The Daily Edit – Robel Fessehatzion

Robel Fessehatzion Shelton Johnson has spent more than three decades helping visitors understand that Yosemite belongs to everyone. As someone whose work also explores belonging and identity, what did photographing him mean to you personally? I first met Shelton at the inaugural United in Yosemite climbing festival in 2023, when he made time to talk with Eddie Taylor and me. I had always been an admirer of Shelton because of his profound work on rediscovering the story of the Buffalo Soldiers, a Black infantry regiment assigned to protect Yosemite as some of its first park rangers. They built trails, fought fires, and managed the park as early as 1899. His work gave me a historical connection to Yosemite, a place I love dearly. While visiting him in Mariposa, he mentioned that he wanted his portrait made, and I told him I’d ask Lewis Watts, a renowned photographer and mentor, if he was interested. Months later, the three of us spent a day in the Valley with Shelton showing us his…