A Durham, North Carolina native by way of Dallas Texas, Kennedi Carter is a photographer with a primary focus on Black subjects. Her work highlights the aesthetics & sociopolitical aspects of Black life as well as the overlooked beauties of the Black experience: skin, texture, trauma, peace, love and community. Her work aims to reinvent notions of creativity and confidence in the realm of Blackness.
Her latest photo series titled “Ridin’ Sucka Free” aims to highlight Black cowboys in the South and document the connection between horsemanship and agriculture. Shot in New Orleans, the project is part of Google Pixel and LENS’ Creator Labs, an artistic incubator program that highlights emerging artists. Below, Carter discusses her artistic inspirations, how she captures authenticity, and why American cowboy culture isn’t a monolith.