March 6th, 2020 : Cowgirl
 

Jef Russell is a photographer who submitted these three photos below in the Sports category of a photography contest in Paris.
He won.

I can remember times when I’d be watching something going on when suddenly I’d see something happen that would make such
an impression that image would freeze in my head like a frame out of a video. The action would continue but I’d be paying
more attention the that frozen image thinking holy shit, did I really see that happen?

Personally I feel “American Cowgirl” is about the most powerful photograph I’ve ever seen in a very long time.
It’s like one of my frozen images in my head

American Cowgirl
http://cellar.org/img/Cowgirl.jpg

American Cowboy
http://cellar.org/img/cowboy.jpg

Hangin’ Tough
http://cellar.org/img/hangintough.jpg

link

That is fantastic. What a shot.

I love Mom with hands on hips watching, along with another rider.

Photobomb
 

The orignial photo bomb

In sync.
The roper's horse looks no where near as happy.

Rodeos always amaze me. They are so dangerous, and people can get really hurt, and there is almost no money in it.

Look at Christopher Reeve, and he wasn't even in a rodeo.

:bolt:

And a cycle, motor, bi, tri or uni, won't kick you in the nuts or bite you. :haha:

Now this picture is not that much different, yet for me it doesn't have the power of the first one...

http://cellar.org/img/barrelcut.jpg

Because of the color?
Because the girl is older?
Because of all the people who aren't paying attention?
I don't know, it just doesn't grab me like the first one.:unsure:

The first horse wants it more.

I think that the facial expressionof a kid concentrating on something is more exaggerated and dramatic than an adult.

Something so small controlling something so big...

This

Controlling? Oh right, female. :bolt:

All of the above and composition and in the BW photo you can see her expression, more intense, better.Mainly it is because it is color, but also it is 1/10 as dramatic, the horse is coming at you instead of past you, theres a big white static barrel in the way.

One of the things the B&W photographer did was to increase the contrast in his images which adds to the dramatic quality of them. The rider with the rope in his mouth is a bit close to over done, but in all of them he holds what I consider a fine line between just enough and too much contrast. And holding that fine line creates a tension, it's almost vibrating between too much and not enough. Is it or isn't it?

There is so much subtle, unconscious information being transmitted which all adds to the power of the images.

My first thought was "Such a small girl driving such a big horse."

By removing the barrel you've destroyed the context. Both photographs were barrel racing. In the first photo you can hardly make out the barrel as she cuts it.
The object in this type racing is fastest time through the course. Time is highly dependent on style. Cutting(rounding) the barrels as close as you can without loosing time, the tighter you cut the barrel the more speed you'll likely lose but it makes the path shorter so you come out ahead on time... maybe... sometimes... if you do it right. :lol:

Anyway, the barrel is important to the context and the ability of spectators to decide whether to thumbs up or feed her to the lions.