Indian Princess

June storms are great when photographing environmental portraits like these ones of the 2013 Stampede Indian Princess Amber Big plume from the Tsuu T'ina  Nation.

She went out of her way to make sure we achieved the look we wanted.

Thanks Amber!

Branding at the Bar S Ranch

The rope whistles as the cowboy swings the loop over his head and hisses as it leaves his callused palms.

The loop bounces just in front of a calf's hind legs. The calf takes a step, and the cowboy lifts the rope with a jerk. The loop pulls tight and the rope goes taut as the cowboy simultaneously turns his horse and wraps a few tight dallies around the saddle horn. The calf bawls as it's dragged through the clouds of dust toward an opening in the herd to where more cowboys await.

Throughout the day, this drama will be repeated more than 700 times as the Chattaway family, with the help of friends and family, brand this year's crop of calves.

The ranch was established in the Williams Couliee valley in 1886, and over the years little has changed at branding time.

I was lucky enough to be invited out to take some snaps and enjoy the sunny day with really nice folk.