At my core, I’m a storyteller, artist, explorer, and lover of the little things.
My experiences have afforded me a unique perspective of the world, one that has enabled me to passionately appreciate and share life’s many intersections. Through it all, I have learned that the best way to hold on to special, fleeting moments is to:
cherish them, love them, and document them.
Woke Beauty serves to awaken the beauty within.
I’m Riley, the face behind Woke Beauty. I’ve lived in 15 cities and six countries. I come from a multicultural, multiracial background that has taught me the power of adaptability and empathy. I use aspects of myself to speak to our human connections, societal positioning, and humanitarian issues. Home is a floating, abstract space of comfort that lives in the people I love.
I haven’t always known what I wanted to do with my voice. I just knew I had to do something. It wasn’t until the fall of 2017, after enduring an extended episode of depression, that I realized I had an opportunity to use art for good—to facilitate human connection by creating a safe space of comfort and healing.
I am most passionate when I am telling a story that reveals integrity. The most important moments lie in silence and the only way to capture them is through engaging, compelling, provocative imagery. And then, once the imagery is created, there is an opportunity for words to take it further.
I’ve encountered an array of incredible people. Many have been resistant to appreciating their own beauty—the beauty I see and love. I’ve made it my mission to capture an elusive glance, a contagious laugh, warm eyes, or wild hair through deep conversation and altruistic compassion.
It is no coincidence that my work with resilient women has fostered evolution within me.
I have grown into a socially conscious storyteller who uses pixels and words to question the lenses of beauty and power. I practice self-portraiture, thoughtful photography, and in-depth storytelling to capture the world in a different light, one that elevates our collective identities.
Press
“How This Texas-Based Photographer Turned Her Career Frustration Into A Small Business” - Forbes
“Riley Reed’ Self-Portraits Explore Identity, Expression and Resilience in “Manifest”” - Tribeza
“Socially conscious photographer Riley Reed wants women to take up more space” - Click Magazine
Podcasts
“Riley Reed on Photography & Mental Health” - The Hey Girl Podcast
My Pledge to The Gaze
I galvanize women to step into their truest form through creative, collaborative, therapeutic photography sessions that position clients as self defined rather than objectified. By reimagining the future archives of our community, I am intentional about fostering an online, living space that looks different from the world I walk in; one that is colorful and integrated.
I have often wondered: what if I were to plant seeds of future space? Through my work, I define the act of self celebration by manifesting care, interpreting subjects’ feelings and empowering women to appreciate their own intrinsic beauty. I do not create imagery about women. I create imagery for women. I believe access to written and visual storytelling methods is a vital resource for all women. It facilitates a panoptic environment, one in which the entirety of a legacy can proudly expand.
Observe the life moving like a river around you…and realize that the images you make may become part of the collective history of the time that you are living in. -Eli Reed
My work is an act of service.
I sincerely believe that every single human being is worthy.
I strive to reveal that truth with the instruments I hold dearest.
