Laylah Amatullah Barrayn

Laylah Amatullah Barrayn

American documentary photographer

Laylah Amatullah Barrayn is a documentary and portrait photographer who has been featured in The New York Times, National Geographic and Vogue to name a few. As she was growing up Layla saw photography as a way of preserving memory and as a tool for witnessing and proof. Her photography often captures moments of social change and resistance and is focused on giving visibility to people of colour who are often overlooked by white photojournalists.

She has recently been involved in photographing the Minneapolis protests following the murder of George Floyd by police officers in May this year. Layla spoke to a variety of protest organisers, community members, and politicians to create powerful images that represented the heart of the movement and authentically reflected the feelings in the community.