Whenever I want to photograph the Quintessential North, I end up at this place. During my visits, the atmosphere always seems to be brooding, but all the better. Thick clouds feasting on the mountain peaks speak to the possibilities of a clear blue sky, rain, and snow, that is, all four seasons. And the location itself? It's a noplace that could be in Northwestern Europe, Siberia, Pacific Northwest, and even the Japanese north, albeit with smaller dimensions.
Fly-Fishing Cowgirls
From Alberta in the north of the continent to Texas in the south, there exists a prominent Western (like the film genre) culture that surpasses national borders. Its rodeos, fly fishing, hunting, and even tongue-in-cheek cowboy style itself are tied closer to the Land than the often-prominent rootless cosmopolitanism of urban environments.
Being "city folk" myself, and, at the same time, coming from a different--Eastern European--background, to boot (pun, sorry!), this culture strikes me as exotic and fascinating as visiting Kyoto for the first time.
This weekend, I've documented its trailer-riding, fly-fishing, cowgirl-dressing ladies:
Oh, and I'm totally into the boots.