Luna Sweetheart: Bonnie Paul’s Work Brings an Emotive Sense of Softness and Diverse Representation.
EMOTIVE, NATURE-INSPIRED, AND WRAPPED IN A SENSE OF SOFTNESS — Bonnie Paul’s photography shines a light on underrepresented spaces — in particular, Black models and brands that are up-and-coming. Paul is a multifaceted creative and self-taught photographer based currently in the UK. Raised between Dubai and Trinidad, Paul was exposed to the diversity and cultures each of these countries bring. Since moving to the UK, Paul has noticed that Black people and people of color are underrepresented there, and it has fueled Paul to shine light and celebrate the diverse narratives throughout her work.
Inspired by the beauty of nature, Paul uses the natural sunlight in most of her work to portray unique storytelling in each shot. Ensuring the composition and styling of the shoot are harmonious with the environment, Paul's work showcases a beautiful, vintage, and soft feel but still carries the strong message of the story told.
GUAP MAG, Colorbloc Magazine, and Pocketzine are just a few of the publications in which Paul’s work can be seen, as well as brands such as Imi Studios, Soul and Style Shop, and Kaleidoscope Beauty, among others. Paul’s work represents the side of Black people and people of color that mainstream media tends to hide, and it speaks to many others who may feel seen through this lens of representation.
Read more down below to hear how Paul’s journey began as a photographer and her upcoming plans for a new exhibition.
LUNA: Hey, Bonnie! Thanks for chatting with us! Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
PAUL: Hey! I'm Bonnie, a multifaceted creative. I'm a self-taught photographer and also a wannabe fashion girlie.
Likes: Chocolate and the beach.
Dislikes: Having to think of what to say when someone asks please tell us about yourself (laughs).
Fears: butterflies and heights.
LUNA: (Laughs) Thank you for answering that question. I know it's hard to think of right on the spot. What was your earliest experience with photography?
PAUL: In my 12th year, I had a photography project in art and my teacher didn’t believe I took the photos. She thought my mom took them (laughs) — this was really discouraging. I didn’t pick up a camera until a year after I graduated from university in 2018!
LUNA: How would you explain your work to someone who hasn’t seen it?
PAUL: I would describe my photography as emotive, nature-inspired, and [having] a sense of softness (take that word how you will). While each shoot is unique, the common thread is emotion.
LUNA: I loved looking at your solo exhibition, “Wonderland.” What were the creative processes, and what was the experience like?
PAUL: I absolutely loved creating “Wonderland.” It was actually going to be just one shoot that I was trying to get submitted to a magazine, but it got rejected! So I thought let’s make it bigger than one shoot and carry on the theme of portraying women of color in a beautiful and colorful light. I also made a conscious decision to use styling from women-owned brands as well. Creating the physical exhibition itself was so much fun; I wanted to get the wonderland theme across in the decor, too, and make it more of an immersive experience. This was my first time directing a fashion film. I definitely need to do more of those. Exhibition night was so surreal —- seeing people in real life who have been following my work since the beginning of my journey, [who] I've only ever spoken to on Instagram, was such a cool experience! Huge shoutout to everyone who made my exhibition come true. I couldn't have done it without you all.
LUNA: You grew up in Dubai and Trinidad, and you currently live in the UK. How have all of these environments shaped or influenced your photography?
PAUL: Dubai and Trinidad have such a rich mix of diverse representation. Now that I am living in the UK, I often feel that people of color are still underrepresented in many areas, including media and art. This lack of representation fuels my passion to highlight and celebrate diverse narratives through my photography. Growing up in Dubai, where green spaces are scarce compared to the UK, moving here ignited my love for greenery and nature in general. This plays a huge part in why I seek to capture and infuse the beauty of natural landscapes within my work.
LUNA: Nature is the main theme I see in your work. What attracts you to use nature as your scenery?
PAUL: I love the colors within nature and the way natural light falls on subjects, too. Admittingly, I love that no matter how much you plan for the weather to be a certain way, it always does its own thing so it almost forces you to be adaptable. Also, who doesn’t love being surrounded by nature? It’s so peaceful.
LUNA: What is your go-to film brand(s), and why?
PAUL: Kodak! The colors for me personally are unmatched, even with the cheaper ones — they are just as good as the more expensive ones. I have experimented with some others but I wasn't 100% happy, so I stick to what I know!
LUNA: Any upcoming projects for 2024?
PAUL: Yes! I’m aiming to produce a body of work that will hopefully come together into another exhibition to be on display in 2025. A little hint on the work that I'm planning: [it’s] going to be based around women again!
LUNA: What brings you joy?
PAUL: Family, friends, and the soft life; peaceful slow days. Oh, and my kitten too.
LUNA: Question for fun: If you could create your own type of film, what would the outcome be? It doesn’t have to be scientifically possible, so be as creative as you want!
PAUL: Something that looks really vintage — light leaks, lots of texture, grainy, but each section of the film will have a slightly different look to it, so each picture is unique.
