In 2022, Natasha Yankelevich traveled to Yamal for the first time. Nestled in northwest Siberia, the region is remote, icy, and has been “historically cut off from the rest of Russia by endless swamps,” per the Moscow-based photographer. It also happens to be home to the Nenets, a Samoyedic ethnic group native to the Russian Arctic. Upon her arrival in Yamal, Yankelevich quickly got to work on a portrait series dedicated to the Indigenous community, offering an indelible glimpse into their lives and culture.
“For the first time, I met contemporary people who actively practiced Indigenous beliefs,” Yankelevich tells My Modern Met. “It reshaped my ideas about faith and myth, and I was struck by how different life in remote places feels compared to cities.”
Given how far north Yamal is, its isolation doesn’t necessarily come as a surprise—and, by extension, its “almost ancient” way of life could perhaps be anticipated in equal measure. But Yankelevich cautions that these are pre-established assumptions, some of which she seemed to also hold at first.
“Herders still live in chums and migrate several times a year with their reindeer,” she says. “And yet they aren’t outside the modern world. Education is universal, snowmobiles are common, and some even post parts of their daily life on social media. Meanwhile, the region is developing fast thanks to its vast natural gas reserves.”
For Yankelevich, these contrasts result in a rare coexistence between nomadic tradition and modern infrastructure. It’s precisely that balance that she sought to capture throughout her Nenets portrait series. “I wanted to show how diverse cultural traditions can be and, at the same time, how universal human concerns remain,” she adds.
These photographs are rendered with remarkable sensitivity and care, allowing their subjects to fully breathe. The majority of portraits are tightly shot, highlighting distinct features like a smattering of freckles or a headband whose beads gently hang in the air. Many images feature young children, their gazes determined and heads wrapped in warm, fur-lined hats. Some compositions showcase elderly women, while others see young women posing beside or within monumental chums.
“Yamal, however remote it may seem, is part of the shared cultural landscape of humanity,” Yankelevich concludes. “With these photographs, I want to honor that contribution—and let their voices be heard.”
Natasha Yankelevich’s portrait series offers an indelible glimpse into the lives of the Nenets, a Samoyedic ethnic group native to the Russian Arctic.
The photographs were shot during Yankelevich’s trips to Yamal, a historically remote region in northwest Siberia.
Each image is carefully cropped to highlight distinct features while still letting its subject breathe.
Natasha Yankelevich: Website | Instagram
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Natasha Yankelevich.
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