Laura Gilpin

author · photographer

Laura Gilpin (1891–1979) was a prominent American photographer and chronicler of the American Southwest. She began her formal training in photography at the Clarence H. White School of Photography in New York City in 1916 under the guidance of Gertrude Käsebier, where she initially practiced Pictorialism. After returning to Colorado, she engaged in commercial architectural photography and published various guidebooks. From 1946 to 1968, Gilpin dedicated herself to documenting the Navajo (Diné) people, producing a significant body of work that culminated in her seminal book 'The Enduring Navaho' (1968). Her work is noted for its empathetic portrayal of native peoples and their landscapes, often capturing intimate portraits and daily activities. She was recognized as one of the outstanding photographers of the twentieth century and received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree in 1970.[1,2,3]

Themes

  • Navajo culture
  • Southwestern landscape
  • Native American life
  • Pictorialism

Works by Laura Gilpin

  • The Enduring Navaho 1968 · University of Texas Press · book · English ISBN 0292783787 First published in 1968; paperback edition in 1986.
  • The Pueblos 1941 · book
  • Temples in Yucatan 1948 · book
  • The Rio Grande 1949 · book

Exhibitions

  • 1945 The Enduring Navaho group

Awards

  • 1969 Western Heritage Award National Cowboy Hall of Fame
  • 1970 Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters Degree

References

  1. Goodreads Biography: Laura Gilpin link
  2. Ground Zero Books: Laura Gilpin - The Enduring Navaho link
  3. Facebook History Colorado: Photographer Laura Gilpin link