When Rebecca Rayon speaks about photography, her voice brims with passion, tinged with the weight of life-changing decisions. Her journey from experimenting with double exposures on her first roll of film to becoming a sought-after portrait photographer is a testament to her courage and commitment to self-expression.
Rayon’s love affair with photography began at the Hardesty Arts Center in Tulsa, where she developed her first photos in a darkroom. “I got to develop my first photos myself,” she recalls. “It was so cool to experience the process of developing film in a darkroom. That was my first initiation into the creative realm of photography.” Her first subject? Her
sister. The resulting double exposure remains one of her favorite images, emblematic of her passion for capturing raw emotion. “It just captures what I love so much about portrait photography—the emotion,” Rayon explains.
Emotion, she emphasizes, is the cornerstone of her work. “As much as I like doing just regular run-of-the-mill portraits, there’s just not as much emotion behind them,” she says. “I want my photos to show who the person really is. There’s something so fulfilling about capturing more than just an image—capturing a soul, a story, a moment.”
From Toxicity to Triumph
Rayon’s decision to pursue photography full-time wasn’t easy. “What made me decide to do photography full-time was serving in a super toxic work environment,” she shares. “I just thought, ‘I don’t want to do this anymore.’ Even though I make way less now, I’m a thousand percent happier because I get to do what I love.”
Leaving behind financial security to follow her passion required immense bravery. “Even though it’s scary to leave behind a secure job, there’s something liberating about pursuing your passion and finding joy in what you create,” she reflects. “I realized that
my happiness was more important than financial security. It’s incredible to focus on doing what I love.”
A Distinctive Style, Constantly Evolving
Rayon’s photography style is as dynamic as the seasons she draws inspiration from. “My photography style feels like it evolves with me—almost like seasons,” she says. “If you look through my Instagram, you can see how each section is different, reflecting the phases of my life.”
This adaptability is mirrored in her creative process. She prepares meticulously for each shoot, often creating detailed mood boards to guide her vision. “I love to do mood boards, and I will not do a shoot without one,” she says. She also takes time to connect with her models. “Sometimes there are shoots that are based completely around a person—like their personality, their story, and what’s important to them.”
But even with careful planning, spontaneity plays a vital role. “I do literally anything to get a cool shot,” she says with a laugh. “I don’t even think about it until I’m upside down trying to get a cool picture.”
Rebecca’s aspirations extend beyond her current projects. “My dream collaboration would be with Petra Collins, and the vision would be somewhere along the lines of a midwestern Jane Austen novel. I love the surreal nature of her style, and I feel like I could learn a lot from her.” This blend of midwestern roots and surrealism encapsulates much of Rebecca’s unique aesthetic.
The Power of Collaboration
Collaboration has been a transformative force in Rayon’s career. “I’m so thankful for the stylists, makeup artists, and collaborators I’ve worked with—having their input has completely changed how I view photography,” she says. “Sometimes it can feel a little lonely to shoot alone with a model, but having a team creates a whole new level of inspiration.”
Rayon’s collaborations extend beyond her immediate creative team. She’s deeply connected to the artistic communities in Tulsa and Oklahoma City. “Tulsa’s creative community is small but tight-knit—it’s inspiring to work in a place where everyone supports each other,” she says. “As much as I love Tulsa, I’ve been working with so many people from OKC lately, and they’ve all been so welcoming and creative.”
Representation and Responsibility
Representation is at the heart of Rayon’s work. “Women of color, especially Black women, are the foundation of this country, and it’s important to capture and amplify their voices and stories,” she says. One upcoming project particularly excites her. “The upcoming shoot with a Black Muslim woman who is part of the LGBTQIA+ community is going to be revolutionary—it’s important to represent her fully and authentically.”
Her commitment to inclusivity is rooted in her personal experiences. Growing up in Bixby, a conservative town, Rayon longed for a more open-minded environment. “I always knew I wanted to be somewhere more creative and open-minded, like Tulsa,” she says. Her move to the city proved transformative, offering her the community she
had always dreamed of.
Building a Future
For now, Rayon operates out of her living room, which she has converted into a makeshift studio. But she has ambitious plans for the future. “We’re planning to buy a building soon to create a studio, gallery space, and even a venue for music,” she
reveals.
Her vision extends beyond her personal career. Rayon dreams of fostering a space where artists can collaborate and grow together. “Working with Midwest HQ has shown me how much creativity and kindness thrive here. It’s so inspiring to collaborate with people who are passionate about the same things,” she says.
A Legacy of Emotion
Ultimately, Rayon’s work is about more than just photography. It’s about creating images that resonate on a deeper level. “Photography isn’t just about capturing what’s visible—it’s about showing the mood, the essence, the unseen emotions,” she explains. “I want people to, whenever they look at my photos, think about what’s deep to them.”
As she continues to grow and evolve, Rebecca remains deeply connected to the communities that have shaped her. “Eventually, I’d like to travel and explore other creative communities, but Tulsa and OKC will always feel like home in different ways.”
For Rebecca, photography is a way of life, a means of connecting with others, and a tool for telling stories that matter. Through her lens, the invisible becomes visible, and the ordinary transforms into something extraordinary.
