The Coterie Noir, a collective dedicated to celebrating innovation through diversity and amplifying Black women in boudoir photography, proudly announced the recipients of the Top Black Boudoir Photographers of 2026 during a powerful awards ceremony hosted by founder Olesha Haskett on March 21, 2026.
The ceremony recognized five boudoir photographers across the United States whose work is reshaping the landscape of boudoir photography for black women through authentic storytelling, representation, and empowerment. More than photographers, these honorees are educators, healers, artists, and community leaders using their platforms to create experiences for women who have historically been underrepresented in luxury and intimate portraiture spaces.
The 2026 HonoreesÂ
Katrina Cross-Daniels of Katrina Cross Photography (Detroit, MI) is an internationally published boudoir photographer centered on helping women rediscover their confidence, beauty, and self-worth through transformative photography experiences. Known for her signature “I Am Worthy” initiative, Katrina uses storytelling and visual art as a powerful tool for healing, confidence, and empowerment.
Brianne Daul of Satin Dauls Boudoir (Boonton, NJ) is a luxury boudoir photographer and educator known for creating empowering experiences that help women feel confident, seen, and celebrated exactly as they are. A client stated, “It’s not just a photo shoot with Brianne, it’s life changing.” Her work blends emotional storytelling with a dark, moody style that has become recognizable throughout the boudoir community.
Latoya Dixon Smith of Greenville Boudoir (Greenville, SC) creates editorial-inspired boudoir experiences centered on embodiment, identity, and authentic self-expression. A client said, “Latoya creates a space for healing, self-discovery, and deep self-love.” Latoya is passionate about helping women reconnect with their bodies, visibility, and personal authority while encouraging photographers to create work that resonates beyond aesthetics alone.
Nicole Griffin of Nicole Griffin Photography (Washington, DC) is an award-winning boudoir photographer known for her emotionally intelligent approach and guided client experience. “Doing my first shoot with [Nicole] has literally retrained my brain on how I look at myself.” Nicole’s work is especially recognized for photographing Black women and women who have historically felt unseen in luxury beauty spaces. Through an intentional and supportive experience, Nicole helps clients move beyond self-criticism and see themselves with softness, power, and authenticity.
Maria Rouse of Boudoir by Ria (Atlanta, GA) is a visual storyteller who centers sensuality, vulnerability, and emotional truth in every frame. As a boudoir photographer, Maria’s work explores the intimacy of self-worship, the sacredness of desire, and the unapologetic joy of embodiment. A client said, “Ria pushes her clients to be confident in our skin and in who we are as an individual.” Rooted in her background in psychology and shaped by a lifetime of unlearning shame, Ria uses photography as both mirror and liberation tool, inviting those often left out of traditional beauty narratives to see themselves as art.
