Heartlanta Journal

Meet Cayla Lamar, a Gen Z photographer from Atlanta, moving through color, softness, and intuition in her collections aimed at the feminine gaze.

I’ve always been drawn to color, it sets the mood before anything else.

Rooted in the femme gaze, her work reflects how women exist in spaces that feel both intimate and expansive.

Feminine Space, Reimagined

Cayla’s work centers feminine space as something both internal and external, felt as much as it is seen.

The Safe Space, shot in a friend’s bathroom in Little Five Points, transforms an everyday setting into something intentional and personal.

It wasn’t about making something big. I just wanted to capture a moment that felt real. Femmes find safety and comfort in bathrooms, and I wanted to convey the energy we feel in this space, the comfort.

She’s right; bathrooms fix us, in a way. We sing while fixing our hair, cry while listening to sad songs, but it’s a space that is ours for brief moments, and her full collection displays this sacred space.

On the other end, Girls Night Out expands outward. Shot at Church’s on Edgewood, the series blends edginess with softness: black femininity within an alternative, retro nightlife setting.

I love going out with my girls, and my friend, Katoria , helped me find the models for this one. We tipped the bartender heavy at Church’s, then got to work with just one small rectangular light.

This one is our personal Heartlanta favorite; as GSU alma maters who love to party, we used to frequent Edgewood along with Church’s, so the emotional tie adds to the carefree nature of being young women having a lovely night out with the girls.

Process: Structure Meets Instinct

Cayla approaches photography with both direction and openness.

I like having a structure, but I realized I don’t want to be locked into it.

That balance shows in her work. During Kirstin, the final look wasn’t planned—the green tones, the wardrobe shift, the bandeau all came together in the moment.

She came as she was, and I rolled with it. I just like capturing people as they are. The structure comes in the direction and editing process.

Her process isn’t about control, it’s about awareness. The result? Photos that demonstrate an ability to tame the chaos into pieces that show intentionality and deliberation.

Momentum

Before expanding her practice, Cayla’s piece River Woman, a woman in a vibrant yellow dress immersed in nature, circulated widely on TikTok.

More recently, in May of 2026, she held her first print sale at Colony Square with Bazaar Euphoria.

I thought I’d sell maybe one print. I ended up selling 18. Working with Bazaar Euphoria was so lovely. I forgot one of my lights, and they gave me one of theirs even if they didn’t have to.

It was a dream. I’d love to do it again.

Influences & Intent

Cayla always wanted to grow and showcase beauty prior to her recent successes.

Before working at a studio on the beltline, I was in retail for five years at Little Five Points. I felt stuck, and I submitted my work to the International Center for Photography.

I was accepted into a three month vocational program that reaffirmed why I love photography, and I’ve grown in my passion since.

Sisterhood is a central thread in Cayla’s work, something she returns to both visually and conceptually.

Influenced in part by ideas like Hitomi Mochizuki’s reflections on nature and connection, her work often feels collaborative rather than observational.

I believe in women creating space for each other. You can feel the difference when it’s there. I barter amongst my friends, and I love my community. My friends helped me in so many of these photo shoots.

What’s Next

Cayla currently works out of Unlimited Studios on the Atlanta Beltline, continuing to build her practice.

I want to shoot more creative portraits and work with fashion brands, no matter how big or small.

Her vision includes brands like Yerba Mate, Converse, and Doc Martens, as well as a long-term goal of becoming a director of photography.

I’d love to work on shows like Insecure. That’s the level I’m aiming for.

Through It All

Cayla’s work isn’t defined by one moment; it’s defined by emotional landscapes.

I just want people to see themselves in it.

And we see bits of her in her work; throughout our interview, Cayla showed openness and playfulness, with a passion for artistry.

A commitment to color.
To softness.
To capturing others in ways that feel honest, present, and fully their own.