WINTER ESCAPES
www.porchprairiemag.com
Volume 2 • 4
A Photo Journey with
Anouk Masson Krantz
68 - WINTER 2021 | PORCH + PRAIRIE Magazine
"AMERICAN RANCHER" PORCH + PRAIRIE magazine | WINTER 2021 - 69
What mere words fail to capture, It is difficult to write about the spirit of the American West, if only because it is so vast, so beautiful, and so nostalgic that words don’t seem to do it justice. To really understand it, you need to see it with your own eyes. You need to stand on the open prairie and try to process just how far away those mountains on the horizon are or better yet, you need to stand beside those mountains and stare up in awe. If you’ve had the chance to do this, then you know what I’m talking about. You know the rush of feeling nothing but the openness ahead of your on the front range and you know how powerful those mountains are for the soul.
that has the ability to have a viewer stand in front of one of her photos and they get lost in the detail for a very long time. Her path to creating her current book, American Cowboys, is not the one you’d typically expect, but the photos she has created throughout her career are the types that stick with you. In stunning detail and often in black and white, Krantz has a simplistic style that makes a bold statement. In her photos, the form of the landscape just seems more dramatic. Her portraits and pictures of cowboys show each grimace and each facial expression so realistically, you might start to feel your own face do the same.
Somewhere between those two spots are a group of men and women who work the land and the cattle that graze upon it. Those cowboys are one of the last remaining vestiges of the quintessential frontier life, where all a man really needs is a trusty horse, a good rope, some friends by his side, and perhaps a few answered prayers along the way. Focusing on their way of life brings to the fore-front just how hardworking they are and how the bonds of camaraderie and family are so perfectly stitched with the values of integrity and work ethic. This, just like writing about the frontier West, can hardly be put into a paragraph eloquently enough to capture the moment.
In photographing even the most intricate details of cowboy life, you would never know that she didn’t grow up in the ranching life out in Montana or Colorado or Wyoming. A self-described “ explorer,” Krantz has navigated near and far in search of the perfect photo, be it her native France, the open range of Shelby MT, or anywhere else an unreasonable long drive may take her. The transition from life in the board room in New York to now spending time behind the lens in far-reaching locales is something she embraces wholeheartedly. From the first book highlighting Cumberland Island on Georgia’s coast to her current work out west, Krantz has a clear view of where this life has taken her and how these escapes need to be shared with the world.
What mere words fail to capture, photography takes their place. Great photography (the calling card of Porch + Prairie) transports the viewer right into the action, while great photographers have this innate ability to combine content with composition and make you feel the photo instead of just see it. Anouk Masson Krantz is one such photographer. She is the type
We caught up with Anouk while she was preparing her latest release and in the middle of an ever-growing schedule of photo shoots, gallery work, and commissioned projects that are scattered throughout her calendar. Her words reflect the journey from her native France to the inspiration of her work and her appreciation of the people and the places the adventures have put in her path.
"LOOKOUT"
photography takes their place.
PORCH + PRAIRIE magazine | WINTER 2021 - 71
72 - WINTER 2021 | PORCH + PRAIRIE Magazine
"SMOKE RISE" PORCH + PRAIRIE magazine | WINTER 2021 - 73
"WHATEVER IT TAKES"
"AMERICAN WRANGLER" 74 - WINTER 2021 | PORCH + PRAIRIE Magazine
"THE CREW"
"THE PLAN"
"SALUTE" P+P: You are not from the American West originally—where are you from exactly and what got you originally to the West? AMK: I was born and raised in France. I moved to NYC in 1999. I was young, single and new to America. New York City was a vibrant, diverse and fun place to live and start a career. I loved working for a lifestyle magazine as well as for Cartier in NYC. These jobs had a lot of allure and em-bodied style, timeless elegance and sophistication which later on helped me shape my photographic style. In this fast-paced, interconnected and competitive world that I live in back East, most everyone is simply out for themselves. Over the years it has been increasingly evident that across America, there are fewer and fewer shared values that tie us together as a community. I was always intrigued by the notion of the Wild West and the American cowboy. There is a strong sense of community that continues to endure, uncompromised and out West I feel as though I am part of something larger than just myself. I wanted to see the vast rolling hills and expanses of ranchland underneath these enormous skies that I had heard and read so much about. The dramatic landscapes of the American West evoke a sense of freedom, independence, and endless possibilities which have long captured the imagina-tion of people all over the world. I wanted to find out what life was like for those who lived and worked there. I travelled out West for the first time in 2004 and came across my first local rodeo in a remote area of Kansas. It was uplifting to see how ranchers and farmers from far away took time out of their lives to come together and celebrate their country, their traditions, and 76 - WINTER 2021 | PORCH + PRAIRIE Magazine
the remarkable culture and community that they all support in their own way, each and every day. They may have their own differences but the one common thread among all Cowboys across this Country are their values. After this first experience, I always had an itch to return and learn more about their way of life because to my surprise I had learned for myself that the Cowboy Culture was very much alive. This makes them not only relevant but critically important to our country and to humanity, and every bit as intriguing as the many other cultures that more frequently capture the attention of the art world. P+P: Why the American West and the cowboy life specifically? What is it that drew you to that par-ticular subject? AMK: It all started with my first and best-selling book about Cumberland Island and its population of wild horses. It was a place where I could completely disconnect from the fast paced, competitive life back in New York City where I lived at the time. Imagine an uninhabited island, the size of Manhattan, with seventeen miles of vast, uninterrupted white sand beach and thick sub-tropical forests draped in Spanish Moss. It is home to towering sand dunes, and tidal salt marshes that all host a vastly diverse wildlife. Then add these wild horses, completely isolated from the rest of the world and out of their element. But they have adapted and they appear to live a fair-ytale existence. After a few days on my own I was completely re-energized and felt like the very best version of myself. And that is what kept
me returning. This series was the result of dozens of visits over twelve years. During that time, I also travelled out West for the first time and came across my first local rodeo in a remote area of Kansas. It was uplifting to see how ranchers and farmers from far away took time out of their lives to come together and celebrate their country, their traditions, and the remarkable culture and community that they all support in their own way, each and every day. After this first experience, I always had an itch to return and learn more about their way of life because to my surprise I had learned for myself that the Cowboy Culture was very much alive and well. This makes them not only relevant but critically important to our country and to humanity, and every bit as intriguing as the many other cultures that more frequently capture the attention of the art world. P+P: From a composition standpoint, you tend to shoot a lot of your scenes in black and white, which to the eye can create a lot more depth in monotone than perhaps color does—is there a thought behind your use of greyscale in your photos? AMK: I have a minimalistic approach, so the key components of the photograph stand out without any background distractions. I love the timeless feel of black and white, it best captures the humanity and truths that endures. P+P: Many of your photos capture the life of the cowboy working together with his horse as a cohesive team--- is there a specific dynamic in that relationship that draws you to it? AMK: Horses have the ability to connect and bond with humans. They have a unique sensitivity and can understand our emotions just like dogs. They are incredibly smart and loyal. In this culture, the relationship between human/horse and dog is very important in getting work done on the ranch. It is incredible to watch.
in the heartland of the great American West and well beyond. These communities are not isolated pockets but are found across America where we might least expect them. P+P: Despite the newfound popularity on TV, many people are still unfamiliar with life in the mountains, plains, and frontier West---what surprised you the most when you first started traveling there? AMK: Their strong sense of belonging, their pioneering spirit, strength, independence, authenticity, integrity and dignity that continues to captivate people. Their word is their bond and they have remained unchanged. This builds a culture of us — all together — helping each other out in the community and at the same time serving this country. My work is a celebration of those values, the work ethic, the integrity, love for friends and family, community, and country, regardless of cultural background. P+P: The book has hit the shelves, you are being commissioned by top properties and brands to help produce works for their walls--- what is next for you? AMK: “American Cowboys” will be released at the end of this month. I have several projects in the works. One of them which will be released next September 2022 that takes you to one of the largest ranches in the America. Among the mountains of Wyoming, this next series captures the daily lives of these Cowboys over the course of two years. P+P
P+P: Your work has taken off, literally, and has garnered a great deal of interest and appreciation—when you were starting out, did you think it would be as recognized and acclaimed as it has become? AMK: No, never. This is a great surprise and extremely rewarding. P+P: Your travels have taken you everywhere—is there one place that you always wish you could back to? AMK: It's hard to choose a favorite place because all these encounters were so unique and different in their own ways, which is why I ended up spending so much time on the road. I constantly craved the next meeting or encounter since around every corner was an unimaginable new adven-ture that I never could have predicted. P+P: You’ve produced a collection of works in a book about the American Cowboy specifically--- tell us a bit about it. AMK: My most recent book “WEST The American Cowboy” has been a surprising success, and I knew I had only begun to scratch the surface of this great western culture and their way of life. Once I had this unexpected exposure, I had so many generous offers from others who wanted to share their stories and lives that I was compelled to continue to dig deeper. In “American Cowboys” I’ve taken my work further into their culture to include men, women, children, college kids, rodeo and ranching communities from different backgrounds
"PLACID" PORCH + PRAIRIE magazine | WINTER 2021 - 77
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