Anouk Masson Krantz is a French fine-art photographer and author based in NYC, best known for her American Western work.

Born and raised in France, she later moved to NYC in the late 1990's. After years of work in the luxury consumer industry, she left her role at Cartier's corporate office in New York City in 2003 to pursue photography. Krantz carefully selects projects that inspire as her works compel us to find solace and pause for a moment of peace and self-reflection. Her minimalistic, black and white large-scale contemporary photographs draw upon her refined eye to stir one's emotions and move the soul.
Krantz's photography has received worldwide acclaim as she has built a reputation as a leading visionary of cowboy photography of our times. Her success has influenced the recent resurgence of the Western genre in popular culture. Her books have become a global sales phenomenon and sat atop the bestseller lists for five years.
She has collaborated with Yellowstone series creator and director Taylor Sheridan, who wrote the foreword for her book American Cowboys in 2021 as well as with the legendary Bernie Taupin, known for writing Elton John's songs, who penned the foreword for her latest book FRONTIER: Cowboy of the Americas.
Krantz broke barriers as a woman from the outside. Since 2017, in her Western travels, she worked tirelessly to earn the trust and confidence of the ever private and discrete American ranching world. She gradually became known to the cowboy community and doors across the country opened. Over eight years, she has logged well over 125,000 miles by herself in her quest to reveal the authentic daily lives of the noble and virtuous American Cowboy.
"They would invite me into their homes, share meals and allowed me to ride among them. As we began to understand one another, I was accepted as one of them."
Over the past two years, Anouk has travelled further to explore the Western way of life across the Americas. Her recent works and new large-format 360-page artbook FRONTIER will be released on November 4th, 2024.
A limited slipcover edition as well as a limited leather collector's edition with a signed print will be released early 2025.
Her books, all published by Images Publishing/ACC Art Books, include:
Wild Horses of Cumberland Island (Nov 2017) (edition II // five reprints)
West: The American Cowboy (Nov 2019) (ten reprints)
American Cowboys (Nov 2021) - foreword by Taylor Sheridan (Nov 2021) (seven reprints)
Ranchland: Wagonhound - foreword by Gretel Ehrlich (Nov 2022) (two reprints)
Krantz's photographs have received accolades from the International Photography Awards and International Monochrome Awards. More recently she received the prestigious Wrangler Award at the 2023 Western Heritage Awards for her latest artbook Ranchland. Her work is displayed in prominent museums and private collections worldwide. In 2023, Cowboys & Indians named her "Trailblazer of the West" along with other western luminaries Lainey Wilson, Joanna Gaines and Quannah Chasinghorse. Krantz's work has been featured around the world in publications such as GQ, The Times, L'Oeil De La Photographie, Vanity Fair, Town & Country, Time, Harper's Bazaar, and Departures.
Anouk is an active supporter of several worthy causes including the American Cancer Society, the National Indigenous Women's Resouce Center and Build A Nest.

Fascinated with the stories and lifestyle of the American West, Bernie Taupin built a legendary and illustrious career in music while crafting timeless songs inspired by the cowboys he discovered in film and on vinyl as a young boy in rural England. A Gershwin Prize and Academy Award-winning songwriter, Bernie has co-written some of pop music’s biggest hits with Elton John since 1967. A 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, best-selling author, and visual artist, Bernie is happiest at home listening to vinyl records, cooking, and watching baseball and PBR with his friends and family.