#WesternWomenWednesday, Morgan Kromm
I tell Morgan to bring all her name brand stuff and drink morning beer. Morgan tells me to pull down her pants (Not like that! Her pant leg for a spur picture, k?)
I tell to stop going all Rachel Hollis on me. She tells me to stop apologizing.
Jessica Hedges and Morgan Kromm at the Alvord Desert Collab Shoot.
I help her with sales copy. She helps me with photo gear.
In between, there are conversations about marketing and photography, being a cowboy’s wife and people we know. She laughs when my kid trips due to his poor choices and I invite her for socials where we photograph historical sites.
We both have our quirks.
We technically “compete” in a variety of ways but have decided not to.
We don’t always agree but somehow it just seems to work!
Meet the model behind our last two photo shoots, a day working cowboygirl, photographer and content manager, Morgan Kromm!
Name. Age. Location.
Morgan and Andrew Kromm
Morgan. 24 & 11 months (I know, I know. I’m so mature. Thanks for noticing). Fields, OR.
Cowboy, photographer, what started first? How do they feed each other?
I’ve had horses my whole life and started getting into the cowboy lifestyle when I was probably 17. I used a friends camera to take pictures at a branding a couple years later and really liked it so I got my own not long after. My photography has bloomed from there.
I am going to go out on a limb and assume we both have great taste in horses because we each have a grey as our main squeeze.
It is a common misconception that those who cowboy were born into cowboy families. You are a great example of how that is not true. How and when did you come to cowboying?
David Morrison and Morgan Kromm, Chimineas Ranch, California
While none of my immediate family are cowboys (or even own any livestock), my cousin David started taking my horse and I to go help him at the historic Chimineas ranch in California when I was 17 or so. He pushed me to do and try a lot of things that scared me but I did most of it anyways, learned a ton, and was hooked from then on. When I was 20 I moved to Mammoth Lakes to work for a pack outfit. I met Andrew on the first day I was there and we started dating not too long after. Since he was running a local ranch, I helped him when I wasn’t working for the pack station. We got married and I’ve followed him to different ranches ever since!
Your love of beef and the beef industry has lead you to the Harney County Cattlewomens. Why are you so passionate about their program and the work they're doing?
Play Day, McDermitt, NV
I believe that the promotion of beef and cattle is incredibly important. It seems as though the majority of people outside of the ranching world are ignorant to a lot of aspects of what we do. This won’t change unless we take the time to inform people and continue to promote it in a positive light. This is what HCCW does so I’m happy to support them. Obviously, since I got suckered into being the secretary and all, haha. It’s a position that I enjoy though so I think I will run for it in the next election.
What is the one thing you wish the general population understood about cattle and beef production?
Part of conservation is making use of as much “waste” as possible.
We aren’t the bad guys. A lot of people and groups that are anti-rancher try to claim that we hurt the land and stuff along those lines. From my experience, ranchers are the biggest conservationists there are. Our job is literally to conserve/take care of the land and the cattle. If we fail to do that then we aren’t doing our job to the fullest.
You manage content for several pages, any tips for others doing the same thing?
Set aside time for each page or account. Avoid multitasking (if necessary) on the Internet because it’s too easy to get sidetracked and it can be really a really inefficient use of your time.
With hashtags like #communityovercompetition, how do view competitors in the market place?
As much as I don’t like to admit it, I struggle with this. It used to be easy for me to get caught up with being frustrated and rolling my eyes when I saw yet another person trying to create a photography business before I feel that they are ready. I have realized that it’s not my place to judge other people’s work or their decision to start a business so I made myself start being supportive until it became a habit that changed my way of thinking. I still get intimidated by people that I think are better than me but I love to help others.
Despite everything you juggle, you still maintain a heavy emphasis on health. What is your favorite go to meal in a hurry?
You use the word “meal” like I actually eat enough, lol. My biggest struggle is eating enough food, especially protein. I rarely have time to make myself much so when I’m in a hurry it’s usually scrambled eggs and sausage or a wrap of some sort. I don’t force my family to eat healthy with me so I lot of times I’ll make something for them and eat something different myself or I’ll have what they’re eating but cut out the carbohydrate portion of it.
It takes a long time to drive anywhere in this country and you have shared that podcasts help fill the time. What are a couple of your favorites to recommend?
Podcasts are life. I love love love “Goal Digger” by Jenna Kutcher, “Rise” by Rachel Hollis (P.S. I liked her before she was cool 😎), “For The Love” by Jen Hatmaker, and also the Elevation church podcasts.
Favorite quote?
I’m a quote lover so it’s hard to narrow down a favorite, I would bet money that I could think of a quote for just about everything. The top one(s) that come to mine are: “Be pretty if you can, be witty if you must, but be gracious if it kills you.” -Elsie de Wolfe, & “holding in anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die”
