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The Boss |
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| Smith held a romantic view of the cowboy’s
daily life and tried to capture in photographs some of his favorite scenes.
One such image is the range boss “telling off his riders” or
directing them towards their assigned territory to begin rounding up cattle.
Smith photographed these early morning rituals from many angles. He favored
a view from behind, showing the boss pointing into the distant landscape,
so that viewers could see the intended destination and imagine themselves
about to ride off with the other men. To reproduce the effect of early morning
light, Smith used a low sun, backlighting the men so their features are
in shadow and a glow outlines their figures. Although this meant that the
boss had to send his men toward the rising sun in the east—an unlikely
situation—this composition created a most dramatic and memorable view.
Click here to view more Boss images |  Erwin E. Smith (1886–1947) "Pink" Murray, Wagon Boss of the OR Outfit Telling His Men Off for the Day's Work, OR Range, Arizona, 1909 Gelatin dry plate negative Amon Carter Museum, Fort Worth, Texas LC.S6.246 |
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