Abstract:
The aim of this masters research paper is to examine the power of images in the
contemporary world, through fashion and contemporary fine art photography. I investigate
how these images help us understand beauty, ideas about individuals or communities, and
how these images influence our thoughts. I will also explore how photography as a medium
actively works beyond print, unifying and bringing different people together in New
Zealand, specifically Auckland. I also aim to navigate how fashion and photography
restructure societal views on the beauty of Africans in Auckland. Additionally, how
photography can inform new or alternative views on beauty, race and gender around the
identities and narratives of the Auckland Black community.
