The warmth that emanates from Toronto-based photographer Brianna Roye’s portraits comes from her resolve to make every shoot an intimate experience for the people she photographs. “Genuinely connecting with people, being respectful of boundaries and allowing people to come as they are all help in cultivating an environment to produce that warmth,” Roye notes. “Putting myself in their shoes and understanding that being photographed is to be vulnerable also makes things feel less transactional and organic.” A natural storyteller from childhood, Roye initially attended the University of Guelph-Humber for a media studies degree but discovered a passion for photography and videography during her image arts classes. “I realized that storytelling and using my voice could come in many forms and practices,” she says. “I dropped out of school and decided to pursue photography as a practice, eventually going back to school at Humber College for its creative photography program.” Now represented by Undivided Creative, Roye focuses on doing work that resonates with her, prioritizing working with models who are Black, LGBT or POC. “I’ve gone on to work on personal projects and editorial assignments and had my first solo exhibition that debuted my series Out of Many, One People,” she says. “It’s an ongoing portrait series capturing LGBTQ2S+ people who are of Caribbean descent. As a queer Jamaican, this is a project that I hold close to my heart because of the importance of representation, seeing yourself, documentation and not feeling alone in your identity. I’d say that my Caribbean heritage and my queerness equally influence my practice, ground it and propel it forward.”