Esther Sweeney

“My goal is to create work that makes Black women feel seen, valued, and appreciated for who they are and to create a digital archive of images that Black women and girls all over the world can relate to.”

Meet Esther

Esther Sweeney (she/her) is a self-taught photographer born and based in Kenya. Her work centers around portraiture, fine art, and documentary imagery. Esther’s photographs feature Black women and girls in portraits that are deeply infused with bright and vivid hues.

Inspired by her Kenyan and African roots, her work revolves around the themes of social issues, culture, and identity. Her commission for Adobe Stock Artist Development Fund will reflect inspiration from the Celebration of Self creative brief. She intends to create images that reclaim and redefine what beauty, femininity, softness, and joy mean for Black women. Esther seeks to move beyond patriarchal European perspectives and present more inclusive images of women as they go about their daily lives. She says, “My goal is to create work that makes Black women feel seen, valued, and appreciated for who they are and to create a digital archive of images that Black women and girls all over the world can relate to.”