Photographer Shingi Rice Talks Living Boldly in Reebok Club C Double Geo Campaign
“Going against the norms in the industry takes a courageous attitude. The one of an empowered and authentic individual.”
Over the last few years, Shingi Rice has stormed the fashion photography scene with her unique approach to portrait imagery. The photographer’s experience of growing up in Spain and later moving to London exposed her to the underrepresentation of marginalized communities in the industry, which she has taken upon herself to change. In Reebok‘s latest Club C Double Geo campaign with HYPEBAE, Shingi finds herself in front of the lens as she speaks on capturing real people, living freely and becoming the person she is today.
“There was an immense lack of representation in the media at the time I started photography,” Shingi recalls. Often referring to her subjects as “beautiful souls,” Shingi’s photography is centred around empowering a diverse range of cultures and communities, including LGBTQIA+ identifying individuals. “Of course, it has changed in recent years, but there’s still a lack of representation of many different cultures, and it gives the impression that the stories of those not represented are not important. This needs to change,” she adds.
Shingi’s personality seems calm and wholly assured as we speak on a Monday morning, but make no mistake, she holds a daring and bold attitude when it comes to her work. Reflecting on her personal growth, she says, “I would say I’ve always been a bold, outgoing person. Over time, it felt like I have stepped into myself more.” Shingi also notes that it’s her line of work that has encouraged her to be outspoken. “Shy?” she exclaims, “You don’t have time to be like that. You have to speak up, be heard.”
As she radiates in the florescent tones of the Reebok Club C Double Geo, Shingi touches on how her personality helps her capture the true essence of her models. The key, according to the photographer, is to be communicative: “The more you speak to [the models], the more comfortable they can get with you and the camera, so you can achieve beautiful pictures. It’s about creating a space of belonging, so they feel safe.”
Shingi channels her go-getting energy through everything she does in life, its simply her key to happiness. Whether she is trying her hand at something new, or just in the kitchen making a recipe she’s seen online. Shingi encourages everyone to “keep going and trust your gut”. If she had a piece of advice for anyone starting out in the industry, she says “It helps if you believe in yourself more. The best things in life are on the other side of fear.” As her boundless creativity shows, success is born from confidence in yourself.
Scrolling through her professional Instagram page, which she boasts a following of 14.5k, her artistic style feels ethereal, warm and almost dreamlike. “I haven’t worked out my creative direction yet, but it’s on the path to being abstract fine art.” However, she doesn’t confine herself to this, and it’s definitely not her overall goal. She says, “I just like taking beautiful pictures of beautiful people. And I would like to think I am part of the change of representation in the industry.”
Take a closer look at Shingi Rice in the new editions of the Reebok sneaker in the gallery above. Shop the Reebok Club C Double Geo on online and in Reebok stores now.
