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Image 2
2. Chief Washakie, W. H. Jackson, 1871
(Wind River Archives, Central Wyoming College)
 Early
photographs of Indians, too, are caught between two stories, the
stories White photographers wanted to tell, usually dictated by
the markets they made their photographs for, and the subject’s
own story. Sometimes the distance is too great and it is difficult
to capture the true voice of the past. This second photo by Jackson
is similar to the first in that it shows Chief Washakie, not as
Whites would expect him to appear in his role as Chief of the Shoshones
but rather as a working member of this tribe or community.
The real birth of interest in specifically Indian subjects and
photography started when Jackson came to Omaha, at a time when the
city was the hub of activity in the west like Denver is today. In
Omaha, Jackson opened up a studio and began venturing out to surrounding
reservations, a practice he continued after linking up with Hayden.
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