Playing with Time: A Conversation with Flo Ngala
October 15, 2019

By Saidah Belo-Osagie

In The Society of the Spectacle, French Marxist philosopher Guy Debord critiqued consumer culture and mass media by theorizing that what makes our lives authentic has been replaced with mere images and what they represent. Amid this “Influencer Era,” are we just putting on a show and feeding into the Spectacle Debord warned us against? Or are we portraying the reality of our lives in a way that is both meaningful and genuine? While there is a case to be made that social media has blurred these lines, there are some gems that have used this said Spectacle for good– one of them being Flo Ngala.

Flo has made a name for herself within the New York arts and culture scene with her prolific photography portfolio. Whether she is capturing the toothy smiles of toddlers strutting through the African American Day Parade or shooting Cardi B adjust her dress at the Met Gala, the subject’s integrity and humanity always shine through Flo’s photos. I was lucky enough to catch Flo in a rare moment of stillness ahead of her first ever solo show (which is displaying various pieces discussed in this article until October 26) to discuss the impact self-advertising, constructive editing, and playing with time has had on her career.

Saidah Belo-Osagie: So, you got your start with photography at Horace Mann. Do you think it being a predominately white school affected the pursuit of your artistry? Do you think it motivated you to pursue an outlet of identity?

Flo Ngala: When I started at Horace Mann, I was still figuring out who I was and, subconsciously, I’m sure that one of the reasons I latched on to photo so tight was that the darkroom was safe space for me. Photography also gave me identity outside of wealth, social status or race, which is so prevalent in private school spaces. I was just considered artsy or cool to my peers before anything else. HM’s resources allowed me to unearth something in me that I am forever grateful for.

SBO: What did you end up majoring in when you headed off to college?

FN: I wanted to be an art/creative director, so I majored in advertising and minored in design. I thought photography would be there on the side, so I didn’t think I needed to major in it. Outside the classroom, most of my inspiration came from the internet and everyday life not textbooks. I used to love Tumblr especially because it had this endless scroll feature that really sucked me in.

SBO: Very true. There was a time people were constantly on Tumblr, but not as much anymore. Are you still using it?

FN: Instagram has taken over for me. I try to check myself but it’s difficult when Instagram also becomes both a line of work and a distraction. Tumblr had more for me honestly, I can see myself getting back on it for sure.

SBO: And Tumblr was interesting because you didn’t have to be famous to blow up and get all the notes the way you typically do with IG.

FN: Yep, the process of even just finding a page or Tumblr you liked wasn’t as easy as Instagram, they have all these algorithms that keep you in the app now and I find myself on someone’s page whose content I wouldn’t necessarily be viewing otherwise.

SBO: Is there anyone currently on Instagram who inspires you or posts particularly interesting content?

FN: There are so many people making good original content. I love seeing people’s personalities through what they choose to share and that’s something people appreciate about the way I use my Instagram as well. It’s crazy how branding or self-advertising ties in to how we live our everyday lives now. Like Instagram has turned everyone into an art director and a copywriter with our captions, or you’re just there to consume or steal and copy lol.

SBO: It always goes back to advertising!Photo by Flo Ngala

FN: It does. A caption can make someone love an average image or hate a beautiful one. I think when you see good shit you like, you start to pay attention to it more and understand how to curate those kinds of vibes for yourself and the way you brand yourself.

SBO: Okay, let’s shift gears and talk about your heritage. I’ve been noticing photographers celebrating their West African heritage by producing work of the diaspora.  As someone with West African roots, what do you think about this shift and do you feel as though your work has also inherited this influence?

FN: I’ve loved feeling more connected to my roots through these artists doing their things and I am thankful for them. Subconsciously, my mind and love for photo is really drawn to a nostalgic Africa, a vibrant Africa, and it is both inspiring and empowering to see so much good work out here that reflects both of those sides of the continent. As far as my work inheriting that influence, I want to continue pushing my creativity to reflect my definition of being an African-American artist and not just whatever people expect when they see Black female photographer. People love to put you in a box, so it is most important to take control of your influence.

SBO: And how was shooting in Senegal for you?

FN: That trip amazed and shocked me. I was so excited to be surrounded by so many people who looked like me. I felt like I was at home.

SBO: I read an article about Gordon Parks and how he’s one of your photography inspirations. Is there anything specific from his style that you’ve tried to emulate in your work?

FN: Seeing a Gordon Parks photo was the first time I cried at an image. I’d say as far as emulation, when I began taking pictures in high school, I wanted to also capture parts of my neighborhood using street photography, because the kind of intimacy and realness that I felt in work like that of Mr. Parks and others motivated me as a budding photographer.

SBO: Even looking through your portfolio and the various photos you’ve taken—self-portraits, pictures of celebrities or figure skaters—there’s a way you capture these photos in a very intimate way. What mindset do you or the subject have to execute these types of photos?

FN: I think it’s about my mind’s filter with the way I see the world and the way I make edits of my images. For example, when I make selects, I’ll take 100 photos but the ones I pick will be different than someone else’s. That’s why pictures of Cardi B, figure skaters, or my self-portraits may all have that common denominator of intimacy or realness, because in my mind that is what I value in the world and in this art form. I believe it should be visceral, I really try to peer in and be that fly on the wall. One of my favorite examples of that is the African-American Day Parade shoot.

SBO: Yeah, that shoot gave me chills.

FN:  And photography should take you there, because as a photographer, you’re playing with all we have— time. And I’m freezing it and publicizing it. Life keeps going but with this medium, we can stop moments. It’s like a superpower and maybe that’s why when it’s done right, it hits people so different. With that responsibility the person behind the camera has to really have a good head on their shoulders or it can easily become exploitative.

SBO: I agree. Authorship is definitely important– the graphic pictures we see in textbooks that depict history are so important but at the same time the people who are taking photos of suffering people are doing so from a point of privilege. But what I love about your work is that you take places that people may traditionally look down upon or not even consider and debunk the preconceived notions. I think a good example of this is the New York Times Harlem figure skating piece. This also applies to your celebrity shoots because these photos humanize public figures who don’t get to show the world that side…

FN: Yeah, celebrities are still people. For me, the humanity of my photos is really important. First and foremost, I want to make sure the subject feels respected and not violated, with that someone will open up and become at ease with you capturing their space.

SBO: Would you want to be famous one day?

FN: I go back and forth with myself about this. These days I see the pull of having clout or being relevant more than I do having fame which to me comes with such an invasion of your life, but I also think being famous would be fun [laughs]. For starters I want to get verified on Instagram, I don’t even know why but think that’s a start.

Also, any situation I can be in to put money in my mom’s bank account or to my family here and back home is something I’d want to take advantage of. And if being able to leverage my brand as a photographer and as a creative can help that, I’m all for it.

SBO: Have there been any projects that you’ve turned down for moral or personal reasons?

FN: No not at this point in life. I’ve found that I’m more decisive with how I want to spend my time recently and what I associate myself with. NY Times, Reebok, Nike, etc. all those opportunities helped me put my foot down. I can say no to things I may have said yes to a year or two ago and it took me a while to believe it was okay to do that. People come a bit more correct now as well, I think.

SBO: You mean the way they reach out to you or rather who is reaching out to you?

FN: Both! It all feels very transitional. Lots of learning and lots of not taking things personally, but also being self-aware and reflecting.

SBO: What would a typical day in the life look for you when you have an assignment?

FN: When I’m shooting? I show up, do my thing, come home, procrastinate a bit, make selects and edit. But also, there are days when I was shooting more Cardi and Gucci where a typical day would be shooting and then like whipping out my laptop and editing the photo ASAP. I used to always carry [my laptop] with me.

Sometimes it’s a lot of alone time, or it’s airdropping photos to 10 people in a room. I like the idea that I can do both and it helps to know how to produce images super quick, especially with the instant nature of images nowadays.

SBO: What do you use to edit your photos?

FN: Mostly Photoshop, occasionally Lightroom, I love VSCO software for editing on both my computer and phone as well.

SBO: How long have you been using Photoshop for?

FN: Like since 11th grade, so about 7-8 years.

SBO:  Did you teach yourself? Because I’ve tried to teach myself for a bit and whew…

FN: In school we did B&W film photography, barely digital. But I had a substitute photo teacher a few times named Mr. Mason. I remember getting my first basic skills from him. Once I pursued my own projects, I would play with Photoshop and now I feel quite confident in it. I also like it more than Lightroom because I can make something exactly how I want it to look and target parts of a photo. I remember I was working with a shot of Cardi at the VMAs and there were people in the back but knowing photoshop and how to edit people out made that image stronger.

On the other hand, with the New York Times skating piece, you can’t Photoshop anything because it’s news and has to be the whole truth. I love seeing the before and after of any shot though, editing can be so powerful when done right.

Before: 

After: 

SBO: What are your favorite spots to check out in NYC?

FN: I’m still figuring that out! The whole city is a landscape to create something if you have the vision for it so it’s about the right energy, lighting and vibe in a space.

SBO: Is there a photography community in NYC and if so, are you a part of it?

FN: So many and on so many levels depending on what your interests are, I honestly even think Instagram is a photographic community itself. I would love to get more involved with places such as  ICP and Aperture Fund. There is an amazing community for photographers here and a lot of things happening, so I need to tap into it more.

SBO: Would you stay in NYC or move to LA?

FN: I love NYC, I would do a few months in LA maybe for a project or to build my network out there since the photo and film industry is really big there too. I want to see the world and not get too comfortable in NY. But until further notice, Harlem is home.

SBO: Amazing. Okay, so last question: who are you?

FN: Just a person trying to do things. Dassit.