Liam Woods’ joyful portraits aim to “feel like a warm hug” for marginalised people

“‘Black women, Black trans people and Black queer people have laid the foundation for the creative industry. But the jobs in the industry are still somehow inaccessible with such a small percentage being represented within the photography industry,” says Liam Woods. The Black trans photographer, who goes by the moniker analoguepapi, is dedicated to celebrating marginalised people through their lens and conveying to their viewer that “they don’t have to conform to be valued”.

Taking a loose, free-styling approach to photography, Liam rarely plans a shoot and prefers to let it unfold naturally. Combining the “radiant diversity” of TV series like Euphoria and Sex Education with nostalgic references to 90s/ early 2000s pop culture films, Liam evokes an aesthetic that “feels like a warm hug”. But this joy is not just an aesthetic for Liam: “I want people who are marginalised to feel warmth, safety and reassurance that their existence deserves to be here when I am expressing their stories through my images.”

Liam first took up photography as a hobby when they were studying broadcast journalism at university. Later on they began posting their work on Instagram where they were spotted by the creative organisation Girl Gaze that platforms women and non-binary creatives. “From then on, things took a turn that I never saw coming,” says Liam. In a whirlwind of commissions from The New York Times, The LA Times, THEM, Vogue Paris, Vogue Italia amongst many others, their work attracted the interest of Apple.

Liam took part in Apple’s project Hometown, which showcased over 32 Black Photographers across the US. The creatives were asked to capture Black culture within their home cities using the iPhone 12 Pro. After this initial run-in, Apple decided to fund a personal project of Liam’s called A Part of Me, Is A Part of You. The series investigates the Black trans experience in Portland, Oregon, all shot using the iPhone 13 Pro Max. Becoming one of Liam’s most memorable projects to date, they were shocked and delighted to find “such an incredible community of Black trans family” in the “whitest city in America”.

What Liam has treasured most about these experiences is the opportunity to create jobs for Black femmes, queer and trans people, by influencing the hiring process on the projects. They are passionate about ending “gatekeeping” and tokenistic approaches to diversity by white editors, art directors and executives in the creative industry. Taking things into their own hands, they recently launched their own Black Creatives Workshop in LA which provides resources and a safe space for Black creatives to develop their practices. “We need to pass the mic to Black people,” they say. “We need to work together to build a better, brighter future.”