Google Collaborates With EBONY for a Historic 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' Cover Photographed With Real Tone on Pixel 7 Pro

It’s finally time. As fans hold a collective breath awaiting the highly anticipated sequel to Black Panther (2018), EBONY is excited to announce its collaboration with Google Pixel for the November/December cover story, which features Black Panther: Wakanda Forever stars Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke and Dominique Thorne.

The partnership comes on the heels of the release of Google Pixel 7 and 7 Pro phones with Real Tone™, which helps represent the nuances of darker skin tones beautifully, authentically and accurately. EBONY's November/December 2022 digital cover marks the first time Google Pixel has been used to photograph an EBONY editorial feature, setting new heights for what will be #SeenOnPixel.

"This month we're doing it big with an exclusive shoot featuring EBONY Power 100 For the Culture honorees and the cast members of the highly-anticipated film, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” said Marielle Bobo, editor-in-chief and senior vice president of programming for EBONY Media. "Through its groundbreaking representation and inclusivity, Marvel's Black Panther sparked a phenomenon. The sequel will undoubtedly continue to break barriers for Black creatives in Hollywood while championing diversity worldwide. Partnering with Google Pixel to celebrate the biggest film of the year signals an exciting new chapter for EBONY. We're making an important statement about representation and access by championing image capture in a more accessible way."

Google Pixel's Real Tone software is a visual game-changer. Historically, cameras have not portrayed people of color with the same depth and vivacity as compared to lighter skin hues, which created disparities in how people with darker skin tones were depicted in imagery. Google as a whole has long championed image equity and accurate representation. To achieve that goal, the company spent years to develop Real Tone, a software that accurately highlights the nuances of varied skin tones.  

To maximize authenticity, Google assembled a team of respected image experts, photographers, directors, colorists and cinematographers - to collaborate on the development and functionality of Real Tone. The goal was simple: Build an equitable camera. The experts focused on six core areas (face detection, auto-white balance, auto-exposure, stray light, face unblur, and auto-enhance), ultimately delivering a product with impressive results. “Photos are symbols of what and who matter to us collectively, so it’s critical that they work equitably for everyone – especially for communities of color like mine, who haven’t always been seen fairly by these tools," said Florian Koenigsberger, Google’s Image Equity Lead.

The impact of Real Tone is evident. Google Pixel's collaboration with EBONY for the November cover showcases the level of accuracy and vibrance the software delivers. "The cover concept was optimism and we relayed that using bright colors that represent joy. I like the way it was captured using the large screen view on Pixel 7 Pro," said Keith Major, director of photography at EBONY Media. “It’s awesome that Real Tone allows us to photograph epic cover images in line with our lofty creative expectations."

Google Pixel's Real Tone software has revolutionized the way we create and experience imagery for people of color. Find out more on the Google Pixel and Real Tone here.

Presented in partnership with Google Pixel 7.