Others may now label her “mainstream” because she deals with potentially less-threatening topics (America’s highways, strip malls, high school football players), but she is still not mainstream. She still has a queer perspective from which she views the world.

“Julie and I discussed it and I think the only reason I would do it is because it would be great for Oliver to see his parents do it,” she said.

“But – we are married. We know that we both feel like partners on a very deep level. We work hard at it and we don’t take it for granted. Nor do I think that [legal] marriage will complete us as couple.”

Opie laughed, adding, “We just have such a good time together, I can’t even imagine not having each other around. I wear a ring and she wears a ring because it’s symbolic that we belong to each other, but we don’t need to get married.”

This is Catherine Opie. At once bound by and bucking tradition, creating links between ideas and communities which others can’t see. American photographer, indeed.