Life and Work with Skyla Bionca Jenkins

Today we’d like to introduce you to Skyla Bionca Jenkins.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
For starters, I’m a 22-year-old college graduate. I received my BA in psychology this year and plan to pursue a career in Biotechnology as a Clinical Research Associate. I have always been interested in the medical field and everything pertaining to helping our African American people with their mental health. Although I will cater to all, I really want to focus on people of color due to the fact that mental health is something that is always looked over and never taken seriously until something serious happens. Thus, I plan to eventually develop my own practice for clinical researchers and psychiatrists as a home for mental health and clinical research. While also being apart of the medical field, I’m also a very creative and artsy person. I am a self-taught photographer with a creative brand called UniqueIdentityPhotography. Although
I am a beginner, I seek to grow this brand in the city of Atlanta where creativity is the heart of the city. I love to capture a little bit of everything, but I mostly want to focus on fashion and portraiture. I’ve had some bumps in the roads but having to complete school, finding my way in my career, and also losing someone very close to me (RIP my grandmother Evelyn Jenkins); I’ve still managed to make a way for what I want the most. I just want to inspire and create, while allowing both avenues of my career and brand to flourish.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The most struggle for me was losing my grandmother. She was the only grandparent that I was close to and as others would say, I was her favorite. Little did she know, she was mine as well. She was like a second mother, with a very spunky spirit. She was my motivation and positivity when I was in school. She always checked on me and spoiled me, as grandmothers do. I’m not sure if she ever knew, but she was a very inspirational force in my life. My grandmother didn’t have it all, but she had an amazing spirit, which is why she was so surrounded by love. Ultimately that’s what I want in life. I want to be able to leave this earth knowing that I was surrounded by love and leave a legacy for being able to give back to others. That’s one thing you couldn’t take away from her- giving back to others. I’m still trying to figure out life without her but I know she’s still rooting for me and watching over me.
Advice to anyone who’s lost someone close would be to never give up. As much as I wanted to give up, I had to remember what my grandmother use to tell me when I was in school. “Keep Going Bee, don’t give up, do it for grandma.” I’m doing everything from here on out for not only myself but also for her, Ms. Evelyn Jenkins. I love and miss you, grandma.

Please tell us about UniqueIdentityPhotography.
I am a self taught photographer and created my brand during the summer of 2018. I got inspired by going to different events in Atlanta with a mutual friend who also is a photographer and she saw how I was helping models pose and allowing them to capture the right angles and said that “you’re really good at this, ever thought about being a photographer?” In that moment, I knew I could start something that I really enjoy. It’s something about being in the atmosphere of the arts. It’s culturally and aesthetically pleasing. The name came from something I made up years ago, for a whole different idea; but I said if I ever wanted to creat a brand, UniqueIdentity would be the name. After that, I began to shoot for different things, even when I was still in school I’d do different shoots for my portfolio or graduation shoots. Now I want to focus on capturing more fashion, celebrity and portraiture type of images and to also give inspiring artists and models a chance to get exposure as well.

Aside from my career, I also have a passion for photography. I am a very artsy individual so art, music, fashion, etc. really intrigues me. I have my own brand called UniqueIdentityPhotography, which is mostly targeted for fashion and portraiture. My slogan “Becoming one with the image captures the Unique Identity in you,” basically means that my brand will always capture something unique within whosever on the other side of the camera. I want to capture not just aesthetic but nostalgia and the uniqueness in every individual that I shoot. I most definitely eventually would love to shoot for celebrities but I also want to mainly focus on upcoming artists and models who are trying to get noticed as well. I’m a firm believer of “if I eat, everyone eats.”

Who have you been inspired by?
The women in my life are phenomenal. For starters, my mother has been a huge inspiration in my life. She’s everything I inspire to become. To see a woman come from having nothing like a single parent at one point, while still being able to to take care of her family and put herself through school, and reaching the goal of earning 6 figures before she turned forty. She’s a huge inspiration of not giving up for what you want despite what life throws at you. I’m so glad that she has my dad in her life as well to be a great partner through her journey. Another inspiration would be my sister. She wasn’t always sure what she wanted in life. In fact, I don’t believe she really knew at one point. Everyone has to start somewhere, even if it seems as if everyone else is surpassing you. However, she didn’t allow that to stop her. She’s now her own business owner as a hairstylist in Atlanta who focuses on maintaining the health of natural hair. Seeing her journey as a single mom is admirable, which is why I never have to worry about if my niece will get positive influences. She’s an amazing mother and business owner! Lastly, my grandmother. She is a huge inspiration as far as showing love, giving back, and always being there for the family. She always taught us to never give up. Her passing has been the hardest on our family, but I know that her legacy will always live through us, especially me. She is one of the main reasons I am grateful to be able to wake up every day and make something out of myself. Every day isn’t promised and I won’t allow what I go through in life to disrupt me living it to the fullest.

Contact Info:

• Email: uniqueidentityphotography@gmail.com
• Instagram: uniqueidentityphotography
• Twitter: _UIPhtography

Image Credit:
@b.hallphoto on Instagram

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