From the picturesque south of France to the vast, untamed expanses of the American West, Anouk Masson Krantz masterfully captures the compelling stories of cowboys and ranchers dedicated to raising cattle in some of the world’s most remote regions. Having grown up in a disciplined environment steeped in responsibility, Krantz resonates deeply with her subjects’ unwavering work ethic and profound commitment to preserving the sprawling landscapes of the West.
Tiffany Selchow, Modern Cowboy Magazine Author: You have had a spectacular photography career documenting the Western way of life. Coupled with the fact that your background is far removed from that lifestyle, can you please share about your life and what led you to this point?
Anouk Masson Krantz: I was born in the south of France. My mother is Dutch. She was born and raised in Amsterdam during the Second World War. My father was born in Senegal; his dad was stationed in the army there. We moved quite a bit in France, and I picked up horseback riding at the age of seven. I rode on a French military base during my teens and that’s really where I learned how to ride. There was a tremendous amount of structure and discipline, and they pushed me very, very hard.
During my last year of high school, my family and I moved to New York City, where I attended the Lycée Français de New York, the French School of New York. I then went back to France to study at Paris XI University. My background was very different from where I ended up in my career, with my major being math, biology, and physics. After a year and a half at Paris XI, I realized I needed a change. I transferred and ended up graduating in New York with a marketing and advertising degree. My first job was working at Hampton’s Country Magazine, this is the job that really helped me learn about New York life during the nineties. I then worked for several years at Cartier, in their corporate office on Fifth Avenue.
Selchow: From Cartier to photography to the literal middle of nowhere. Talk with me about that shift in lifestyle and setting.
Krantz: Growing up for half my life in France and then being based out of New York, photography of the West and that culture, at that time, didn’t seem possible.
As I started this journey after leaving Cartier, shortly after September 11th, I couldn’t believe this world still existed. I thought it was long gone because that’s the perception throughout our mainstream culture. My first book, Wild Horses of Cumberland Island, embodied the spirit of the land. As people were intrigued with this book, they asked what I would do next. I couldn’t think of a better subject than the cowboy as my goal was to find other magnificent and largely untouched landscapes yet inhabited by people. Cowboys live remote lives and have a deep affection and passion for the land, the animals, and their way of life. Most people envy that sense of freedom and independence.
Selchow: Can you describe the moment you knew that the Western lifestyle would be your muse for your work?
Masson: At the start, I heard it, and I heard it again; most people back home thought it was just crazy to spend time traveling out West to capture Cowboys as they thought the Cowboy culture was mostly gone and it would be impossible to cross over the works to the rest of the world. I thought it was a great story to capture. I knew it wouldn’t be easy. To allow a stranger to come in and take pictures of your life isn’t something you can expect from anyone. And I completely understood that. One rancher, reluctantly first, opened the doors to the American West. From that point on, the journey started.
About a year and a half later, my first book “West: The American Cowboy” was published and became an international best seller and still is today after 5 years. Back then, I told my publisher I hadn’t even scratched the surface. That’s when I went back out, mostly during COVID, and continued to photograph. I went further and I covered Florida to California, Montana to Texas, and states in between. Out West, most ranchers’ daily lives didn’t change. I was able to travel very easily during that time, sometimes being the only passenger getting on a big jet from NYC. I was flying from my quarantine-like city where the National Guard would be present as soon as you got off the plane. During that time, I also worked on my third book, Ranchland, which takes place at Wagonhound, one of the biggest and most beautiful ranches in the United States.
After the release and worldwide success of AMERICAN Cowboys and RANCHLAND, I decided to continue my journey about a year and a half ago. I knew there was so much more to discover. I traveled to Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Argentina, and Canada to capture this way of life. Although they all came from different backgrounds, they were all doing the same work: raising cattle to feed their nation. Most ranches that have been visited have been around for at least six generations. Some of the estancias in Argentina date back to the early 1800s, which is even older than most ranches in the United States.
I love ranches that are authentic, where the cowboy still does his or her work on horseback, and even 150 years ago. There’s something special about that. It’s amazing to see these massive lands via horseback, riding across mountain tops or deserts, or crossing rivers and sleeping in a teepee. Or being on horseback in snowstorms. It makes you appreciate what they do at a whole new level. You have to live it, see it, and breathe it, in order to understand this way of life. Once you do experience it, you understand why they’re doing it and why they have maintained this way of life for so long
When you dig deeper you realize it’s everywhere. Across the United States and across the Americas. My new book will show that the Western lifestyle can be found further beyond our own borders.
Selchow: You’ve mentioned how you and the ranchers and cowboys have a lot in common despite coming from very different backgrounds. Can you expand on that?
Krantz: I believe in the great values that you can still find today throughout the ranching world throughout the Americas. These values represent a foundational pillar of this great country that is America. They are the same that I personally grew up with in France. Hard work, sacrifice, dignity, integrity, and love for your community, land, and country just to name a few. Cowboys put food on American tables, and they’re doing it with pride. It’s hard, it’s dirty, but no one is complaining, and everyone is contributing and working hard. Everyone wakes up early and finishes when the job is done. Their children, from an early age, learn to ride and to also contribute to the survival of the ranch. That’s something that I just absolutely love to see because I was raised in a similar way.
While Mom and/or Dad are checking their pastures, kids learn to get up, make breakfast, and clean up the kitchen. Parents instill that sense of responsibility in their children and as they grow
Selchow: What’s one of the most unique moments in your journey out in the ranching world that you recall?
Krantz: There are just so many moments I feel like the list is endless. The highlight story is probably the first rancher who opened the door. We ended up getting stuck in his pickup truck in a massive West Texas storm, with these massive longhorns watching us. We couldn’t go anywhere and just talked and were able to share our backgrounds, family histories, and more. We realized we had so much in common. East met West. To this day, we laugh about these few hours that we spent together because I think that he was looking at me like, who in the world are you? And I was thinking, what am I doing here? And it ended up being one of my greatest memories.
Each story, each moment, and each day that I’ve spent with these people throughout the American West have been different in their own way.
One cowboy decided to cook a French meal for me on the ranch. He looked up French recipes and crushed it! This is the wonderful spirit of humankind, good people, and simple things in life and those are the moments that I cherish the most.
Another highlight for me was meeting Derrick Begay. He invited me to his ranch in Arizona. Upon arrival, he decided that I wasn’t going to take pictures. He wanted me to help him round up some of his wild cattle. Thankfully, I photographed the concept of rounding up and how it all works. I have studied through the lens, and being a rider myself, I understood how it worked. We worked together to round up his wild cattle in this little corral in the middle of the desert. I’ll be honest; I’m not a pro and I am thankful my horse Rob knew exactly what he had to do.
The sun was setting, and we were out there with these towering saguaro cacti that were 20 to 30 feet high. By the end of the afternoon, Derrick closed the gate to the corral and looked at me with a smile. That was his way of saying, thank you, I know you better and let’s be friends. Since then, Derrick and I have remained friends, and we see each other across the American West. When I’m in Arizona, I’ll text him or call him and ask him if he needs help. I have gone back to help him!
Selchow: What advice would you give to those starting out on a journey to capture the Western lifestyle in photography or other mediums?
Krantz: To stay authentic is the greatest recipe. Don’t stage it with silly things because people know, and it’s already been done. Show the real, authentic American West and the real ranchers. Can you put a contemporary twist to your pictures? Sure, you can. There are different ways to capture the American West. But when you do, keep it truthful.
Selchow: Do you have a favorite piece?
Krantz: Not really, because they were all unique moments with different people. There is a story in each picture that I took, and that’s why they all mean so much to me. Hopefully, people will see that.
Anouk continues to contribute to sharing the Western lifestyle with the world, doing so with a new book, which is set for release on October 14, 2024. If you want to learn more or buy your own copy of Anouk’s books visit her website at https://www.anoukkrantz.com.
