“I’m going to zoom in for you guys, okay?” six-year-old Blue Ivy Carter, clearly a future Oscar-winning filmmaker, says at the open of Vogue’s behind-the-scenes video of Beyoncé’s September cover shoot.
Blue, Sir and Rumi are all on hand for Beyoncé’s “bring your kids to work” day, watching firsthand as she makes history with photographer Tyler Mitchell, who also directed the video.
By now, much has been said about what went on behind the scenes of this groundbreaking issue of Vogue, which in Mitchell was notably booked as the first black cover photographer in the magazine’s history. Frankly, we would’ve loved to skip the debate about who deserves credit and just been privy to these lovely, more intimate moments that speak for themselves. Because all controversy aside, it’s clear Beyoncé and Mitchell had great creative chemistry on their clothesline-and-melanin-laden set. Seeing the two in action just adds another layer of life to the images.
With Curtis Mayfield’s “The Making of You” as a soundtrack, Beyoncé bops, gets braided and cuddles her babies while modeling couture that is infinitely more impressive seen up close and in detail. It’s a thoroughly modern moment for a thoroughly modern mom, and a welcome—if fleeting—down-to-earth glimpse at one of the world’s biggest stars.