Messenger photo by Joe Duty

Good photos don’t come free. You have to work for them. That includes building a relationship with your subjects.

Messenger photo by Joe Duty

A couple weeks ago, our roaming photographer shot a local caleadero, a form of Mexican rodeo, at Lienzo Charro Martinez, an arena just outside Decatur.

The three men pictured here, from left, are Roman, Lazaro Jr. and Luis Martinez, all of Decatur.

Getting the smiles from the good-natured trio of charros dressed in classic regalia was easy. But getting the broad-rimmed sombreros to drop in unison took cooperation and mutual respect between photographer and subjects.

The second photo also tells a completely different story. It doesn’t just show three local charros, but demonstrates in a flash the entire rich history of this version of Mexican cowboy.