What is the cowboy way? Attend a local #rodeo and you will see first hand, the cowboy and cowgirl way.  It is a lifestyle based on respect, hard work and honesty. As rodeo photographers, we are blessed to experience rodeo, up-close and personal. This year, we spent the first weekend of 2024 with the Red Hot Region 3 of  Texas High School Rodeo Association. From the beginning prayer and playing of the national anthem to the comaraderie of competitors cheering each other on, this is a sport we love. Step behind the scenes and you will see and hear the respect for each other and their e ..read more

I woke up this morning and walked out to check the mail. The sunlight, glistening through through the thorns on the cactus in our flower bed, caught my eye.  I grabbed my camera to capture the moment. Then I remembered the roses blooming in the back yard, not a usual occurrence this time of year. Ok, now I have to #smelltheroses. That was fun and as I took the time to open my eyes to the world around me, I noticed the aloe plant in the next planter box was blooming. What a great morning to appreciate nature, God’s gift to the world. I am thankful for this life and all that it entails ..read more

As a photographer and teacher we are always looking for different ways of communicating a feeling better with creative images and perspective. Although this years NFR is behind us and everybody is trying to make the next one, I am still living the moments and trying to find new ways to get the attention that these athletes deserve. I shot all the NFR but my main job was the official PRCA photographer of the Inaugural NFBR. The three day event yielded some 13,000 images of the cowgirls over a course of ten rounds of break-away roping. My partner, Wife and fellow photographer, Lisa was there mak ..read more

A rodeo is not complete until someone wins a shiny, buckle. Congratulations to James Foley, the Top Shot winner from our 2023 Rodeo and Western Lifestyle Photography Workshop! During the course of our 5 day adventure, from rodeo to chuck wagon and dog herding, students provide images for photo review each day. The last day, everyone submits their favorite 5 images. Selections are presented anonymously and students vote on their favorite by secret ballot. The winner receives a Top Shot Belt Buckle! In addition, their image takes the coveted cover of the book of we create of student images. Each ..read more

One of the things I love  about our Texas Photography Workshops is that we are able to meet people from all walks of life and experiences. One of our class alumni has recently completed an amazing accomplishment and I wanted to share her experience to further inspire others in their photographic journey. Marea Downey has traveled the world, camera in hand, striving to capture amazing images. She has a passion for teaching photography to youth and has spent many years as a portfolio assessor for the Photographic Society of America and judge for various camera clubs. Marea attended our Rode ..read more

Learn how to use lighting in ways you might not have thought of before. We will cover on-camera flash as well as off Camera. We cover studio lighting as well as learning how to light a rodeo arena. The Class will be hosted by NRS event center, a amazing place for a western venue of any kind. They have lodging on site. The class is intense and the days are long but at the end you will take away a whole new way of looking at light. To sign up, go to Texas Vision Photography For More custom work by Joe Duty https://texasphotographyworkshops.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/lighting-and-flash-class ..read more

Being a rodeo photographer for the PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association) definitely has its perks.  My favorite perk is the behind the scenes access. Shooting the action is fun, but there is something about the process the rodeo athletes go through as they prepare for competition. Getting ready for the ride is different for every competitor. They all have their own ritual of how to get their mind and body right for the moment. In the case of bareback riding, it is that 8 seconds. A couple of weeks ago, Joe and I were shooting the North Texas Fair and Rodeo. The bonus of having two ..read more

The Jr. NFR last week was an action packed event at Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas. One of our favorite aspects to shoot at a rodeo or any other event, are the little moments that go on behind the scenes. The rodeo lifestyle is something that makes photographing these events that much more fun. Human nature, we are first attracted by the glitz and glamour… the action. Give yourself time to see what makes up this exciting sport and that is where the love of rodeo is born. Behind the scenes we see the relationships between the competitors and their equine partners, the parents a ..read more

Riggin Rally 2021 Riggin Rally 2021 Riggin Rally 2021 On Easter Sunday, you find people all over the world honoring god in different ways, the cowboy is no exception. At this year’s Riggin’ Rally, which just happened to be on Easter weekend, cowboys give thanks and praise in their own way. The rodeo cowboys don’t stop there, before every rodeo you can find many of them spending time to themselves and their God, giving praise and thank fullness for their existence. I find it very admirable that they believe in something bigger than themselves. They give the power and control by way of fai ..read more

Our favorite rodeo event, Bareback riding, is the most intense of the events.  The chance that you might get a different moment shot in my opinion, is one thing that makes it my favorite. Last week we attended the Riggin’ Rally at Steiner ranch in Weatherford Texas, a new venue that was just bucking horses and nothing else, talk about a pot of gold… https://texasphotographyworkshops.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Riggin-Rally-slideshow.mp4 The combination of  the ranch and all its unique beauty, a short arena and the class of the venue,  made this an extremely shootable event! T ..read more