Marley Morgan’s Photography Is A Celebration of Black Women And Their Families

After having three kids and spending well over two decades behind every camera she could get her hands on, Wiradjuri and Yuwaalaraay woman Marley Morgan finally got her hands on a Canon EOS R6, the camera of her dreams.

“It’s been a very long journey of going through a lot of cameras, trying different techniques and finding my style,” she says over a Zoom call with her six-month-old on her lap. “And finding passion along my journey.”

It’s certainly been a journey, one that has seen Morgan’s photography featured in Vogue, Frankie, and Marie Claire. As for that passion? For Morgan, it’s photographing women. Specifically, Black mums and mums to be, and it only takes a scroll through her Instagram — @barefootwandering.photography — to see that Aboriginal Motherhood and womanhood is at the beating heart of her work.

“When I had given birth to my first son, I had developed post-natal depression so I was going to the hospital and seeing doctors. I’d be given pamphlets and I just couldn’t identify with these women, and I thought while I was reading that I’d love to see some positive images of Aboriginal women, rather than these women looking sad and traumatic.” 

“I wanted to create positive imagery that myself and other Indigenous people could relate to.”

“In the past, with media,” she continues, “they’ve shown Aboriginal people in a very negative light and when you look at that, it affects your mental health. Just seeing such a negative image of your people takes a toll. I knew then and there I wanted to create positive imagery that myself and other Indigenous people could relate to.”

And Marley has done just that. Her dreamy photographs boast beautiful Black women and families, glowing as much from sunlight as Morgan’s determination to celebrate Indigenous womanhood in a culture that has refused to for hundreds of years. “Growing up there was this stereotype Aboriginal women weren’t attractive. I got teased for having big lips and curly hair. Especially, the young women I work with, I want them to feel beautiful and know that they’re more than what society says. We’re gorgeous. Don’t listen to these racist remarks. We all deserve as Black people to be celebrated,” she says. 

“We’re Still Mob”

As an Aboriginal woman in a predominantly white field, Morgan’s path through her profession to her passion has not been easy.

“It can be quite sexist and racist,” she tells me with a sigh. “ I was at an event and a man asked me where I got my camera from. He said ‘can I have a look at your camera?’ I thought he was just going to admire it. He asked, ‘where did you get that from?’ I said I bought it. He said, “no, where did you really get that camera from?’. He actually expected me to hand him my camera.”

Racist microaggressions range from accusations of stolen to cameras to businesses refusing to invite her to the table. But as far as Marley Morgan is concerned the good that comes of her work far outweighs the bad — her work keeps her connected to Country and community as she lives far from home on Gumbaynggirr Country, AKA Coffs Harbour.

“With my work, I am very lucky to be invited to Aboriginal communities and meet them. When I do I feel like I am missing country, I make these beautiful other connections that are so welcoming. Even though we’re from different nations we’re still mob,” she tells me. 

Alongside keeping her connected to her culture, Morgan finds inspiration in the women she works with. “I can be quite hard on myself as a mum, but meeting these other women and seeing that what I’m feeling is quite normal…it makes me feel great, sharing my experiences with other mums and mums to be. It’s empowering, getting together and discussing Black motherhood,” says Morgan, brightly.

However, she hopes her work will inspire all women, both Indigenous and not, to celebrate this continent’s First Nations women. “Through my work I want culture to be celebrated while also raising awareness of issues we face. We come from the oldest living continuous culture and I do believe that deserves to be celebrated. I just want to show we are doing amazing things.” Morgan continues. “My people are incredible in all forms. We’re amazing at sport, art, we’re great mothers. We’re great artists and we deserve to be celebrated.”

Her advocacy for Black women does not end with her photography or social media. Currently, Morgan is raising money in preparation to donate her hair for cancer research. She is also a part of the Happy Boxes project, which helps deliver free sanitary products to those in remote and rural areas.

“Coming from a remote community in Lightning Ridge, I know how hard it is for women to access everyday goods like sanitary items and price gouging is a major issue for remote and regional communities,” she says. “I’m very very passionate about women, looking after our wellbeing and celebrating Black women.”

She also teases a future project she’s been working toward,  “I’m also hoping this year to start working on a picture book which will be focused on women who inspire me that I’ve been lucky to meet on my journey.”

“I’m very very passionate about women, looking after our wellbeing and celebrating Black women.”

A few times during the interview, Morgan’s six-month-old steals the show, keen to share in the attention his mum is getting. On how aware her kids are of their mum’s globally-renowned work, she laughs. “My five year old, especially, I bought him a toy camera. So, he’s doing fake photoshoots at home. But he can’t wait to get a job and start doing it professionally. My kids love it. I have a three-year-old and he’s always asking me, ‘can you take a photo of me mum? Can I see it?’” She grins, “they love my work. They love my cameras. It’s a nice feeling, having my babies be my number one fans.”. 

Despite being a self-made Black mum of three who travels the continent celebrating women in exquisite photos, Morgan claims she is painfully shy.

“A lot of people assume that I’m quite extroverted, but I’m not,” she says. “I’m not good with words. Speaking has never been my strong point. My work is what I allow to speak for me. So what I don’t say with words, I make up through my imagery with what I am trying to get across and how I’m feeling. We’ve been passing on stories for 1000s of years through multiple forms, through song, dance and art. There are multiple ways we pass on — as Black people — our art, our religious stories and what we’re trying to say.”

To any budding photographers out there, Morgan advises patience and determination, and listening to Morgan’s episode on the Canon Convos Podcast wouldn’t hurt either. “Just keep trying even if you feel like you’re not getting anywhere. I recently gave one of my old Canon cameras to a budding photographer,” she tells me. “She was feeling a little bit discouraged because she wanted to get where I’m at. I was like ‘It’s been a long journey. I’ve been doing this for quite a long time and only recently was I able to be taken seriously. Although there are bumps in the road, it’s definitely worth it’.”

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Check out Marley Morgan’s photography on her website and follow her on Instagram: @barefootwandering.photography

Merryana Salem (they/she) is a proud Wonnarua and Lebanese–Australian writer, critic, teacher and podcaster on most social media as @akajustmerry.