Speed Kills, with Kevin Moloney

Much can be said about the American rodeo. It's the subject of high stakes drama and debate. A mainstay in rural parts of the US, its origins lie in Mexico, and further back, culture brought by Spanish conquistadors. The modern take on rodeo is steeped in rugged individuality, glued together by the mythos of the American West.

Kevin Moloney, in his series Speed Kills: Small Town American Rodeo, turns his lens towards the characters of this melodrama: riders, ropers, support people, decision makers, and spectators. This world is fast, wild, glamorous, voluntarily dangerous, and anything but boring.

His images are striking. They create pause in hypertensive moments. In each portrait, eyes and body language guide us to feel these spaces, what it’s like to be these characters. From pageant queen smiles, to prayers of safety offered up, human emotion is on full display.

One wouldn't expect to experience such a wide range of humanity in a hyper specific setting. And that's just one element of Kevin Maloney’s skillset. These images don't happen without a razor sharp response time, an ability to put oneself in the action, and an awareness of the softer moments. Nor do they happen without a deep understanding of the gear, the light, and how to wrangle both.

These are complex visual stories, masterfully crafted. Hold on to your hats!