Rising Stars: Meet Skye Taylor

Photography has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My late father, Sidney Taylor III, owned his own photography business Sky Photography. I learned the art of photography as a young child. My dad always wanted all of the kids in the family to have a skill for when they got older, so he taught all of us how to run the photography business. As I got older, I wanted to explore my passion for photography outside of just the family business, so I joined yearbook in my middle school. My dad passed in 2014 when I entered high school. I wanted to honor his legacy by continuing the family business. I started with doing outdoor shoots of friends to build my portfolio, to actually booking paying clients. In 2018, I entered college. I wanted to take my photography to another level. I found a studio home in Metro Detroit where I learned lighting, editing, and everything else you need to know to be a photographer and I started to develop my own photography style, which I am continuously shaping as the days go by.

This journey has not always been a smooth road. Photography is an expensive passion. I’ve had to deal with broken cameras, lenses, etc., which can be very costly. I was also originally only doing outdoor sessions and those tend to slow down as it gets colder in Michigan. Now that I have transitioned into studio shoots, it has been more beneficial.

I am a photographer. My work focuses on capturing Black stories. I focus on this because as a Black person, we don’t often see ourselves in the media in positive manners and that is what I want to continue to do. I love being able to capture people’s accomplishments, celebrations, and any story they envision.

Something that surprises most people is that my major in college is Psychology with a minor in Public Health. I am very passionate about my education and I hope to pursue a Ph.D. in Psychology.