Laura Adams Armer

“Armer was born Laura May Adams in Sacramento, California. While studying at the California School of Design in San Francisco, she met her future husband, Sidney Armer. From around 1900, she had her own business in the city as a portrait photographer and displayed her works at exhibitions. Her photographs of San Francisco's Chinatown (c. 1900) are in the collection of the California Historical Society.  Her special interest in the Navajo and the Southwestern United States led to a silent film The Mountain Chant (1928) and to photographs of the day-to-day activities of the Navajo including sandpainting.” Wikipedia

Photo from back of dustjacket of her book: SOUTHWEST