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.
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.
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