about

​

Currently based in Appalachia's Blue Ridge Mountains she has lived and worked in 4 continents and this global perspective is what she brings to your experience. In her creative projects, she has created and collaborated in developing photographic projects, interventions, performances, and installations. These illuminate alternative possibilities to the limitations placed on so many of us based on socioeconomic class, race, ethnicity, nationality and immigration status.

​​

Since the experience of being photographed is not natural, many people may feel somewhat camera shy if not terrified of a lens before them. From Rayya’s perspective during a private photo shoot, that automatically creates an intimate experience between the two parties. Today with head-shots and various sorts of portraiture in her repertoire her commercial photography is focused on intimacy which includes nudes in nature, boudoir, and individual or couple's photo session. These are all quite the intimate emotional experiences between the photographer and the person on the other side of the camera, where a collaboration of sorts is taking place. She does not see the person(s) being photographed merely as a subject. The experience is happening in both directions. The images are created through this collaborative process between both parties.

​

She also photographs performances such as music, dance and performing arts, as well as a variety of events, including all festivities and corporate events both indoors and outdoor.

​

Rayya is a native speaker of Arabic, English and also fluently speaks French as she is working on improving her Spanish. She studied sociology at Loyola University, New Orleans before receiving a Bachelor in Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute, Chicago. She more recently received an Association Montessori International (AMI) teaching certification from the MIP in Prague, Czech Republic. Feel free to reach out to here by email.