Cheryl Fox aligned with her calling in college developing her own film. “To this day I love the smell of chemicals in a darkroom,” she recollects.

Holding her future close to her chest, Fox educated herself further at the School of Visual Arts in New York to hone in on her craft. Moving to Los Angeles, her career blossomed shooting celebrities such as Jay-Z, Pharrell Williams, and Rihanna.

Part of her fine art collection, "Black Girl Joy " features model Kim Porter (1970-2018). "This was shot in Calico, California, on a road trip to Las Vegas." Walking the abandoned town, Fox found her set in a wooden apparatus where the photographer and muse made buoyant Black art.

Fox’s upcoming book, The Art of the Guest Pass, to be published by the Recording Academy in June, is a compilation of Fox’s images—spanning 20 years. “ Inspired by the fact that the entertainment lifestyle, one with a certain cache, she had the opportunity to shoot subjects who shape popular culture, she notes, “People may get in VIP, but it’s about what you do when you’re in that room. I took great pictures. The way my images make other people feel is the beauty of the gift.”

View Cheryl Fox's work at cherylfoxportfolio.com