The Bull Rider

The Bull Rider (from the series: The Weirding of Austin)

Austin is not as Texan as the rest of Texas. Residents often maintain that it’s a broken-off piece of California that somehow descended on Texas. Others will maintain that Austin is as Texan as the Longhorn. It’s certainly Texan in its devotion to rodeos – a homage to the spirit of the Texas rancher. The rodeos used to be country fairs and in many parts of Texas they still are, but they are now also shows that attract hundreds or even thousands of spectators.

Bull riding is the main attraction, if not the heart and soul of the rodeo. You’ve probably seen in on television, but it attains a stunning realism when you’re close to the action. While professional bullriders seem to find it possible to remain on the back of a serious angry bull for 8 seconds, the less talented amateurs that rarely make in onto television, do not. This photo is of one such bull rider. Everything in the photo is moving, but the hat seems almost stationary.