Roland Reed (1864–1934)

Royal W (Roland) Reed Jr. (1864–1934) was a photographer who documented the ways of eight indigenous American tribes at the turn of the 20th century.

Reed was a noted pictorialist. Influenced by the late 19th century impressionists, Reed’s focus was placed on lighting and focus. Dismayed by the deleterious impact of reservation life on Native Americans, Reed strove to represent his subjects’ lives as they had been in better times.

Reed Immersed himself within the tribes he photographed, overcoming hesitation and often aggression from leaders who opposed his presence. His method was to gain their trust to capture images which were often deeply personal.