Flo Ngala - Picture This

Capturing Sisterhood Through a New Lens

Photographer Flo Ngala is becoming known for having a keen eye and enormous creativity. Whether she's photographing music superstars or returning to her roots, Ngala, 24, is garnering a lot of attention.

This past October, Ngala's work was showcased at the Compère Collective Gallery in Brooklyn, New York. The exhibit, titled "Harlem Ice: The Selects Folder" (curated by Cierra Burton), was composed of 20 photographs of skaters from Figure Skating in Harlem, an organization with which Ngala spent most of her youth.
Ngala started taking photos in eighth grade, when her school offered photography as part of the art curriculum.

"When I began to see things that were beautiful and powerful, I began to feel more deeply about images," Ngala said. "I didn't know that good imagery would strike that chord in my soul. As I began to use Tumblr, which was a big platform at the time, I used to repost really awesome fashion photos and photos of lots of different things — elements of culture, music and sports.

"Seeing great stuff and starting to feel inspired about it made me realize this is something I'm passionate about. As I began to shoot more and more and learn about photography in school, it helped me work toward the place of becoming an artist. I tried to develop my own aesthetic and style. That's how I got into being a street photographer and doing self-portraiture."

A Harlem native, Ngala joined FSH at age 6 and stayed with the organization until she graduated high school — only missing one season, the year her father died. From her very first steps on the ice, she loved the momentum and power of gliding on the ice.

Flo Ngala - Recent

"There's literally nothing like it," Ngala said. "As I got older, my muscles and my body became more powerful. I evolved on a physical level. It felt so natural."
Ngala was earning money for her photography before she even considered herself a professional photographer, shooting headshots for $30 a pop while still in high school.
Her first professional gig, she said, was photographing rapper Gucci Maine in 2016. She landed the job after bringing her camera to the set of a music video shoot for Fat Joe and Remy Ma; she took part in it as an ice skater. Afterward, she sent her photos to the video producer and director, who sent them to a senior vice president of urban marketing of Atlantic Records.

Skating has given her resilience and determination, said Ngala, who studied advertising and design in college. The sport also gave her the discipline and the mindset to go after her dreams and respect the process. She wishes her late father, whom she described as creative, could see her photography.
"I have a different approach to things because I understand what it looks and feels like to want something and to work at it until you get it right," Ngala said. "Even when I'm editing photos, I'm patient with it. To refine technique and refine my craft, to create what I want, takes time and practice. It's the same as when I was trying to get spins and jumps and I was falling on the ice.

"Getting back up, continuing to push yourself and working hard."

She loved skating so much that she'd seek out ice time on her own beyond official FSH practice sessions. As a teenager, she was one of the first captains of Harlem Ice, FSH's synchronized skating teams. FSH taught her to believe in herself. That tenacity applies to photography as well. Ngala doesn't have an agent, but has been quite effective in getting hired, especially in fashion and music.

Ngala's work received major attention in 2019. There were several assignments for Nike. She extensively photographed musical artist Cardi B, including following Cardi B's preparations and attendance at the Met Ball. Ngala also had a huge photo essay on FSH that appeared in The New York Times. For the latter, Ngala got on the ice with the FSH girls to shoot up close. It was her first time skating in a couple of years, but being on the ice felt completely natural.

"A love for what you do will compel you to do whatever it takes to excel at it," Ngala said. "Skating and photography have worked hand in hand in my life."

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