About the Image

This sepia-toned advertising action image shows a Concorde stagecoach in full motion, drawn by a powerful 6-up team of grays across a blurred, windswept Arizona landscape. The stage driver, dressed in traditional Old West attire, grips the reins with intensity as the stage barrels forward. The motion-blurred effect amplifies the sense of speed and urgency, immersing viewers in a bygone era where journeys were perilous and every mile hard-won.

This was my second time photographing a stagecoach. The first was a stage with a 4-up team (4 horses) in Wyoming, so adapting to the nearly 35-foot (about 11 meters) length of a 6-up team (6 horses) was a new challenge. The opportunity came when a client in Arizona requested this shoot, prompting me to reach out to a friend for help sourcing what I needed. While there are a lot of Concord stagecoaches scattered across the West, many are just props or interior decoration, with only a few that are actually used.

For a shoot like this, you not only need the coach, but also a full 6-up team and, crucially, an experienced driver. Without a skilled hand at the reins, disaster is a real risk. When I asked the owner how long it takes to learn to drive a 6-up, he told me it takes about two years to approach proficiency, and another five years to truly master it.

In Wyoming, I’d photographed coaches against open, rolling grasslands. But in Rio Verde, Arizona, the landscape was dominated by towering rocks-some 35 to 40 feet (7–8 meters) high and stretching over 100 feet (30 meters) across. Smaller rocks scattered throughout the terrain posed serious hazards; striking one at speed could shatter a wheel, flip the stage, or worse. I adapted quickly to the tight, rocky confines.

I asked Red, the driver and owner of the stage, if he could drive the horses straight between two large rocks, then veer left and immediately right. With rock walls on both sides, any miscalculation could result in a collision or a flip. Red assessed the route and nodded. "Yes," he said. I climbed up onto a rock to get the perfect vantage point to capture the action... or the wreck.

From my position, I radioed, "Action".

Already holding all the reins threaded between his fingers, Red lifted them, yelled to his matched team of grays, and snapped the reins, urging them into a run. The horses perked up, heads and ears at attention, and surged forward. Within seven or eight powerful strides, the 1,000-pound (450 kg) stagecoach was at a full run, and Red was expertly steering the team into position for the first turn.

I started snapping a few frames but held off, waiting for the critical moment. Red raised his right foot and gently pressed it against the brake. With his left hand, he pulled the reins, and the horses responded, maintaining the run as they swung through the first turn. Just when I was considering how quickly I could dial 911, Red slammed the brake, locking the rear wheels, skidding the stage around the rock. Then, easing off the brake and switching his grip to the right-hand reins, he locked the wheels again and expertly maneuvered the stage through the final turn without incident.

The scratches in the photo, along with the aging, and "Dust" spots etc. were performed in Photoshop. NO Artificial Intelligence was used... just actual intelligence.

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The "For Photographers" section is well below.

More Below!

After the morning shoot, Red shared some incredible stories. One of them: "Back in the day," he said, stage lines had stops every 10 to 50 miles (16-80 km), depending on the terrain. Drivers would change horses in under ten minutes and be back on the road. But sometimes, a stage would arrive to find no horses waiting - they’d been stolen or shot.

In those cases, the driver would open the corral gates, position the stage facing the exit, unhitch his team, and tie them up or, if grass was about, hobble them to graze. Then, he’d saddle one horse, grab a lariat, and head out to rope wild horses. One by one, he’d drag them back to the corral, bridle them, and tie them to a rail or a snubbing post. Once he had six horses, he and the station man would blindfold them, harness the largest, strongest horses closest to the stage, then get 2 of the horses that were smaller, then the last 2. who were the youngest and least experienced ones up front as the lead pair.

Once all the passengers were loaded, the driver would climb to his seat, tie the brake to full lock, thread the reins through his fingers to balance the tension, and signal for the gates to open. Then came the real challenge - releasing the brake and snapping the reins, hoping at least one of the wild horses would start moving forward and pull the rest with it. Imagine six untamed horses pulling in every direction but forward. If the stagecoach somehow made it to the next station, those horses were considered harness-broke.

And people today complain when their flight is an hour late.

Wells Fargo’s Rules

First, a bit of lesser-known history: Charley Parkhurst began driving stagecoaches for the Birch Stagecoach Company upon her* arrival in Sacramento in 1849. By 1850, the Birch Company merged with Wells Fargo to create the Wells Fargo & Company Overland Stage, and Charley was put in charge of a brand new Concord Stagecoach, longer runs and more treacherous routes than ever.

Along with more responsibilities, Charley defined the following stipulations for a pleasant ride aboard the new Wells Fargo coaches that all drivers were expected to provide to the passengers:

Abstinence from liquor is requested. If you must drink, share your bottle; otherwise you will appear to be selfish and unneighborly.

If ladies are present, gentlemen are urged to forego smoking pipes or cigars, as the odor is repugnant to the gentle sex. Chewing tobacco is permitted, but spit with the wind, not against it.

Gentlemen must refrain from using rough language in the presence of ladies and children.

Buffalo robes are provided for your comfort during cold weather. Hogging robes will not be tolerated and the offender will be made to ride with the driver.

Don’t snore loudly while sleeping or use your fellow passenger’s shoulder for a pillow. He (or she) may not understand and friction may result.

Firearms may be kept on your person for use in emergencies. Do not fire them for pleasure or shoot at wild animals as the sound riles the horses.

In the event of runaway horses, remain calm. Leaping from the coach in panic will leave you injured, at the mercy of the elements, hostile Indians, and hungry coyotes.

Forbidden topics of discussion are stagecoach robberies and Indian uprisings.

Gents guilty of unchivalrous behavior toward lady passengers will be put off the stage. It’s a long walk back. A word to the wise is sufficient.

*Charley Darkey Parkhurst (born Charlotte Darkey Parkhurst; January 17, 1812 – December 28, 1879) also known as "One-Eyed Charley" or "Six-Horse Charley", was an American stagecoach driver, farmer and rancher in California. Raised in New England she ran away as a youth, taking the name Charley. Now, pretending to be a man, she started work as a stable hand and learned to handle horses, including to drive coaches drawn by multiple horses. She worked in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, traveling to Georgia for associated work.

Seeking other opportunities, Parkhurst, in her late 30s, left for California, sailing on the R. B. Forbes from Boston to Panama; travelers had to cross the isthmus overland and pick up other ships on the west coast. In Panama, Parkhurst met John Morton, returning to San Francisco where he owned a drayage business (freighting business); Morton recruited Charley to work for him. Shortly after reaching California, Parkhurst lost the use of one eye after a kick from a horse, leading to her nickname of One Eyed Charley or Cockeyed Charley.

Only after her death was her true sex discovered.

For Photographers

The Gear:
Canon camera using 100 ISO and 1/50 second shutter speed using a 
Canon 85mm f1.8 lens set to f2.8, handheld.

The Light:
Overcast.

Safety: The driver had a 2 way radio, we had a mounted cowboy with a really fast and well trained horse staged close as a safety rider who had a 2 way radio, my lead assistant had one and I had two, an extra in case of failure. The immediacy of 2 way radios is a big help in giving directions and a real help in an emergency by saving time.

*I own 9 2-way radios. All of them are Motorola CP200. They are rugged, reliable and not very expensive. I just bought 2 of them with batteries, chargers, and power supplies for the chargers for $250 total, and the radios looked almost new. If you buy them, you need to choose between VHF or UHF frequencies and even though they are CP200 radios, they will not talk to each other. 

The VHF radios (Very High Frequency, 30–300 MHz) are best for long-range, outdoor communication with minimal obstructions, such as marine, aviation, and rural farming.

UHF radios (Ultra High Frequency, 300–3000 MHz) excels at penetrating obstacles like buildings, concrete, and dense foliage. These are the radios I use.

Also! These come with 4 channels or 16 channels, I have the 16 channel radios. They are the same price and having extra channels in a dense city is handy as you have a better chance of not having a problem finding an open channel.

The radios I buy/use are: Motorola CP200 model# AAH50RDC9AA2AN

Also, just about any grip house will have these radios for rent. BUT!!! You or the grip house will need to clone your radio's frequencies to their radios or vice versa. This is easy to do with the correct software and the special cable needed.

I see things differently, which is an advantage to my clients. Being inspired by the beauty of light, motion, and atmosphere... my work reflects the same creativity and attention to detail I bring to every client project, commercial or editorial. Whether you're looking to elevate your brand visuals, tell a compelling story, or capture unforgettable moments with impact, let's create something visually extraordinary together, stills, motion or both. Get in touch to discuss your vision today. E-mail is by far the best way to contact us as we are traveling on average 175 days a year and sometimes well out of cell phone range.

We are based in Los Angeles, California, Atlanta, Georgia, both in the USA, & Milan, Italy, and serve the nation and travel worldwide for projects, both video and stills. On average we travel 175 days a year from all over the USA, to Singapore to Japan, Europe and the Middle East. We are normally in Europe 2 or 3 times a year, mostly Italy and Germany, shooting for clients there.

If you would like to use this image, or any of my images for mock or comp use, please just ask. There is never a charge for this service. Educational use is permitted without charge, unless published, but please ask first. All commercial use is available only with a limited copyright release prior to use from the copyright holder, Steve Thornton. Thanks for looking!