Montana Cowboy

Stoecklein's use of shading and shadow in his photography in this book really capture the Montana spirit. My wife, a born and bread Montana gal, really loved this book. She was really moved by some of the pictures. This is really a great book for the die-hard Montana resident (and you know who you are...) and anyone who likes the spirit of the northwest.

I thought that this book really captures the aura of Montana. I believe that only the truth is seen when looking at these pictures. Coming from a ranch here in Montana, I only see a lifestyle and a way of living and I think that many people that don't have the same oppurtunities to see what I see everyday, can see it in the pictures of this book.

The photographs make this book. I have never visited a ranch, but I now feel like I have. "The Montana Cowboy" shows the real working life of the American cowboy, not the fluffy romantic stuff that comes out of Hollywood. This book offered me the chance to experience the realities of ranching first-hand. It holds a prominent place on my bookshelf, and it is well worth the buy.

Having lived in Montana and grown up on a ranch, this book was like going home. If you have never been on a working ranch to experience the wonder of the cattle and horses there is no place better than one in Montana. The Big Sky country is indeed the "last best place" and David Stoecklien has photographed it beautifully. It amazed me how an outsider could come in and really capture the essence of ranch life and the country around it. He truly depicts the struggle of working nature in all it's elements, even at 40 below zero. That is what cattle ranching is all about. Along with the pictures are wonderful biographies about the ranches. History is the romance of a cowboy's life and many people don't know they still exist today. History in the making!I for one,am very excited that these ranches have been now captured in history to show and tell to everyone interested the way of life these families have built. I grew up in the Milk River Valley next to the Cornwell Ranch, one of the many depicted in this book, and to see the pictures and share them with my family and friends was exciting.The cowboy ways in moving cattle, putting up hay and rounding up horses are so excellently photographed by Mr. Stoecklein. No one has his talents to zero in on the boots, dogs, ropes, calves and other details that you know are authentic to their equipment and hardwork. It explains the life without the needs for words. You can experience the moments in the breathtaking scenery of the Big Sky country. In the cold, clear water, the mountains and the valleys all have a personallity of their own to share with us. We have purchased these books to give out at Christmas to our family in Montana to have a record of what they have been a part of.