Photography sort of happened to me. It arose from a deep desire to honor the stories of women that became my dear friends.
Several years ago I moved with my family to a small island in East Africa where I soon realized I had very little to offer and much to learn. There was such joy in the friendships I found there- forged through differences and a decision to move towards one another in mutual respect and love. I did not photograph my friends until I until I was invited in. Relationship OVER images became so important to me.
These friendships left me profoundly changed and impact how and why I tell visual stories today. Being curious & open to learning is central to my approach. Focusing on our common humanity & calling us to action is my passion. More on my founder's story here.
Images are powerful and can craft, reinforce, undo, or influence our thoughts and beliefs about others. Images have the potential to dissuade us from fear of the unknown and move us toward real love.
Photographer. Storyteller. Explorer.
People over pictures every time.
Roxanne Engstrom of Hawa Images
It’s a blessing to be invited into people’s lives and to photograph them in a way that shows the strong, beautiful people they are everyday. I love a great story- and you friend are living one! As a Mama of 4 I get that life is a beautiful mess & that is the story we will photograph & share.
It’s a deep honor to help organizations move their vision forward and widen their reach through successfully sharing their stories of impact with dignity and excellence.
I love getting to know strangers (or rather, not yet friends) and hearing their stories.
each story matters and stories shape us
Hawa is a name conveying many interwoven meanings. It stands for Humanity, Appreciation, Worth- Always. In Swahili- the beautiful language I learned to speak living in Tanzania- it means “these” as opposed to “those” and Hawa Images is about sharing the stories of these people; near or far, foreign or familiar, similar or seemingly different. Hawa is also the Arabic name for Eve; the first woman to bear another; a giver of life. Hawa Images desires to partner with people to share their stories as created ones, valued, loved, dignified, and with purpose. Stories of family, love, work, culture, time, space, and life lived. Just as Scripture speaks of wind that blows wherever it pleases and the unexplainable nature of God’s Spirit, Hawa conveys the mystery of how He is at work among all people. Hawa Images believes in the power of stories to move people to empathy and then to action.
This desire to tell stories was birthed when I lived in East Africa; a place that has burrowed deep into my heart and provided many opportunities to express the beautiful diversity of God's creation through photography. I adore humanitarian photography and I love to travel and roam around exploring, meeting & learning with people from around the world, and eating ALL the food. My desire is to photograph the humanity in each of us – people of every ethne and culture that are created and loved by God- through images & storytelling. I desire to share images that compel us and change us.
In an effort to partner with, and continually support organizations doing hard and good work, a portion of proceeds each month from Hawa Images goes to World Relief and The Witness Foundation.
Why Hawa Images?
I am a daughter, sister, teacher, friend, woman, wife, lover, learner, adventurer, & Mama who is seeking to follow God where He calls and it’s always an adventure.
