7 minute read

Weaving a Story

Photojournalist and creator, Jaida Grey Eagle tells us about her project documenting the indigenous weavers of Oaxaca – and how X-H2 helped her do it

To be a successful storyteller, it can be important to focus on details and texture when making images. Clarity and investigation can show the truth of the subject, while a range of imagery creates variety, allowing a story to breathe. As a photojournalist, Jaida Grey Eagle lives by these techniques when making images. They often come naturally to storytellers, but in Jaida’s most recent project – completed with FUJIFILM X-H2 – the hunt for those perfect elements to tell a story went beyond the aesthetic. It was literal.

Often traveling from her home in the Twin Cities to meet creatives around the world, Jaida has been following a path researching and documenting indigenous art, with forays across the US, Canada, Europe, and beyond.

Man with horse in Oaxacan landscape at dusk

Photo 2022 © Jaida Grey Eagle | FUJIFILM X-H2 and XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR, 1/40 sec at F2.8, ISO 800

“As a Lakota Native American, I grew up with many crafts, including beadwork, and went to school at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico,” she explains. “As part of that education, and through my work, I’ve become far more aware about indigenous art, and the way it connects individuals and families with the earth, as well as other cultures. It’s fascinating to me, and I’ve always loved learning about my peers through their art, and the crafts of their respective tribes.”

So how does a photojournalist like Jaida tell the heart of a story? She says it comes from a mix of skills – some outside of the discipline, some central to it. “I’m primarily a photojournalist in Minneapolis, but got my degree in fine-art photography, so my work is really informed by both of those backgrounds. For me, it’s a strength that I can draw on both worlds and approach stories from all sorts of different angles to tell them best.”

Elderly Oaxacan woman braiding hair into ribbons

Photo 2022 © Jaida Grey Eagle | FUJIFILM X-H2 and XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR, 1/60 sec at F5.6, ISO 200

Jaida also finds that communication is central to storytelling success. She can find the most important details and gain a vantage point to pick out the images that matter. “A lot of people find it hard to make photos of those they’ve just met, but I love spending time with others, so it was never a problem for me,” she explains. “A photo editor once told me that you should take as long as you can to get the picture, but of course that has to work for the subject too. So, I always ask on a photo shoot: ‘How much time do you have?’ If it’s 15 minutes, we’re gonna make it happen in that time! If we have four days, it will happen in four days. Knowing that people are really comfortable is so helpful in the process, and asking that one question has really amped up my work.”

Elderly Oaxacan woman sitting with younger relative

Photo 2022 © Jaida Grey Eagle | FUJIFILM X-H2 and XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR, 1/80 sec at F5, ISO 640

Her latest trip led her to Oaxaca, Mexico, where she stayed with a family of weavers, creating a photo essay around crafting and relationships. “I found out about them through a mutual friend who works with Oaxacan artists and uses their fabrics,” she reveals. “I’d never seen weavings as vibrant, but there was also a personal connection. As I’ve seen in other indigenous crafters, I noticed a lot of colorways and patterns were similar to my own family’s beadwork. They were so happy to be documented, and given the intricacies and range of images involved, it was also a great opportunity to see what FUJIFILM X-H2 could do.”

Row of traditional Oaxacan woven rugs

Photo 2022 © Jaida Grey Eagle | FUJIFILM X-H2 and XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR, 1/40 sec at F2.8, ISO 640

From the pictures within her essay, it’s clear that the weavers were totally at ease with Jaida documenting them. Working with translators and guides, it was an easy and fluid process, partly because of a shared status. “Wherever I go, these indigenous communities are always so welcoming,” Jaida says. “I think that’s because there’s always some level of understanding between us. We’re all coming from similar backgrounds, where there’s this immense love and respect.”

Two hikers in damp Oaxacan landscape

Photo 2022 © Jaida Grey Eagle | FUJIFILM X-H2 and XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR, 1/280 sec at F2.8, ISO 125

One of Jaida’s favorite moments was a portrait session with the mother of the family. “I photographed her in front of a family weaving, with all these beautiful shades of red and pink,” she recalls. “I just really love that image, and it comes from wanting to present her in a way that suited how the family felt. Making her central to the frame shows how she is in their lives, respected and revered, which I’d seen in the way the children and her husband would gather flowers for her.”

Elderly Oaxacan woman posing in front of traditional woven rug

Photo 2022 © Jaida Grey Eagle | FUJIFILM X-H2 and XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR, 1/25 sec at F7.1, ISO 320

Sharing the images she created with X-H2 was also a big part of the process for Jaida. “After making those portraits, I flipped the camera around – and she said that she saw her own mother. It was a really beautiful moment.”

Seeking timeless moments, Jaida found a new ally in X-H2. And having previously used the FUJIFILM GFX System, she was impressed by the way the new X Series camera combines superb levels of detail and color in a portable and adaptable body. “Color is so important in these images, because the hues in their weaving are so compelling,” she explains. “That’s what initially drew me to their work, making it a huge part of the story. All of their dyes come from the land, so it’s a connection to the earth and plants and animals, which was important for me to show.”

Oaxacan man holding traditional woven rug

Photo 2022 © Jaida Grey Eagle | FUJIFILM X-H2 and XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR, 1/30 sec at F2.8, ISO 160

“With X-H2’s Film Simulation modes, I enjoyed the ability to use multiple different color profiles at once,” she continues. “It really helped a lot, because seeing these different iterations of color meant I could make choices that were closer to what I was imagining. I could also examine different effects, like how vivid or contrasty I wanted the images to be. The camera was doing that for me!”

Hand holding chunks of cacti

Photo 2022 © Jaida Grey Eagle | FUJIFILM X-H2 and XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR, 1/240 sec at F2.8, ISO 125

As well as color, the pure texture of the woven fabrics was easy to capture, thanks to X-H2’s 40-megapixel, 5th generation X-Trans sensor, she says. “It was always part of the plan to see the details in the family’s weaving, which the camera did perfectly. I also wanted to combine those delicate structures and color with portraits using the Multiple Exposure mode. Documenting their craft at such high resolution was just incredible.”

Small shack in Oaxacan landscape at dusk

Photo 2022 © Jaida Grey Eagle | FUJIFILM X-H2 and XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR, 1/150 sec at F2.8, ISO 125

A minor and more prosaic feature of X-H2 also stood out for Jaida. “Because I’m a photojournalist, I absolutely loved being able to see the remaining battery life, in hours and minutes. That really helped me plan sessions – and avoid missing important moments. In the same way, the camera’s face and eye recognition AF was impressive. For documentary work, which changes moment by moment, you need to rely on that.

Elderly Oaxacan woman brushing wool

Photo 2022 © Jaida Grey Eagle | FUJIFILM X-H2 and XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR, 1/80 sec at F2.8, ISO 125

“Overall, X-H2 felt very fast and agile,” she concludes. “It’s a camera I know I’ll be able to rely on in a lot of different situations, whether portrait, documentary, or even action – and in any light. We experienced some wonderful moments with the family, following them in the moonlight, in caves, and the early morning.”

Traditional Oaxacan stone carving

Photo 2022 © Jaida Grey Eagle | FUJIFILM X-H2 and XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR, 1/2900 sec at F2.8, ISO 125

The ability to bring home a story is something Jaida is relied on to do, but it’s also a process of discovery. “What I’ve found when visiting people like this, is that there’s similar inspirations in all of our work,” she concludes. “It’s fascinating to find these pockets of creativity. They feel like crossing a border into a whole different place, away from the countries they’re actually in, but still connected to each other by that deeper narrative.”

FUJIFILM X-H2 is coming soon to your nearest FUJIFILM Authorized Dealer. Learn more and read the full specifications here.


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