The Resource March 2014 Volume 1 Issue 003 | Page 10

Mihio Manus has been sharing
his language of creativity through
photography for a number of
years. Manus has exhibited his
photography in several indian
markets, one in particular is the
renowned Santa Fe Indian Market
where the entry to exhibit is based
on individual selection. The RESource was fortunate to interview
Manus and gain some knowledge
for all the aspiring photographers
here on the Navajo Nation. Manus
juggles his full-time job as a newspaper editor, a father of three and

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march 2014 issue 003

a husband, all while being one of
the Navajo Nation’s well known
photographers.
THE RESOURCE - Tell us about
yourself, a brief biography.
Where are you from? In regards
to your photography, what motivates you?
Most of my time is split between
my job as an editor for a tribal
newspaper and being a father to
my three awesome kids and also
husband to my beautiful wife. I am
also a photographer. The first time

I’d ever picked up a camera, I was shows and underground house
a sophomore in high school where shows. I think that experience has
I learned how to process black and also contributed to my being able
white film and print photos. This to shoot ‘on the fly’ and also to bewas at Chinle High School, where ing able to get quick compositions.
I am from. Photography is a skill I’m not terribly technical but I’m
that will always be apart of my life. able to figure out lighting situations
In terms of creativity, some people pretty quickly.
doodle, hum or sing songs, while
others write, draw, paint, dance or THE RESOURCE - What does
photography
any of many other things, I will
“Photography is the mean to you? is
Photography
probably always
ability to take mothe ability to take
take
photomoments of time
graphs. I do go
ments of time and
and give them
though periods
give them meaning
where I don’t
meaning
and
and context while
shoot as much
context
while
but I look at the
saving them to share saving them to
photography of
share with othwith others.”
others and gain
ers. It’s the abilinspiration and
ity to share our/
create direction for myself. My my unique perspective as I look
motivation is to try and look at through the viewfinder of life and
the world around me and capture capture imagery in fractions of
frames of my existence that I feel seconds.
are unique to my experience but
can also create commonality to THE RESOURCE - How do you
my peers and fellow Navajos and get yourself inspired for a photo
Native Americans. I am Navajo, shoot?
Omaha and Cherokee. My Navajo My love of photography gives me
clan is To’dichinii.
endless inspiration, I am always
inspired to take a photo. SomeTHE RESOURCE - How did you times timing is perfect, I’m in the
get involved with the type of right place at the right time. Other
photography you’re doing now? times it’s about seeing an interOn a daily and weekly basis, I use esting person and knowing that
photography in a photojournalistic if I don’t take the chance to get a
capacity in my career. This has photograph then I’m losing out on
also influence how I shoot beyond something great. But when I have
work images. I don’t want my im- the time and resource(s), I am
ages to feel or look too u live mu- pretty down for photo-shoots.
sic photography, mostly punk rock

“I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’-Muhammad Ali