Courtney Sofiah Yates is a photographer and director based in New York.

Deeply inspired by her family’s roots in the American South and South East Asia, as well as their migrant and immigrant experiences, Courtney explores themes of performance, grief and spirituality throughout her work. She describes her aesthetic as “being naturalistic with moments of subtle mysticism.” 

Courtney is known for her effortless and authentic storytelling within filmmaking, which can be seen in projects such as Come on In (8 Wheels) for Smirnoff and Ad Council’s Real Deal on Fentanyl.

Notable projects to date include include a global campaign for Nike featuring Naomi Osaka and photographing Solange for Saint Heron, as well as having been commissioned by clients such as W Magazine, Document Journal, American Vogue, Moncler and Nike.

Client List

321 Magazine, Ad Council, American Vogue, Black Beauty Matters, Bumble, Cecilie Bahnsen, Cero Magazine, The Cut, Document Journal, Ganni, Glossier, MCM, The New York Times, The New Yorker, Nike, Reebok, Square, Smirnoff, SSENSE, Venmo and W Magazine