This photograph, taken just after sunrise on the Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park, will hopefully be recognised as having all my trademarks. Whilst I dread being categorised by subject matter, I think there is a consistency in the execution and in the printing. There is a package that I try and deliver. In the field with horses, I like to work low down, close and head on with the subject and if possible, it is helpful to have something in the frame: dust; snow; rain or water, that when frozen, energises the image or at the very least brings in another character for free.
Ryan Marshall - who played a cameo role in Taylor Sheridan’s 1883 - has everything I look for in a West Texas cowboy. His horse skills are extraordinary, he always has a look for sure and he is mannered and professional. He is a delight to spend time with, something so true of cowboys in general in Texas. There is an authenticity and an uncluttered conscience that I warm to. He may struggle to find comfort at the Met Gala in New York City, but I think that’s a compliment. The last big picture we released of Ryan was a few years back in Marfa, Texas and it is no longer available.
I hope the sequel also resonates in Texas and beyond.