Cowgirls, Rodeos, Sashes, and Buckles

This blog entry is specifically dedicated to a new project I am working on. I have started photographing rodeos. Not only am I shooting rodeos, but I am shooting Teen Rodeo Queen contests. This project began when I was visiting my dad in Boise, Idaho. One Saturday morning, we took a trip to Idaho City, which is only an hour from Boise. Idaho City is an old mining town with all of the late 19th century buildings intact. When we arrived, the town was having a old fashioned, "Quickdraw Rifle Contest". At this contest was a 17 year old girl who had just been crowned the Idaho Gold Dust Rodeo Queen. As you can see, she was beautiful. She was humble, and glowing with the confidence of a strong, courageous woman. It was not only this confidence, but the shimmer of her brand new sash, and the gleam of her hat's medallion that inspired me.

It was that moment that I realized what my next project was going to be. Teen Rodeo Queen Contests and Pageants. When I got back to Boise, I immediately got on the Internet to find out when and where the next rodeo contests were taking place. Since I was flying back to Los Angeles, I looked for rodeos close to the city. I found one in Tehachapi, California, only 2 hours from LA.

The Tehachapi Rodeo Adventure:

When I got back to Los Angeles, my friend Paloma and I decided to visit Joshua Tree. We decided to first go to Joshua Tree, then drive to Tehachapi on our way back to Los Angeles.

Tehachapi is a little town that sits at the base of a mountain range. It took us three hours of driving in my un airconditioned car to get to the Rodeo. We arrived in Tehachapi, sweaty and exhausted. We had lunch at a truck stop. Then, I had the brilliant idea of sneaking into a hotel pool to cool off before we hit the rodeo. Needless to say, there were no showers, rivers, or lakes in Joshua Tree- we needed to refresh.

After a nice refreshing swim, we got ready for the rodeo. Luckily I remembered that I had my favorite pair of turquoise cowboy boots in my car. So I put them on, got all of my camera equipment ready, and started shooting.

Paloma was the best companion to have with me. Not only was she easy going- but she was genuinely interested in being at the Rodeo, and learning about the competitions. She sat in the stands with the Tehachapi townsfolk, chatting it up with ranchers and local families. When the sun set, I joined her on the bleachers- and we finished off our camping fare of brie, crackers and beer.

The Tehachapi Rodeo was my first official stab at this new project. Luckily rodeos happen throughout the US, throughout the year. One of the biggest rodeos in the US is in Prescott Arizona. Because of the year round heat in Arizona, the Rodeo happens in December. And of course the National Rodeo Pageant is in Las Vegas, Nevada in December. That will be an unbelievable photo opportunity.

The Grand Canyon to Sedona, Arizona

My friend Bryn, who lives in Brooklyn left me a message as I was on my way to the Grand Canyon. She made a wonderful observation when she said “ seeing the Grand Canyon can be compared to seeing Ella Fitzgerald live. It is a well known fact that both the Grand Canyon, and Ella Fitzgerald are internationally famous. But it is not until you actually behold the magnitude of the Grand Canyon, or Ella’s voice in concert, that you actually get what all of the hype is about.” When I first pulled up to the overlook at the Grand Canyon National Park, I was absolutely astounded. It was so incredible that it almost looked like a fake photograph- like the kind that covers an entire wall in a Chinese restaurant. It was breathtaking. I spent the afternoon at the Canyon, shooting tourists, overlooks, and the canyons. I still hadn’t decided how long I wanted to stay there. I considered driving back into the park the next day. But something told me to move on. I had another realization while looking at a map. I realized that Sedona was only about an hour from the Grand Canyon. And if I decided to drive all the way to Sedona, I may as well drive to Phoenix, and visit some extended family. I had everything I needed. Why the hell not?

The next morning I set off for Sedona. I began to realize how many Indian ruins existed in Northern Arizona. I decided to stop at Walnut Canyon, so see an ancient city that has been a home for Native Americans for centuries. It was essentially a canyon of cliffs that have extending overhangs. It was within these overhangs that people build their homes. It is incredible to realize that this was an ancient city that many migrating peoples have used for their homes for thousands of years.

Approaching Sedona... Slide Rock (below)



More on Sedona to come, need to run..

From Los Angeles to Las Vegas!!

In one week I went from the city of Los Angeles to the strip of Las Vegas, to the Grand Canyon, then to Sedona, Arizona. I am sitting in a coffee shop in Sedona, using their free wifi. I have had so many adventures in the last ten days, I can hardly catch up with myself. I packed my car intending only to do a quick 3 day trip to Las Vegas. Luckily, I don’t mind wearing the same outfits because that 3 day trip turned into a ten day adventure.



I drove to Las Vegas to meet up with my friend Jenny (above). We used to work together at Men’s Journal. She was coming out to Vegas for a National Bar League pool tournament. I decided to drive over and meet her. I have always wanted to go to Las Vegas. Not only because it is a place that everyone should visit once for the sheer craziness of it all, but because it is filled with photography opportunities. The city is surrounded by beautiful red rock formations. Newly developed cookie cutter neighborhoods are beginning to creep their way closer to these beautiful mesas. Exactly what I love shooting. Not to mention the strip which is ripe with fake jungles, Egyptian pyramids, and castles- as well as fake versions of New York and Venice. Las Vegas is unbelievably weird but incredible at the same time.

I met a woman at the Mirage from Las Vegas. She told me not to miss seeing the Hoover Dam. I have always wanted to shoot the Hoover Dam, I had absolutely no idea it was only 15 miles from Las Vegas. The next morning, my alarm went off at 6:30am. While everyone else was sleeping off their hangovers and mourning their lost money, I got up and set off for the dam.



Driving through the canyon that leads to the dam, I saw that they were rebuilding the highway. The section they were working on was one that links to cliffs together, with a 400 foot drop below. The presence and control of humans within this canyon was astounding. And the magnitude of this dam was incredible. I took many photos with my 4x5.

During little trip to the dam, I realized that the Grand Canyon was only 4 hours away from Vegas. I couldn’t think of a reason not to go. I was already half way there, I had all of my photo equipment and plenty of film. I had no reason not to go for it.



This was the actual moment I had the realization- over a fantastic plate of Huevos Rancheros.

I left Vegas the next morning.

I Heart Idaho

This is our cabin in McCall. My great grandfather build it in 1920. I have been coming here every summer since I was born. That porch has seen many talks, parties, weddings, and great meals. Our cabin in McCall is truly my favorite place in this entire world.

For the past 2 weeks, I have been visiting family in Idaho. I truly think that Idaho is one of the best kept secrets of the United States. So shhhh, don't tell anyone. The photograph below is the view you see from that big porch.




I usually visit Idaho at least twice a year. My dad, and most of my dad's family lives in Boise, which is the capital. We have a cabin up in McCall, which is about a 2 hour drive from Boise, into the Payette National Forest. My cousin Carrie, who is on my mom's side, has a cabin in the same general area. Her cabin is on Warm Lake, about an hour from McCall. I wish that I could convey to anyone who reads this, what the Idaho mountain lifestyle is like.

At my cousin's cabin in Warm Lake, there are no phones. No computers. Her cabin is so hard to find that I have gotten lost each time I have driven there for the past 3 years. The days are centered around meals, swimming in the lake, and drinking coffee. No one ever knows what time it is. The major event for the day usually involves rowing a boat to the North Shore Lodge, which is the only place with a payphone, and a fantastic bar with karaoke.

To get to Warm Lake, one must pull off of Highway 55 and drive into the mountains for another 45 minutes. In McCall, things are a little different. It is still a mountain town, although not as remote because it's located off of the highway. In McCall, things are changing rapidly. A new luxury ski resort opened about 3 years ago in a neighboring town. It is something that locals have predicted would happen for the last 15 years. And it finally has. The ski resort has opened, and for 30 miles north and south of it, for sale signs sit on the land where ranches and farms used to be. I try not to think about that will occur over the next ten years.

Tractors and trucks are already bulldozing and flattening this land. Condos of all price ranges have popped up out of no where. Of course this development is inevitable. And of course it has created wonderful opportunities for these depressed logging towns to become prosperous again. But nonetheless, what this development is doing is really sad to me because the environment is changing. There are three story summer homes that sit empty, where there used to be pastures and wildflowers. There are SUV's with out of state licence plates everywhere you look. A Verizon cell phone tower was erected across the lake from our cabin, and now anyone can reach us, anytime. Technology has finally reached one of the most sacred natural spaces I have known. I kept my cell phone off for the 2 weeks and just pretended like things were the same as they have always been.

The following photographs are a mix from my entire vacation.

This is my cousin Carrie and her friend Anna, up at Warm Lake. This is one of our favorite hot springs. It's called Molly's. It's just a handful of old bath tubs that sit on this riverbed. Hot springs come out of the rocks. We fill up the baths with a mix of the hot springs, and buckets of cold water from the river. It's all natural. Only locals know how to find it.

Bergdorf Hot Springs. Bergdorf is a hot spring located about 30 miles north of McCall. It is commercialized, but still very authentic. It was opened in late 1800's when there were miners looking for gold. It was a hot spring resort built for them. They would come to Bergdorf to relax and cleanse themselves after weeks of mining. There is an old hotel on the premises as well as a handful of old cabins.

This is Justina, my Aunt Mary's niece. I am not related to Justina by blood, but I feel like she is my cousin or niece. I lived with her family when I was in Santa Barbara.

My dad driving his 60's speedboat in McCall.

This is my brother, Andy. He lives in the East Village in New York City. But his second home is in McCall. That's the face he makes when he is telling a story and cracks himself up.

This is Justina again. She was so patient with me. I was always snapping pictures of her.

This is my cousin Chelsea. She grew up in Boise, Idaho. But in less than a week, she is off to Geneva for a an internship. Then she is moving to Paris for another 6 months. I am so proud of her.

My brother driving my dad's boat.

Justina, on her 12th birthday..or 25th? She is much ahead of her time.

My cousin Bobby, also a Boise native.

My uncle Randy, on the day we celebrated his 60th birthday.

My brother Andy dancing at my Uncle's birthday party.

My cousin Carrie, and her niece Olivia, playing dress up. These are the kinds of things we do for entertainment when we are up there with no phones, clocks, or tv's.

This was one of the most beautiful nights in McCall. There were several forest fires across the lake. Thankfully, a rainstorm came in and cooled things off. After the storm, we had an hour of incredible colors and cloud formations.

Andy and Bobby singing along to "Blinded by the Light"... Also at Uncle Randy's 60th birthday Day party.

Aunt Mary (married to Uncle Randy) rockin' out..

Above: This is probably one of my favorite pictures from the entire week. To the left of me is my cousin Bobby, my brother is to my right, and my dad is behind him. We were driving the boat back to our cabin after water skiing.

Andy and Eyal, cooking in the kitchen in McCall.

My favorite Aunt Mary, and her mom, Francis. Again, I lived with Francis in Santa Barbara.

Above: Justina. This time I caught her thinking. She had no idea I was taking a picture of her. I love this image.

On Monday I am off to Los Angeles to continue my roadtrip. My final destination will be San Diego. I will be shooting women surfers all the way down the coast.