When I woke up to the news that Tyler [Mitchell] had apparently got the shoot I was as excited as if I had shot Beyoncé myself. And if we look at the situation, yes, if it’s true, it’s a moment to be celebrated – but it’s also sad. It is not US Vogue that chose him. It is Beyoncé. A powerhouse of the music industry. She’s the one who pulled him in, one of the most famous women in the world. And that’s telling.

The internet has been incredibly helpful for me and creative people of my generation; it has helped break down barriers. You can get your work out there much more easily, which is key for people of colour. I got to shoot FKA twigs because I was found online by other black creatives – the stylist Matthew Josephs and Twigs herself – and then pulled into the team.

It’s still early days for me but I know for sure that having that support is a super-important aspect if you are not white. Things would have been so different if I didn’t have that sort of community willing to use me. And so for me, when I’m on set, I know it’s important to do the same – to include women and people of colour, to make sure it’s inclusive. We have to work like that, together.

FKA twigs shot by photographer David Uzochukwu. Photograph: David Uzochukwu

There is and has been a trend for diversity in fashion. But it is a trend. When you have a black and brown model in front of the camera, almost all of the time, there is a white person behind the lens. That we have got used to it is even sadder. This movement and this “fad” have helped people for whom diversity and inclusion isn’t just a trend. The words fad and trend are also very telling – for us it’s real life.

I met Tyler briefly, he’s a good guy and a very good photographer. And of course it feels so great that people of colour are being recognised for their talent, that moments like this are breaking down barriers. But there aren’t many young black photographers getting recognition, talent is being missed, and these people just aren’t getting the same platform. This moment, Tyler’s Vogue cover, it’s a good sign and of course it matters to young talent of colour – it’s encouraging. But it’s not just Vogue that has taken this long – the entire fashion industry is backwards. There is still a long way to go.

As told to Morwenna Ferrier

David Uzochukwu is a 19-year old photographer whose work has been featured in Vogue Italia, Numéro and Wonderland