Behind the Lens with Andy Watson: Braving the Winter Weather in Del Rio
By: Andy Watson
Andy Watson of Bull Stock Media is in his 26th season as the PBR’s lead photographer and has captured nearly every ride in PBR history.
“To be able to freeze that moment and look at it and see everything in it is really cool, and to (the riders) it means a lot,” Watson said. “Every ride is something special, whether it is good, bad, great form or their buddies are in the background.”
This season, Watson is taking fans behind the lens of some of his favorite photos, sharing his thoughts and processes as he covers each Unleash The Beast event.
Below are Watson’s favorite images from the PBR Built Ford Tough Invitational in Del Rio, Texas.
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“This photo isn’t the wildest shot, with the bull flying through the air or the cowboy in a crazy wreck, but knowing Silvano Alves is what makes this one stand out to me. The look of determination in his eyes shows the tenacity of the three-time PBR World Champion. He is looking calm, cool and collected, and his place in the PBR world standings is reflecting it. Will this be the year Silvano challenges again? Only time will tell. ”
“As if the cold and rain at last weekend’s Del Rio PBR event weren’t hard enough on the bull riders, the cool temperature made the bulls feel really good. Cody Casper found himself a victim to this extra dose of power when he was tossed in the air by the Waller/Red Laces Cattle Co’s bull, Ranch Water. As usual, Frank Newsom is in the right spot to keep Cody safe upon landing. ”
“Outdoor arenas can give some opportunity to capture different photos. I love the clean backgrounds and out-of-the-ordinary lighting that can be used compared to what we deal with in our typical indoor facilities. Cole Melancon was standing over his bull during a section break when I captured this image. It takes me back to shooting rodeos at old county fairgrounds with the unique lighting.”
“Simplicity is what I think of when looking at this photograph of Keyshawn Whitehorse. You never see a clean background at our Unleash the Beast PBR tour events, but the Del Rio event allowed a chance for a few. While signage and fans typically offer up the common backgrounds at PBR events, this time around, it is stripped down, yielding more depth to the image. ”
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