As featured on Michael Baisden Live
We need MORE black businesses like Creative Soul Photography.
Hard work has been paying off for power camera couple, Kahran and Regis Bethencourt, the owners of Creative Soul Photography in Atlanta. Their photography that has been dazzling us with black beauty on social media will now be immortalized in a book series. The couple has signed a six-figure book deal with St. Martin’s Press to create a book that showcases the natural, melanin magic of black children, specifically girls.
“We will be globetrotting again on a year long journey to complete the book and are so excited about the new adventures we will have,” the couple writes on their Instagram page, which has over 103,000 followers. Stops include several countries in Europe, Africa, South America, and several cities in the U.S.
The upcoming book will part of their AfroArt series, which they launched a year ago. The couple tells RoyalTee Magazine that the idea of the Afro-Art book came from the lack of diversity showcasing children of color in the media and the beauty of Afro-hair.
“We’d get [black girls] trying to get into the fashion industry, and they’d have gorgeous natural hair. But they’d show up to our photoshoots with their hair straightened, because they thought that was what
they needed to do to get into the industry,” the Bethencourts tell RoyalTee.
Afro-Art showcases natural hair on a platform never shown before in the fashion industry.
“We wanted to show that we could be just as regal and unapologetic with our textured hair, fro-hawk or extra large Afro.”
“We’d get [black girls] trying to get into the fashion industry, and they’d have gorgeous natural hair. But they’d show up to our photoshoots with their hair straightened, because they thought that was what
they needed to do to get into the industry.”
The book will be divided into three sections; the past, present and future, which the couple says will allow them to cover a variety of themes. Kahran tells the Atlanta Journal Constitution that the book will be focusing on a broad range of themes and black history, that extends beyond slavery. After all, we were kings and queens. #RepresentationMatters
“We wanted to show that we could be just as regal and unapologetic with our textured hair, fro-hawk or extra large Afro.”
“We plan to celebrate the glory of the “here and now”, and will even dare to forecast the future,” they said.
Many of their photos have already gone viral on social media thanks to celebrity admirers such as Common and Tariji P. Henson. Their Instagram, @creativesoulphoto, is now over 103,000 followers.
The couple hopes Afro-Art project will empower kids to love their natural curls and the skin they’re in and their culture.
“We feel that it’s so important for children of color to be able to see positive images that look like them in the media.”
The Bethencourts are definitely team players who share a common passion for photography and black girl empowerment, which we could only assume why they mesh so well. When asked about their future plans for the company, The Bethencourts hope to expand Creative Soul beyond the lenses and serve as an empowering brand for children of color.
“We feel that it’s so important for children of color to be able to see positive images that look like them in the media.”
“The goal is to use our photography and influence to further encourage children to dream big,” they said. “We’d like to continue to use our platform as a connection point and voice for the continuous advancement of our community.”
The Afro-Art book is expected to hit shelves in 2019.
And what makes Kahran Bethencourt a Royal Woman?
“I believe I am a Royal Woman because I expect greatness and will not settle
for less; not only for myself but for others as well. We’re on a mission to
bring out the inner royalty in children around the world, so I must lead the
way with my own actions!”
To learn about Creative Soul click here
#thisiswhatroyalteelookslike
