Scenes from the Crow War Pony Photo Shoot.
I travelled to the ranch of Ken Real Bird in Garryowen, Montana near Crow Agency, MT. – the home and hedquarters
of the Crow Nation. Ken and his family own a ranch on the Little Bighorn river located directly across the river from
the Little Bighorn Battle Monument the site of Custer’s Last Stand. Ken is a highly respected artist and with his
brothers and sons has raised bucking horses for use around the country in Indian rodeos.
This photo shows Ken’s ranch from a distance. The cottonwood trees are on the bank of the river. The hillside across
the river to the left is where the Battle took place. The Real Bird ranch is on the land where the Indians of 3 tribes lived in
an encampment trying to not be driven to reservations. Each June Ken and his family stage a famous re-enactment on their
land of the battle. Here’s a link to more info http://www.littlebighornreenactment.com
Ken’s sons were extremely helpful getting the horse to run at me and to keep the photo shoot moving in the corral.
Starting the runs.
Ken’s in the background of this shot.
As the horse figured out the “game” he got closer and closer to me and my tripod mounted camera.
Poster I was hired to design for the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian.
“Crow War Pony-1” was selected to be the icon for the marketing of a 13 month long exhibit titled
“A Song For The Horse Nation” at the Smithsonian’s NMAI museum.
Info can be found here: http://nmai.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/item/?id=904
A couple of “on the road” photos from near Ken’s ranch.
