“Freeman Alley With Simply Vika: Poetry, Power, and the Pulse of NYC”

When @Simply Vika reached out, she wanted portraits that captured both her artistry and the never-ending energy of New York City. A rapper, poet, and multidisciplinary creative, she imagined a graffiti-filled street that could mirror her edge and spirit. I suggested Freeman Alley in the Lower East Side, where every wall is layered with tags and murals.

We headed out early to beat the summer heat. Vika brought her many selves to the session: the poet with a journal in hand, the on-the-go creative always in motion, and the rapper with an unapologetic presence.

Freeman Alley proved the perfect backdrop—raw, urban, and expressive. Against its walls, Vika shifted easily between identities. Some frames show her scribbling lines of poetry; others catch her striding mid-block, headphones on, radiating momentum. And then there are the portraits with on-camera flash that amplify her rapper persona: direct, powerful, and completely at home in the city.

What made this collaboration especially rewarding was seeing how Vika has put the portraits to work. She edited a reel that merges our photos with her music, and she’s shared the images across her socials multiple times, weaving them into her growing creative presence.

Working with artists like Vika is what excites me most: taking someone’s vision, finding the right location, and crafting images that feel authentic, versatile, and alive.