Then- The book ‘Hard Twist,’ written by Barbara Van Cleve with her black & white images, was published in 1995. Spanning over a decade, Van Cleve traveled the wild west states- Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico and others. Instead of photographing cowboys, she focused her lens on their female counterpart. Her portraits capture these hardworking yet tender women ranchers at their best.
Portraits- Kim Davis, CS Ranch, 1986 (top right), Melody Harding, Bar Cross Ranch, 1986 (middle left), Kim Davis, 1986 (middle left) and Dee Dee Dickinson, Vermillion Ranch, 1993 (bottom)
Now- Ben Weller’s color images have a similar western flavor. Shot at the Zapata Ranch in Colorado for UK Harper’s Bazaar, March 2015.
Fashion details- Gucci knitwear & jeans (top left), Miu Miu taffeta/silk mix ruffled blouse & brocade skirt (middle right) and Ralph Lauren silk shirt & leather pants (bottom left). Hat and boots are model’s own.
NIBS 