Navajo Women Empowerment Portraits: Angell and Lenora in Monument Valley
Angell with her mother, Lenora. Lenora said that Angell often rests her head on her shoulder, and I thought that it showed their deep bond. Lenora passes down time-honored Navajo traditions to Angell and Angell may also do the same with ther children.
The Story Behind the Portraits
Last spring, while traveling through the Southwest, I began imagining what it might look like to photograph a Navajo woman on her ancestral land. During a visit to a Trading Post in Gallup, New Mexico, I struck up a conversation with the woman behind the counter and asked if she might know anyone open to being photographed. She smiled and introduced me to Tiana’s mother, a connection that would become the first thread in a much larger tapestry.
When Tiana graciously agreed to be photographed, I sensed that this was the beginning of something meaningful — a project that would expand through trust and community rather than planning. The Navajo people are deeply interconnected, and through Tiana, I was introduced to Angell, a radiant young woman from Monument Valley.
That meeting became the foundation for my second portrait in the Navajo Women Empowerment Series. Photographing Angell and her mother, Lenora, in Monument Valley was both an honor and a lesson — a reminder that true storytelling begins with curiosity, patience, and deep listening.
Lenora helps her daughter, Angell, get ready for their photoshoot.
Respect and Preparation
To approach this project with integrity and transparency, I applied for a commercial photography permit through the Navajo Nation before beginning the session. The permit was originally quoted at $1,200. After sharing my intention — that this is a self-funded, long-term empowerment series honoring Navajo women through portraiture — the Nation kindly reduced the fee to $600.
Because I’m personally funding this work until I can secure a grant in 2026, I wasn’t able to include Monument Valley’s iconic red rock formations this time. I hope to return with full funding to capture that expansive beauty and to pay Angell, Lenora, and future participants an honorarium for their time and collaboration.
This project is built on respect — respecting Navajo traditions, land, and people — and creating portraits that uplift rather than extract. Every image is a reminder that ethical photography begins with permission, patience, and gratitude.
I kept on marveling at Angell’s beautiful turquoise. Turquoise is believed to offer protection and safeguard the wearer from harm. It’s often used in ceremonies and healing rituals. From birth onward, turquoise plays a role in Navajo life. Babies may receive turquoise beads early on, and the stone features in rites of passage — puberty, marriage, and other ceremonies.
The Journey to Monument Valley
Getting there was an adventure in itself. Our dually truck broke down near Four Corners, leaving us temporarily stranded. For a moment, I thought the entire schedule might fall apart, but somehow, we got back on track quickly.
We boondocked in Mexican Hat, Utah, where Angell came home from school to meet me with her family. They stopped by our RV late that night, around 9:30 p.m., to talk about the project and share stories. I was touched that she brought her whole family — it immediately grounded this project in relationship, not transaction.
When I invited her mother, Lenora, to join the photoshoot, she smiled and said yes. That moment felt sacred.
Lenora proudly holds a beautiful tapestry that her mother made. It is a family heirloom with so much detail and meaning to appreciate.
The Hogan and Its Meaning
We planned to photograph on their family property during golden hour on Friday evening, but the winds were relentless — gusting up to 35 mph. I postponed the shoot for safety and comfort, and we regrouped at a Hogan the next morning.
For those unfamiliar, a Hogan is a traditional Navajo dwelling, circular and built from logs and packed earth. It represents balance, harmony, and protection — the physical and spiritual center of Navajo family life. Many vital ceremonies and milestones, from births to blessings, take place within a Hogan.
Photographing Angell and Lenora there felt deeply fitting — a celebration of lineage, womanhood, and cultural continuity.
Inside, the light was soft and earthy, wrapping them in familiarity. Their vibrant clothing and turquoise jewelry seemed to hum with life against the muted tones of the Hogans’ walls. Outside, we captured portraits of Angell framed by the red rock that defines Monument Valley’s breathtaking landscape — an image of strength, identity, and grace.
Angell makes it look easy here. I wish you could hear how the wind was howling. My equipment got a fine layer of dust, and I’m still cleaning out the fine red dust from my car.
A Glimpse Into Their World
Before the session, Angell’s father took me on a tour of their land. He spoke of a time when the Navajo didn’t need money. They lived through community — growing crops, hunting, trading, and caring for one another.
Their land was beautiful, and I could see how much pride they took in it. I wanted Angell’s portraits to be deeply meaningful to her, and this would have been the perfect location had the wind been settled down. Hopefully, next time.
Hard to believe the land gives so much life. The fine sand slowly slips out of Angell’s hands.
Reflections
I left Monument Valley with fine red dust in my shoes and gratitude in my heart. Every portrait is a collaboration, but these felt especially sacred.
Angell and Lenora reminded me that empowerment isn’t about reinvention — it’s about remembering. Remembering where we come from, the people who shape us, and the places that hold our stories.
The Navajo Women Empowerment Project continues to teach me that true storytelling requires time, trust, and heart. These are more than portraits. They’re shared histories, preserved through connection and respect.