This year at the Parker County Sherriff Posse Rodeo in Weatherford, Texas got a little challenge in shooting something different and the wheels start turning. I had been told before the Friday night performance there would be a special act, skydiving into the ring with the American flag.

Not knowing how or where the diver would land, I had no knowledge of really where to be. I liked the shot simply because of the color and simplicity and the depth added by the plane but it was missing something, essence of place.

As luck would have it, we were set up at the clubhouse shooting cowboy portraits for a client before each rodeo and in walks Andre Alexsen the ” Adrenaline man ” getting prepared for the Saturday night jump. We got to talking and I asked if I could take his portrait, I mean what better way to get to know somebody than doing a shoot with them. The shoot was pretty fast as he needed to get loaded on the plane and get ready to jump. Talking through the shoot, I learned of his near death accident while skydiving in which his partner was killed and Andre lost his legs but I had no idea of the full scope of this guys character till a couple of months later while researching him. This guy is the true definition of ” relentless. ”

This time I would be in place and ready to capture what I thought would be the perfect place to show essence of place and create a story telling image that told of the grandeur of this large, small town rodeo and the part that everybody played in pulling off one of the greatest rodeos I have ever shot.

The Parker County Sherriff posse ran this thing like a well oiled machine that had been rehearsed to perfection. Final image:

american flag, andre Alexsen, flag, parachute, patriotic, relentless, skydiving