Brian Adams & Sarah Stacke: In Light and Shadow

For nearly two centuries, Indigenous artists have used the camera to tell their own stories, document their communities, and shape the visual history of the Americas. In Light and Shadow brings together this extraordinary legacy, featuring the work of 80 photographers and more than 250 images that reveal the richness and complexity of Indigenous life from the 19th century to today.

Created by photographers Brian Adams and Sarah Stacke, this groundbreaking volume expands on their acclaimed digital archive of Indigenous photographers. The book traces a visual lineage from early pioneers like Jennie Fields Ross Cobb, the earliest known Indigenous American woman photographer, to contemporary artists such as Amado Villafaña Chaparro and Kapuleiikealoonalani Flores, whose work continues to redefine the medium.

Each entry offers a brief portrait of the artist—exploring their background, influences, and contributions to photography—while the collection as a whole reframes the history of the Americas through Indigenous eyes.

In Light and Shadow stands as both a vital historical document and a vibrant testament to ongoing creative expression, offering a long-overdue acknowledgment of the Indigenous photographers who have been shaping the visual narrative all along.