Ride the Bull
Montana, September 2023

I would admit being in awe of the bravery and skill of rodeo riders. There are many easier ways to pay the bills and earn a living, but few that would seem able to give such an intense adrenaline rush. For many of these cowboys, their participation lasts no more than a few frenzied seconds. But every time they enter the ring, those seconds, particularly when riding a bull, offer both participant and spectator one hell of a ride.

Rodeos are about the occasion as much as the winning and my creative leaning was that any photograph must deliver a palpable sense of place. The crowd are as important as the action and if both can fit well into an image, then so much the better.

This picture is just a glimpse, a fraction in time, but it caught what I wanted: the rider, the bull and the crowd; they coalesce as one. The union of facial expressions offers a strong backdrop. It is a snapshot of a culture that is an integral part of Americana.