While driving north from Denver to Jackson Hole, the Wyoming landscape had already rewarded us with memorable scenes—including Wyoming Rainstorm. But as we traveled through the Wind River Reservation on WY-287, a simple roadside sign for the Fort Washakie Indian Cemetery invited a pause. Something told us to turn off and take a closer look.
A Place of Reverence Beneath Wyoming’s Big Sky
Set against the dramatic expanse of the Shoshone Wind River Reservation, the cemetery is the final resting place of Chief Washakie (1804–1900), a revered leader of the Shoshone people. That August day, the sky stretched wide and brilliant, dotted with cumulus clouds that seemed to pour from the distant mountain range toward us. In the foreground, weathered headstones and white crosses rose from the golden grasses like a chorus of memory.
A Scene That Called for Monochrome
Before I even raised the camera, I knew this would be a black and white image. The tonal contrasts—the stark sky, the low grasses, the solemn rows of markers—were perfectly aligned for monochrome treatment. There’s a solemn majesty here, one shaped by history, spirit, and landscape.
Fort Washakie Cemetery is an image that holds silence and strength in equal measure. Wyoming calls itself “big sky country,” and on this day, the sky bore witness to something quietly eternal.
Available in a Limited Edition of 15, with 2 Artist Proofs
