thinking back on the patterns of religion i’ve found in my work documenting the Black Rodeo. the reminiscing brings me to the perfect summer night in June with the sun shining the perfect amount to kiss all in attendance without burning them. the small town of Vinita, Oklahoma was the site for the Pony Express Blowout, a highly sought after event completely centering the crowd favorite relay races that have risen in popularity over the last few years.
what made this day particularly special was that it was my 30th birthday & it was the first time in my life i’d go the whole day without telling anyone about it. the solitude was a wonderful way to bring in such a pivotal milestone in my life. i would spend most of the day on the roof of my truck drinking beer and hopping down to make images of some of the best rodeo athletes in the country. it was also the day that i’d truly felt like i was a part of the rodeo community.
familiar faces, pleasant & substantive exchanges, and a palpable rapport built upon a litany of in-person experiences that bled the sense of surface level familiarity into a kind of knowing that felt familial in nature. as someone who’s accustomed to traveling and changing the entire course of their life several times over, community, as watered down as the term has become, is still something that is extremely important to me.
the more i showed up prepared to witness the spectacular nature of this community, the more i sent up tiny prayers that the people would recognize the commitment to documenting the beauty that exists within this culture and welcome me with open arms. moments like this are perfectly indicative of the comfortability with being seen.
teams preparing to race do equipment checks, ensure their entry fees are paid, and most participate in a team prayer to cover their safety and allow them to compete at the highest level in hopes of taking home the prize money. to race on foot means to have complete control over your body. to race while depending on and leading another living creature is a feat in and of itself. to win one of these pony express blowouts in nothing short of a miracle.
been spending quite a bit of time going through my archive of rodeo images & have found some interesting patterns in what my eyes have become trained on without even knowing. as it is widely understood that rodeos are gritty, dangerous, and typically pretty serious, i’ve discovered so many intimate moments of quiet contemplation. the theme that has stood out the most has been religion.
moments of prayer, moments of silent worship, collective awareness of the spirituality associated with being both a fan & participant in this culture. as the son of a preacher who wasn’t always the kindest, my separation from Christianity was swift & intentional once i was old enough to make more decisions on my own. it’s what ultimately brought me to Los Angeles from New York City. the irony of this journey is that somehow, some way, i’d end up living in the Bible Belt making work as a fine artist.
the thing i admire about this particular kind of religious practice from cowgirls and cowboys alike is the buy in to the idea that their prayer is centered around protection from an immediate threat of harm & even death while competing. it’s why the “cowboy’s prayer” is so powerful to me. i’ve seen plenty people get seriously hurt. i’ve also seen some folk dodge death itself with the finesse of the most classically trained ballet dancer.
i can’t lie - living in oklahoma has turned me towards prayer more than in the last five years of my life. i hope for the protection of the friends i’ve made over the years that risk their lives in the spirit of tradition and heritage.
i was recently asked by a close friend when the last time i’d gone to church. i simply replied, “my church is the rodeo & i go every saturday.”
handmade, painted, & laser engraved presentation box to commemorate @michaelbjordan & his win for Best Actor at the 98th Academy Awards.
being that this was a private commission, there was a desire to elevate the presentation of the tintype portrait in a way that felt as prestigious as the reason for celebrating. the opportunity granted me the ability to incorporate my love of carpentry, design, leather working, and photography all into one idea that showcases the historic nature of both the wet plate medium & MBJ’s accomplishment.
over the 5 years of working on Black Magic certain design motifs, typefaces, and languages have become standouts in the communication of this project. bringing these ideas off of a screen and onto a 3D object for such a momentous occasion is just as much a gift as these portraits will be for Michael.
another day closer to history.
@michaelbjordan hours before winning his first Oscar for Best Actor at the 98th Academy Awards on Sunday night.
to see the love poured into him by his family, friends, and team was such a delight. the air was filled with a tension, alluding to the strong & palpable desire to take home the win, but somehow maintained a calm reserve meant only for the most graceful of artists & practitioners. the hours leading up to Michael’s speech felt almost meditative. as most praying families do, there was even space for prayer in hopes of welcoming the spirits in the room for good favor in the same vain of the near euphoric scene in Sinners where the spirits as well as the ancestors were undeniably present.
having stepped away from the camera for some months, returning to this practice has been a hesitant process, one steeped in doubt and a shift back towards rest. as with most historic endeavors, trust is required from all parties. from the cast and crew who worked on Sinners, to the supporters and families who were impacted in the making of such a phenomenal film, there was also an element of trust involving this shoot happening. i will forever be thankful to @yazzalali for the trust in the work and the softest place to re-enter my practice.
MBJ undoubtedly pushed himself in so many ways to bring these roles to life and had tons of support along the way. in equal measure, i have my partner & my friends @arthousefilmlab@chrispaulthompson@slimsreturn@liltatianna@jazzimcg@jordanamcnear for helping reshape what belief in oneself looks like while also seeing rest as a recuperative strategy rather than a punitive one.
this photograph is important for multiple reasons. i’m grateful to be able to share each one soon enough. another day closer to history.
over the years i’ve had conversations with a buddy about prioritizing rest while in pursuit of creative freedom.
as the conversation has progressed over the years, the main fear, and ironically biggest motivating factor, has been not wanting to miss out on seeing how far i can truly push myself. to be a better artist. a better friend, better lover, better son, better everything. knowing that sometimes the marathon that is life actually does require a little sprinting every now and then.
although i have never really fully embraced resolutions, the last two years of goal setting has seemed more feasible knowing that the results i’ve seen are a testament of the hard work put in. and the incredibly inspiring stories you’ve all shared have kept the sails open as we all navigate the uncharted waters that this country takes us all into.
as a chronic studio rat, my only goal as the year goes on is to not sprint alone. going to be leaning into and onto the growing community that has been built more than ever and it excites me to actually look around and take in the beautiful scenery while trying to get across the finish line. more than enough cool shit planned for 26. leaving room for the unexpected to surprise me per usual as well.
running alone ain’t fun. riding horses alone ain’t no fun either. cheers to doing both in the presence of some good ass people. another day closer to history.
fresh off a flight back to Oklahoma from Tokyo and plenty of meetings in different time zones for multiple projects, i re-entered the frigid Oklahoma winter nervous as hell prepping to direct my first music video.
the advantage of having immersed myself into rodeo culture was surely the anchor that kept me level headed at moments of overthinking if i bit off more than i could chew when agreeing to work on this project. above all, storytelling is my super power. to be able to lean into that in such an exciting and intimate way was a joy.
the grief to start this year kept me from understanding the gravity of both the visuals and the album that is Tether. i’ve spent plenty of time consuming ‘top albums of the year’ content and Tether has certainly earned its place atop numerous lists. it is unlike anything to come into the world musically this year for sure, and welcomes a new generation of listeners to hear from the album’s influences too. the Villain video is among the most impactful visuals delivered this year. no question.
a huge thank you to those who’ve taken the time to watch, to @thirdandhayden for the vote of confidence, and @annahstasia for planting the seed of collaboration after our rodeo field trip a few years back.
another day closer to another year. another day closer to the rodeo.
have you seen the Villain video?
i’ve been stuck in a loophole of revisiting the books and media i’ve engaged with in an effort to better understand its affects on me and the world at large. the latest obsession that’s even made me contemplate leaving photography behind as a whole has been @a24 film Civil War.
inspired by a quote by @rashodtaylorphoto & the words of susan sontag and kimberly juanita brown, the idea of enjoying a series of photographs meant to be lived with is assisting me in finding a new purpose should i make the decision to continue making images. i’ve seriously considered quitting several times in the last three weeks.
it’s also inspired me to find ways to reconnect with the people i’ve had the pleasure of photographing. Black Magic Radio is an effort to highlight the sitters and learn about their musical taste that informs their daily lives. the first installment is a playlist i put together honoring the one year anniversary of my dog Carmen passing on Christmas of last year. it’s been tough to make art knowing my grief has grown by the day.
music by the likes of @babyrosemusic@annahstasia@blackfootwhitefoot@misterrichter and many more have been a salve at times when the world has felt like it has surely come to an end. link to listen in my bio.
another day closer to Carmen. the cover image is the last photo i took with Carmen days before she passed away.
to see what’s happening around the world, i can’t be the only artist who has been reevaluating their purpose, right?
Do you contemplate putting your creative tools down?
since the rodeo season in Oklahoma has come to a close, there has been such a strong desire to spend time at the arena with the people. the smell of hay and BBQ, the sounds of soul music, and especially some of the kindest people you’ll ever meet.
the longer you spend immersing yourself in Black Rodeo culture the quicker you realize that you’re surrounded by the same faces each weekend. a cohort of dedicated athletes, family members, and fans alike, all committed to uplifting each other and preserving the tradition that started a century before us. without a doubt it has felt like an extended family.
as serious as riding a bull or roping a calf is, the one thing I love most about being at these events is how playful they are. how easily amused a cowgirl or cowboy can be with a simple goofy exchange. how boastful a child can get knowing they rode their sheep the longest. and how animated our favorite Unc or Auntie will become while talking shit during a spades game before the rodeo starts.
the latest installment of Black Magic playing cards aims to embrace the playful nature of Black Rodeo culture while paying homage to the tradition of intergenerational game play. each of the 54 cards features a tintype portrait made at a different Black Rodeo event around North America over the last three years. it’s the last deck of cards to be released for a few years but will remain available for quite a while.
the link to get a deck for yourself or a loved one is in my bio. another day closer to the rodeo. 🐎
recently celebrated the 5 year anniversary of Black Magic. each year further down the rabbit hole brings to light a newer perspective on the world that i’m eternally grateful for. this last year was drastically different.
for the first time in over a decade i was afraid of everything. operating solely out of fear and grief. the death of my dog, changes in relationships, missing my friends around the country, trauma based opinions on family, you name it, all of these real life things diverted the course i was on significantly. it made me terrified of my own community, motivating me to isolate myself rather than reach out for help.
the most difficult part of this was seeing how the changes in how i see the world impacted the amazing work i get to do in this life. i pride myself on being able to connect with anyone with the same level of confidence, joy, and happiness, and for the first time since i picked up a camera in 2011 i felt that all dwindle away. the work i do is solely dependent upon my ability to love & trust the people who i cross paths with. because i wasn’t feeling it for myself i could feel the work suffer.
with as excellent of a professional year this has been, it felt completely undeserved because i knew my capacity to show up how i wanted to was lower. 4 shows, 2 books, directing, producing, traveling the world, rodeoing, and starting a residency felt like i was just getting through rather than LIVING through.
the other day i looked through the first hard drive I bought as a teenager to archive the first photos i’d ever take as a “photographer”. it reminded me of the joy i entered this field with and how it was essential to hold onto, even through tough times personally, politically, and globally. i don’t want to lose sight of the important things. connection is atop the list of priorities.
i’m extremely thankful for anyone that has taken the time to support, patronize, share words of affirmation, book a session, like a post, say hello on the street, literally anything. i don’t take this shit for granted. little Adam thanks you too. here’s to another 5 years. another day closer to history.
new logo by the incredibly talented @renamonet
A huge and heartfelt thanks to all who came through for @admdav ’s “Black Magic” portrait party!
With the brilliant Adam’s tintype sessions and @mynameisphlegm on the decks all night, it was a truly gorgeous evening✨
Immaculate vibes captured by @misstaylorhunter 📸
