ft. Guest Photographer Nate Lemuel
A natural with a camera in his early teens, Nate freelanced on the Navajo Reservation at indigenous music and fashion shows. From there, his photography began to take off. Featured in publications like Here Magazine, Native Max Magazine, Fraction Magazine, and Buzzfeed, Nate’s work consists of a variety of photography styles, from stop-action to fashion editorial and futuristic minimalism.
Nate also works as a photographer within his surrounding community—giving back, using his craft. We couldn’t have asked for a better partner to help us celebrate and reflect on Pride this year.
We gave Nate a photography prompt inspired by the mirror dial of the Pride Detrola: Self-portraits as an exploration of Pride.
Against the beautiful backdrop of the Navajo Reservation, Nate transports us through the limits of time and space. View the photos and read, in Nate’s own words, about his craft.
When I photograph, I want to build an environment that is real and portrays a reference to the future. What I find fascinating about my photography is that I can be limitless with my surroundings because I grew up here on the Navajo Nation.
As a full Diné/Native American, I have always imagined things from afar to be a signal of memory. How I balance the space from town to town here is based on the landscapes that are around me.
I get a sense of calmness and worry-free feeling when I don’t need to be informed of how long it will take or how far it will be until I see what is ahead of me. I take that form of thought and use it every day as an inspiration to my life. There are no limits to time, and space when I photograph.
My visuals are meant to be perspectives of reality in which I create a reality that embodies emotion and the future without much specification in my frames. When I present my photographs, I want my viewers to know the elements of time and space that I bring are moments of being in another world.
I was always fascinated by environmental science and my grandmother’s farm. I use what I grew up around to my knowledge to not only inform how beautiful our land is, but how sacred we are.
We have had a long journey as indigenous people and today, I want to define those moments of positivity and hope with my concepts to my viewers.
Explore more of Nate’s work on his website and follow him on Instagram @darklistedphotography.