, which is really delightful to hear. It's important to remember that photography isn't the only or necessarily the 'best' way to document and share our experiences. It's one art form of many, and people exploring their gender and presentation might not want to be photographed in a certain stage of their journey, or seen by others outside of physical spaces. These days, when I'm taking photos of others, I try to think about: "Who is this for? What do I want to share? What purpose do these photos have?" Because, like it or not, a power dynamic exists when I take on the role of 'photographer'. It's important to be aware and to think about how that power should be utilized and shared.

But coming back to the question, of course, it can be a wonderful thing to have photos within our communities, to show to the world that we exist and aren't going anywhere. I hope to inspire more people in the queer community to take up photography, because I'm only one person with my own experiences and biases, and I can't document or capture a 'universal' queer experience, nor can anyone! The more the merrier.

I also saw you have photos of an emergency pride protest. Can you tell us the story behind it?

Earlier this year, a bill was passed in Scotland to allow trans people to more easily apply for legal recognition of their gender, removing lengthy and invasive requirements. This is commonly referred to as "self-ID" and is practiced in a number of countries without issue, including Ireland, Spain, and Denmark. In an unprecedented move, the bill was blocked by the UK Government, causing uproar among the trans community in Scotland and across the UK, leading to protests like the one I attended. As well as protesting the blocking of this bill, we called for the UK Government to introduce self-ID and reform existing laws across the whole UK. Disappointingly, the government largely ignored our protest and is not set to introduce such reforms across the UK, nor allow the Scottish bill to become law.

As we celebrate pride month this June, what does this month mean for you?

I'm grateful for Pride Month, as it allows me to celebrate myself, my friends, and my community on a wider stage. Let's not forget, Pride Month is also a commemoration of the 1969 Stonewall riots, which took place in response to a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a popular gay bar in New York. We owe much of the modern LGBTQ+ liberation movement to these riots, and pride will always be a protest against those who don't want us to exist. Sometimes, especially when pride is embraced by brands looking to cultivate their image, [which in part is a good thing because it signifies a wider acceptance in society], our history is forgotten.

Increasingly in the UK and the US, there is a growing (and often violent) pushback against the normalization and integration of trans people in society, often justified by a myth that trans people are dangerous towards cisgender women or children. Many trans people are afraid to go out in public for fear of being disrespected at best, or receiving outright hate and violence at worst. Worse, many people in power (such as politicians) are indifferent towards, or even supportive of, the exclusion of trans people from society. However, there is also a strong sense of solidarity among trans people, and indeed, the wider LGBTQ+ community, backed by protest movements as well as socials and community events. It may be a tough time for us, but when we join together both in protest and in joy, we become stronger and more united against our oppressors.

What goals do you have this year for your photography?

I would love to play a bigger role in directing shoots with particular themes I want to explore. Ultimately I want my work to inspire others, both other artists as well as anyone wanting to make positive change in the world. As touched upon earlier, I would also love to self-publish a zine because I want to get my work more 'out there' into the physical world, without having to pass through the gatekeeping of larger creative institutions. I'd also like to collaborate more with others naturally. I can be quite self-driven, but there's also a lot of joy in coming together with another person or people to work towards a shared vision.

Anything you want to share with the rest of the community?

If you're thinking about getting into photography, remember you don't necessarily need to spend lots of money! Look on secondhand market sites to find cheap cameras, and remember it's more about your style and technique than about the specific equipment you're using. Find artists whose work you like, perhaps photographers, perhaps other kinds of artists and buy their books, or watch and read interviews with them, try to find out about their journey. Immerse yourself, share your photos with your friends, family, and loved ones. And most of all, don't forget to have fun with it!

We like to thank Valerie for her story and her photos. Be sure to keep up with her as she continues her journey into analogue photography through her LomoHome and Instagram. Got any stories of how you found your photography niche? Comment down below

written by rocket_fries0036 on 2023-06-16 #culture #people #places #party #nightlife #music #fashion #rave #techno #london #uk #portraits #united-kingdom #queer #lgbtqia