Once you see it, it is what there is to see: the hue of robe worn by the sitting figure is similar to that of the wall and window frame, also that of a jug seen through an entrance on the right, and the same hue with an item placed on a white chair to the left. That such an ordinary setting is transformed by the interplay of colours is noteworthy, although what is of greater significance is the mood indicated by the light: a stranger, even an apparition, sits beneath a bulb, with the restful manner of someone intending to stay longer.

The photograph was taken in Lagos, Nigeria.

We walked through an area in Lagos and a restaurant kindly allowed us to use their space. It came about quite naturally. 

The photograph feels mystical to me and is a conversation in colour and mood between the model, Taiwo, and her surroundings.

My approach to photography is always organic and feeling-based. I do also enjoy playing more of a role in the construction of certain works.

Photography has been personally impactful by being a 'soul mate' of sorts. A strong, definite connection inseparable from me in this lifetime. On a grander scale, photography has the power to be the ultimate truth-teller, as well as storyteller.

Sierra merges editorial and documentary elements in her work, drawing inspiration from her Sierra Leonean, Canadian and British heritage to touch on her personal experiences with identity and diasporic subcultures. She graduated from Ryerson University’s Chang photography program in Toronto, Canada. Find out more about her work on her website.