The TRiiBE is thrilled to welcome Ash Lane, visionary photographer and graphic designer, to the team as its first art director.
“Photography begins with my ethics. Creating compositions that are aesthetic to the eye, while being present to capture the impact of our human experiences, is vital,” Lane said. “Taking care of other’s experiences is a gift and a huge responsibility of visual storytelling. It is very important to me as a photographer, and as a creative person, to create content that connects with each individual’s intentions.”
Lane, who uses she/her pronouns, is a self-taught photographer and graphic designer who has been working in Chicago for the past eight years.
As a photographer, she has worked with nonprofits such as Openlands, Chicago Cultural Alliance, and Open Books. She’s also worked with Red Bull for their festival, Sueños.
In 2020, she began working with The TRiiBE as a freelance photographer, under her artist pseudonym ANF Chicago. Since then, she’s joined The TRiiBE in covering the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) student protest around COVID-19, former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s midterm anniversary sit-down interview, an award-winning sit-down interview with Chance the Rapper, and, most recently, our coverage of Noname’s Sundial Block Party.
“As our freelance photographer, Ash went into each assignment with so much care and intention for the story being told, the people she was photographing and the reporters telling the story,” said Tiffany Walden, co-founder and editor-in-chief of The TRiiBE. “From day one, she’s been a reliable team player, and I am beyond thrilled to work with Ash in her new role as art director.”
Lane continues to serve as the in-house photographer and graphic designer for Laugh Factory in Chicago in her downtime. She was featured in the Chicago Reader for her work in Chicago’s comedy scene, and was honored by the Chicago White Sox as a “game changer” here in the city.
Lane has worked with public figures including Janelle James, and Chris Redd.
“Visual documentation and how we see ourselves reflected in the media is so important,” said Morgan Elise Johnson, co-founder and publisher of The TRiiBE. “Ash is an incredibly thoughtful and skilled creative, and an inspiring energy that will elevate our journalism and creative projects to new heights.”
As Lane reflected on the emotional photo of a masked student protester she took in January 2022 outside the CPS headquarters downtown, she said, “It is essential to connect through non-verbal communication and invoke emotions that rally action, speak to the moment, or memorialize history.”
In her role as art director, Lane will be working closely with both editorial and social media teams to showcase and uplift the humanity of our people and neighborhoods — the beauty, the struggle and everything in between.
“I want to support cultivating truthful narratives that connect with my communities, as well as communities in the city of Chicago,” Lane said. “I want to be known in my field as highly skilled, regularly recommended, and a notable standard in photography.”
Lane can be reached at ash@thetriibe.com. You can check out more of her work on Instagram at @anfchicago.
The TRiiBE is owned and operated by Morgan Elise Johnson (publisher), Tiffany Walden (editor-in-chief) and David Elutilo (head of operations); all three are alums of Northwestern University.
Since its launch, The TRiiBE has earned a 2022 Chicago Journalism Association (CJA)’s Sarah Brown Boyden Award, three 2021 Peter Lisagor Awards, including Best Community/Neighborhood News, a 2020 CHIRBy Award, a 2019 ADWEEK Rising Brand Stars of Chicago Award and more.
