Upper West Side

Essay 261 • Mar 5th 2018

Walking the streets of Manhattan in New York City, there is an overpowering sense of individual independence and limitless freedom of self-expression. It's almost like a safe haven, where anyone can embrace themselves stylistically and be unapologetically confident. I wanted to translate that innate feeling and sense of boldness that comes with the streets I live in and commute through every day into a fashion editorial, telling a story of glamour and effortless style. The model I worked with, Salome Brown, perfectly translated that energy and helped me create this narrative- using her own strong sense of fashion and bold feminine character to take NYC by storm on the Upper West Side.
















 

Zayira Ray is a 17-year-old self-taught photographer based in New York City. Over the past three years of shooting, she has expanded her work into primarily portrait and fashion photography. She focuses on using stylistic and thematic concepts to push boundaries of femininity, beauty, and the human character.

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