From collection Person List
John DeVere Helfrich was known as the Dean of Rodeo Photography and set the standard for years to come. Beginning with the Cowboys’ Turtle Association, Helfrich soon became the official photographer of the fledgling association. At a time when film and camera equipment was expensive, Helfrich made sure that every shot counted. Working with his wife Helen, they captured nearly three decades of rodeo history. They traveled the rodeo circuit with a small trailer that had been converted into a mobile darkroom. Helfrich’s photographs are the iconic black and white images that everyone associates with rodeo’s heyday. Helfrich passed away September 1, 1981 at the age of 79.
