Yesterday we featured photographer and visual artist Joey Rosado’s headwraps photo series, today we turn the spotlight on his Melanina Project, dedicated to an unabashed celebration of black skin. According to a statement on Rosado’s Instagram account, he started the Melanina Project to inspire black women and men to embrace themselves.
Here are 19 stunning photos from the Melanina Project. To see more check out @islandboiphotography. We’ve also included the Instagram accounts of the featured models. Be sure to check them out too!
Model: Deanne Roye https://instagram.com/deanneroye/
Model: Berlange Presilus https://instagram.com/bellenge/
Model: Kristia Tolode https://instagram.com/kristiatolode/
Model: Britt Bradley
BrittanyBradley.com
https://instagram.com/brittbradley/
Model: Maria Soler DuBreuil https://instagram.com/modelmaria/
Model: Mildred Bean https://instagram.com/naturalsilversista/
Models: Coco and Breezy https://instagram.com/cocoandbreezy/
Model: Destiny Yaowusu https://instagram.com/ohwawa/
Model: Yanii Gough https://instagram.com/yaniicharms_/
Model: Queen Taelor https://instagram.com/queen_taelor/
Model: Maat Petrova https://instagram.com/therefinementgroup/
Model: https://instagram.com/skibo1011/
Models: Delcia and Alia https://instagram.com/djandaj/
Model: Rachael Joy https://instagram.com/msrjwilliams/
Model: Wardrobe Breakdown https://instagram.com/wardrobebreakdown/
Models: Folasade and Sasha https://instagram.com/lovefola/
https://instagram.com/sasha_onthego/
Model: B. Hunter https://instagram.com/b_hunter_/
Model: https://instagram.com/thereal_goldielox/
What do you think of the Melanina Project?
I love all of these but that silver ‘fro? That WILL be mine someday… 🙂
The lighting captures their skin and hair texture very nicely. It seems silly to think about but even modern American photography leave out dark skinned people. The first templates were created from a white model. It can be considered innocent enough for Kodak developers at the time but those defaults mean we spent decades being captured inadequately. Couple that at the discomfort with doing koily hair or brown skin for the runway and you see that it’s very significant to capture and record black beauty. Love this.
Lovely photos. I’m ready for my close up
Beautiful brown skinned women each portrait is gorgeous with different melanin color
Well, its gorgeous .… but why air-brush the photos? They seem to lose their “natural aspect” … and something of the personal beauty of the subjects is lost … or rather that is my opinion … what do others think?
Everyone airbrushes — women wear make-up as well, which is just an extension of airbrushing — an illusion if you will. You don’t wake up beautiful. It takes work. Why not airbrush?
Uh you might not wake up beautiful but I sure as hell do! Don’t speak for everyone
There are people in my family that are richly complected and gorgeous that look like they have on makeup and airbrushing but just naturally look like that, so fab.
Sure you do.
I generally agree, but I find that I’m in the minority of people who appreciate makeup-free, unaltered modeling.
Nice. Love it!
Gorgeous!
Oh my days!!! Stupendously stunning!!! Light make-up and all that glowing melanin!
Thank you for doing a project that shows all of the shades of beauty. Every woman is a Goddess, and these women are an inspiration!
Jaw Dropping. They are royalty. Show this to all the haters.
It looks like your skin is worth celebrating if you are thin.
I’m kind of shocked by the lack of body diversity.
I was about to write the same thing. There is no body diversity here. And this is not as dark as it gets. And where are the women with wide noses? It’s a start…but definitely not a finish.
Maybe there wasn’t any plus size ladies that reached out to him? Do you or anyone else know of any plus size ladies with natural hair that shares clear and decent quality photos on social media? It’s hard finding them especially on pinterst.
.
I’m fat and I think these pictures are beautiful! I’m dieting so these picture give me a goal to reach!
Beautiful Beautiful… I will never understand the fascination and covetousness of why you would want your skin to look like pig skin. A pig has skin tone that is pink, white and wrinkled. hint. hint.
Gaw-geous! Give thanks boo-boo! That human chocolate fuh yuh <3
Beautiful just beautiful. Black is beautiful and those still in ignorance better believe it.
This is beauty.
This is inspirational!
Does anyone else think Britt Bradley looks like “Black Cher”?
Going by some of the comments, I see some of y’all can’t be happy about anything unless it’s done exactly the way you would’ve done it.
SMH
Gorgeousness
i sorta think they’re wearing too much make-up or maybe it’s the matte foundation. i feel like the matte foundation gives some of them an almost ashy/flat complexion, — it’s not glowy/dewy at all. i can see an attempt in some of the photos to bring a yellow glow to the apples of the cheeks, but i think overall, the make-up is disappointing.
but the women are lovely and so is the idea behind the photos.
The skin…the hair…speechless. It is so wonderful to see us capturing, promoting, appreciating, and celebrating our own beauty instead of begging everyone else to do so.
Kristia and Destiny…I would put black and white prints of their photos on my wall. Simply stunning.
Flawless, gorgeous.
@fraserparsons:disqus you might be right but I think on some of the models it brings out more the richness of their skin.
This is beautiful. I will be following this person on instagram
This really touched something in me…especially where he says ‘be proud of who you are’…’ be proud you are here’…man…I really appreciate that.
These are so dope! When I was little I used to wish I was chocolate like my mother, deep brown skin so smooth. These models are beautiful!