Distinctly Montana Magazine

Images of the West: The Photography of Barbara Van Cleve First Saddling B orn of a Montana ranch family, Barbara Van Cleve is one of our state's gems. Her pho- tographs have been in 52 one-person shows as well as 92 group shows. Her books include: Hard Twist: Western Ranch Women, All This Way for the Short Ride, and Holding the Reins: A Ride Through Cowgirl Life. In 1995 she was inducted into the Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, Texas. See www.barbaravan- cleve.com for more informa- tion about her and her special workshops. © 2012 BARBARA VAN CLEVE, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Is there a particular subject you like to photograph above all others? Weather, the natural world, and the ranching West seem to be what I photograph most. What do you remember to be your most difficult photographic shot and how did you accomplish it? Was it successful? © 2012 BARBARA VAN CLEVE, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Santa Gertrudis Mission Barbara, could you tell us about your most recent photographic exploration? What were you shooting and why? I am using the light of the moon rather than sunlight because I want to experiment with another type of natural light. I am fascinated by how the scene looks like it was shot in the daylight but then you can see the stars in a blue sky! We couldn't do that in the days of shooting with film, so this is exciting. My most difficult "shot" is really the current project of shooting by moonlight. There are two days before and two days after the full moon when the moon reflects enough light to make acceptable photographs with reasonably short exposures. Cloudy weather or smoky skies can ruin shooting. I use horses and riders in my shots, so if a horse is fidgety that too can ruin a shot. Sometimes the night starts out clear but then clouds move in and cause unac- ceptably long exposure times. For six months I have been working on this project when the sky allows. So far it ap- pears to have been successful. I am not finished yet. You call your art "Images of the American West," but the work seems to evoke a different time and place than the present. Are you sending us a message? Do you really think that because the title of my art is "Images of the American West" that my photographs should be modern or contemporary in "look"? I appreci- ate the past and value the appearance of a time in history of the West which was free from cell phones, high power lines, sleek automobiles, and various modern conve- niences. Perhaps I am unconsciously sending a message. I am trying to make images that intrigue and are attractive to viewers so that they might come to an appreciation of those past places or events. DISTINCTLY MONTANA | DIGITAL 36 For more images from Barbara, mosey over to: www.distinctlymontana.com/vancleve122 DISTINCTLY MONTANA • SPRING 2012 ATHI-MARA MAGADI

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