There’s a beautiful opportunity to capture texture when photographing blue-collar work. Grease, dirt, sweat, blood and smoke. A reflection of life in a fascinating collection of colors, grain and character. It is one thing to work a well-paced job from morning to evening. It is something else entirely to truly wear yourself down from sunup to sundown, not caring whether or not you’re clean when you come home. Being covered in the disposition of the day is a representation of how hard you’ve worked, and how much you’ve accomplished.

The Ennis family lives in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. Melody and Steve are the pillars of the family, with Ember and Jake being their hardworking children. Jake’s wife, Morgan Roberts Ennis, has grown to learn about working cattle and works just as hard, aiding in the task. Morgan and Jake have a 5-month-old, Wyler James Ennis. This family begins the day early, heading over to the pasture to round up cattle. Wyler sleeps soundly in his stroller for most of the day, the noise of his surroundings a seemingly mundane experience. The Ennis family has learned how to work as a team by now. Even with frustration and problems that need fixing, they’ve learned how to function as a cohesive unit.

The next part of working cattle consists of taking the loaded cattle trailers to the right pasture lot. From there, cattle are moved, in small groups, to the chute where they receive shots, branding, and tags (if necessary). This happens one by one until every animal has been through the chute. This process takes up the entire day. Ember brands and tags while giving a shot on her side of the chute. Morgan gives the other shot on the opposite side, while Jake rounds the cattle up and directs them through the chute. Wyler still sleeps.