The oppression of minorities, especially minority women, is still an issue that the world turns a blind eye to, but Marianne Olaleye is here to shed some light. Through her work, she focuses on turning the eyes of the world towards black and ethnic minority (BME) women.

But it’s not their sorrow or abuse that she showcases. Olaleye is known for highlighting the candid and natural feminine beauty that these women exude. “I focus on the natural beauty of women… I feel like it’s important to portray BME women in soft settings, as they are rarely represented in the media, and even when they are, they are often sexualized or fetishized,” Olaleye explained.

Born in Nigeria and based in the UK, Olaleye saw the city as a multi-cultural hub where people from all backgrounds can be found. As a result, she has always been able to find the perfect subject for her portraits. The soft and open quality of Olaleye’s portraits has drawn much attention.

Olaleye stated that “I photograph women in their natural settings, as everyday women, to present a counter-narrative that re-tells the story of the marginalized.” She has made it her mission to search for BME women around her and give them a platform.

A Tool for Human Expression

Olaleye strongly believes that photography can be a tool for expressing human behavior and storytelling because of the flexibility it offers. It is also how her interest in this creative medium grew. She recounts how at the age of 16, she used to see the work of other photographers and wished she could take similar photos.

Shortly afterward, she was gifted a camera and made her foray in the world of photography. An introverted teenager with social anxiety, Olaleye started out by only taking pictures of the flowers in her garden. As her confidence in her work grew, she began to take photographs of her school friends.

Photography was a medium that helped Olaleye come out of her shell. It gave her the confidence to walk into a room full of people and it also helped her make it through challenging times in her life like being in university.

A Self-Taught Start with Award-Winning Results

Marianna Olaleye’s skill in photography is mainly self-taught. She did a lot of street photography, mentioning how she took the camera with her everywhere.

She also used social media platforms to follow incredible photographers and relied on YouTube videos to learn the basics. Two books on photography, namely On Photography by Susan Sontag and Ways of Seeing by John Berger, changed her perspective a lot.

 It seems that Olaleye’s hard work has paid off because she has worked with renowned clients, including Atiku Abubakar, the former Vice President of Nigeria, Akinwunmi Ambode, the former Governor of Lagos State, Nigeria and Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway for Aftenposten.

In 2018, Olaleye was also among the winners of the Portraits of Britain, the largest exhibition of contemporary portraits in the UK.