Report: Beyoncé Hired First Black Photographer to Shoot Vogue Cover

Beyoncé has reportedly had unprecedented authority over the September issue of Vogue magazine, including hiring the first African-American cover photographer, according to the Huffington Post. The outlet reports that the pop icon, who will be featured on the cover, has hired 23-year-old photographer Tyler Mitchell to shoot her cover. His hiring is a departure from the magazine’s typical habit of choosing more established photographers for cover stories. The magazine is also “contractually obligated to give Beyoncé full control over the cover”—which is usually reserved for editor-in-chief Anna Wintour. The singer reportedly has control over her photos and has written the “long-form” captions herself. This September issue, which is the magazine’s biggest issue of the year, is rumored to be Wintour’s last. She has been at the helm of the institution since 1988.