This week, renowned artists and photographers gathered for the Aperture Gala—an annual benefit hosted by the seven-decade-old New York-based nonprofit—to celebrate the talent behind the camera and those advancing the conversation around photography. Among this year’s honorees was Tyler Mitchell, the acclaimed lensman best known for his stirring portraits documenting Black life with vibrant, celebratory imagery exploring themes of empowerment, identity, and community.

Considered among the most compelling photographers of his generation, Mitchell made history in 2018 when he shot Beyoncé for this magazine’s September issue. At 23, he became the first African American photographer to shoot a Vogue cover story—as well as one of the youngest ever. An image from the series was eventually acqu

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