story behind the photo

I photographed Endurance at Custer State Park, a vast landscape in the Black Hills that spans more than seventy thousand acres and is home to one of the largest publicly managed herds of American buffalo in the world. The herd here is the result of long term conservation, growing from just a few dozen animals in the early twentieth century to well over a thousand today, a quiet success story of resilience and stewardship. What drew me to this image was not only the power of the animal, but the perspective. Buffalo are almost always photographed from eye level or below, emphasizing mass and dominance, but I wanted to approach this moment differently. Photographing from above allowed me to focus on motion, direction, and momentum, using a slower shutter speed so the landscape dissolves while the buffalo presses forward with purpose. That choice transforms the animal from a symbol of brute strength into one of persistence and resolve. Throughout my career, I have believed that truly memorable images come from seeing familiar subjects in unfamiliar ways, and in this photograph, endurance is not simply about survival, it is about continuing forward with quiet strength, shaped by time, terrain, and an unyielding will to move on.
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”
Hebrews 12:1–2 (NIV)

PRINT PROCESS & AVAILABILITY

Endurance is offered as a pigmented ink fine art print, produced using archival pigment inks on museum-quality paper. This process was chosen for its exceptional tonal depth, subtle gradation, and long-term stability, allowing the image to retain its richness and nuance for generations. Pigmented ink printing is especially well suited for this photograph, preserving detail in both highlight and shadow while maintaining a quiet, timeless surface that rewards close viewing. This work is available as a Limited Edition of 25, sized at 17 × 22 inches. Each print is individually produced, signed, and numbered by the artist, and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. Once the edition is complete, no additional prints of this image will be produced in this medium.