Along The Verde

Series: The Western Collection
Archival Pigment Print
All available sizes without frame (with frame):
28" x 36" (35" x 43")
32" x 40" (39" x 40")
38" x 48" (45" x 55")
48" x 60" (55" x 67")
Edition of 10 + 2 Artist Proof Total Across All Sizes

Things got a bit western just before this photo was taken. After riding up to an overlook above the East Verde River, just southwest of the town of Payson, AZ, we spotted this perch hanging above the cattle below. One of the cowboys looked over at me and said, "How about a photo of us with our horses up there?" Now I was thinking the same myself, but I wasn't about to ask these guys to risk themselves or their horses going over the edge in some freak accident. With excitement on my face, I replied, "Hell yeah, let's do it." After they got situated and ensured the horses were safe, I set myself up in the right position and started to line up the composition through my viewfinder. As I counted down from three, one of the horses lunged forward, completely disrupting the photo and the cowboys sitting on the edge of this cliff. They leaped up and immediately grabbed the reins and calmed the horses down. If that horse wanted to lunge any further, it would have taken itself and the cowboy up front off the edge nearly 100 feet down into the river. After repositioning and making sure everything was at peace, we captured this incredible and one-of-a-kind photos in central Arizona. You could say we all shared a few anxious laughs and smiles afterward.