I had a lot of fun designing personal branding sessions this year. Here’s a small sampling of the direction Kinitra gave me in her Story Session Questionnaire:
Why did you decide to do a personal branding session?
I want to make sure I maintain control of my visuals and branding as my career expands beyond the scholarly work I currently do. I am expanding into more creative works (graphic novels, trade books, speaking engagements). Also, I want to make sure I maintain a certain flair and freedom as an Endowed Chair, which can be seen as a pretty “stodgy” appointment. I’m not stodgy. I am also well onto the path of becoming a Full Professor and want to make sure I have the personal visual narrative for that journey to heightening my national and international status as a scholar.
What specific stories, events, routines, or rituals do you want to share with these images?
Confidence, a kinetic stillness. Intelligent glamour. Reading, Researching, and Public Speaking. Mastery over intersections of race, gender, and popular culture. Tangential connection with Beyonce’s Lemonade. Southern Conjure Culture. Black womanhood. Black New Orleans. Fantasy.
Based on the questionnaire answers, I sent over a few location ideas, Kinitra reached out to Kirsten Elle Thompson for styling direction, and we made our final plans.
In the end, Kinitra selected her ten favorites for final retouching.
