Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the literature on the many dimensions of the principal's positionality by using a unique research approach to link the experiences of the policy implementing principal to embodiment. Design/methodology/approach: The researchers employed a form of critical policy analysis that utilized photovoice to examine the experience of two principals in South Carolina, USA. Findings: The findings suggest that these two principals do feel, beyond a cognitive emotional level, the experiences of being the policy implementing principal, where the multiple physically imprinted identities typified one principal's experiences and the highly entropic world of her high school causes another principal to physically and metaphorically integrate situations into her physiology. Originality/value: In this paper, the authors are able to expand discussions of the principals' engagement with policy by using a unique theoretical and methodological approach. (Contains 2 notes, 2 tables, and 3 plates.)