"If we don’t amend history by making new images and new representations, we are always going to be excluding ourselves." ~Titus Kaphar

I photograph to remember that we’re deeply rooted to the land. Through my lens, I honor the ease, joy, and sacred presence of Black life in nature. Each image becomes an affirmation — a way of saying we were here, we are here, we will always be here.

As the photographer behind Outdoor Ancestor, I create images that affirm our deep connection to the outdoors as both sacred and everyday. The land holds our stories, and through my camera, I frame them as acts of reverence, reflection, and celebration. 

What I capture isn’t just scenery — it’s evidence of our ongoing relationship with the natural world and our right to be seen in full color beneath the open sky.

I see through a lens of legacy.
My camera is an altar.
My images are affirmations of presence.
I am a photographer — seeing us clearly, fully, and rooted. 

~ Tonya

✨ photographer & founder of Outdoor Ancestor ✨