Waiting for the Wild

Outdoor photographers strut their stuff at the Bozeman MADE Fair.

An explosion of art occurred last weekend, when an assortment of paintings, photographs, instruments, candles, clothing, postcards, drawings, and jewelry filled the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse. It was the fall iteration of the Bozeman MADE Fair, and it showcased an impressive body of work from nearly 200 artists and craftsmen. The two-day event offered arts-and-crafts aficionados a full experience, with enough time (barely) to take in every booth and the artist behind it.

Outdoor painters, sculptors, and photographers from the region were well-represented—unsurprising, given the event’s location. Each was unique was in terms of style and process, but one common thread was time spent in nature—be that hiking around in it or driving through it. In the case of the photographers, in whose booths I spent the bulk of the show, more often than not that time was spent waiting for the perfect moment.

“It all takes time and patience,” said wildlife photographer Ken Conger. Moving through his lineup of prints, he shared the moments the photos took place. A bison with snow caked onto its nose, for example—Ken waited and waited, until finally, the shaggy beast took one step closer, into the moonlight. That photo is one of Ken’s best-selling pieces.

I try to keep it simple and capture the smaller details we don’t always slow down enough to notice. —Jamie Rankin

Hope Romeo showed me a landscape shot, explaining that she traveled a long way to get to that location at the crack of dawn. Gazing at the colorful horizon, she thought she got what she came for. But when she turned to get back in the car, she saw a better scene. It was right behind her the whole time—and she was lucky enough to capture it before the colors faded away.

As a Yellowstone Park tour guide, Rebecca King’s knowledge of wildlife gives her an idea of where the bison will be, which saves time on the stake-out. She showed me a cool photo of an elk on a snowy road—a lucky shot, but one of many that comes from the long hours spent driving through the Park.

Lee Randall has had similar experiences, often discovering wildlife in passing during his commute. He pointed out a print of a fox curled up on a snow pile, looking over its shoulder, and another of a yellow-headed blackbird. I asked how he managed to get these photos without disturbing the animals. “If you approach them directly or discreetly, they see you as a predator,” he explained. “But if you let them know you’re there, and just sort of pass by, then they have no reason to think they’re in danger.”

Likewise, landscape photographer Jamie Rankin attributed much of her work to being in the right place at the right time. Rather than venturing out with a specific shot in mind, she keeps her camera handy and her eyes open—and when that perfect moment comes, she’s ready. “My goal has always been to share landscapes the way they appear to our eye,” Jamie noted. “I try to keep it simple and capture the smaller details we don’t always slow down enough to notice.”

The Bozeman MADE Fair, hosted by handMADE Montana, happens twice each year, in the spring and fall.