Stacy (Star) Wanyama, Steadfast (PEOPLE & PORTRAIT 2025)

This self-portrait was created during a period of transition—between who I was and who I am becoming. After months of not taking photographs, I set up my tripod without a plan, simply drawn to how I saw myself in the mirror. The green chair belongs to my aunty, and the honey-brown patterned canvas I found laying around became part of the frame. I only took fifteen images, but this one carried a reverence I couldn’t explain. The direct gaze holds a quiet demand: to look; to see me fully. There was no styling, only experimentation — I came as I was. Yet looking back, I recognise how deeply my identity as a Black woman is rooted within the image—the cowry shells, the natural hair, the warmth of the tones, and the dialogue between my Kenyan heritage and my everyday expression of self. This portrait captures me as I was: unplanned, steadfast, and unapologetically present. Captured on a Canon 80D with a 18-135mm lens.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.