Ranch Beef - Carson Valley, Nevada

Anderson Cattle Company - 2A Cattle Co.

Carson Valley, Nevada

This whole cowboy project “officially” started 3+ years ago through a series of random events that landed me at a bull sale in Gardnerville, Nevada. There I met Spencer Anderson of the Anderson Cattle Co. We wound up chatting, and after explaining to him what I was trying to do, he invited me to his cattle branding that would take place a few months down the road. At the time, I was as green as can be, so the whole thing was an eye opening experience to say the least. A look into the Western world that I’d been searching for. Spencer and his wife Jessica were the first people to let me IN - a debt I can never repay. They are first generation cattle ranchers with leases in Carson Valley, Nevada and Chico, California. I was immediately struck by not only their kindness, but their passion for the business and lifestyle. It was contagious. Over the years we’ve developed a friendship that I’m extremely grateful for, which came full circle when they asked me to produce some work for them, and later trusted me to tell their story in Working Ranch Magazine. They are as real as it gets, being very open about their struggles getting to where they are today - an incredibly refreshing contrast to the bullshit personas the rest of the world portrays on Instagram. Stories like theirs need to be told because it can inspire other people to follow their dreams in the same way.

If you’d like to get some of their beef shipped directly to your home, visit their website 2A Beef

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Anderson Cattle Co - Carson Valley, Nevada

Ranch direct beef in Carson Valley, Nevada

Buck Brannaman

Buck Brannaman - Western Horseman

Photography Prints - Wall Art

Imagine being a fly on the wall while Marlon Brando rehearses lines alone in his dressing room. Or being the only person at Yankee Stadium while Mickey Mantle takes batting practice.  Witnessing a master at work is a gift. Like watching an IG video of tourists approaching Bison in Yellowstone, it’s nearly impossible to look away. However, access to such events isn’t often granted and requires some form of payment. That might be putting in your time with sweat equity, or the purchase of an elusive ticket that seems to vanish the second it hits the internet. Stumbling upon greatness by way of simply being in the right place/right time, is something else all together. Such was the case last fall in Montana on the historic OW Ranch outside of Decker. 

Buck Brannaman - Western Horseman Magazine

If you’re reading this, then you know who Buck Brannaman is, so that’ll save us some time. On this particular hot and buggy day, the OW crew led by Gabe Clark, had gathered and branded a couple hundred calves. Afterward they all trailered back to HQ and unloaded horses into the barn. One cowgirl was having a hard time with Lux - a 4 year old Quarter Horse Mare, getting in and out of her trailer. You’re familiar with the sound of raging hooves slamming against metal, each one increasing in decibels. The kind of commotion that causes everyone to instinctively hop over the top rail in fear of a broken leg, or worse. A few attempts were made to coach Lux’s anxiety, while Brannaman stood quietly nearby, graciously watching the next generation work out their own problems. But that horse no more wanted to walk into a trailer than a toddler wants to be thrown into the deep end of a pool. After twenty minutes his excitement could be bridled no longer, so he asked kindly for a swing. That’s when the day changed. A place filled with energy, laughs, and the general happiness of branding season, now felt more like a classroom with all eyes on the professor. Every cowboy/girl stopped in their tracks to watch, hoping to sponge knowledge from the master. Nearby truck seats and trailers were the only option for shade, so they quickly became the students desks, conveniently half circled around the teacher. And for clarification, the OW is filled with highly skilled hands. So the onlookers weren’t just a bunch of wanna be’s, but every good cowboy knows that learning is a lifelong process.  

Famous Horse Trainer - Buck Brannaman

It had already been a full day and getting hotter. Brannaman wasn’t planning on being Brannaman right then. This week was sort of a vacation for him, so the program read brand calves then relax on the front porch with a cocktail, but he simply couldn’t help himself. Did Michael Jordan ever turn down a challenge? No, he seeked them out. Space in the trailer was tight. Side to side there was only room enough for the horse and Buck, but of course he seemed right at home. Even when it got Western. It didn’t take long to realize this wouldn’t be a 10 minute project, so the students settled in, happy to receive an invaluable education. Time ticked by imperceptibly while the sun beat down on Brannanam as he stood surrounded by metal and exacerbated equine. “Buck, do you need some water?” “No, I’m good”, he’d say without lifting his head or taking eyes off the horse. Tap Tap Tap. Over and over again, calculated touches of his flag to Lux’s back shoulder, belly, and feet while gently urging with the reins in his left hand. A delicate dance of give and take.  The horse showed signs of improvement then regression, half stepping it’s back legs like it was being pushed off the edge of a cliff, genuinely afraid.Once inside he slammed his head repeatedly on the roof, then dropped right to the ground, rattling the entire trailer. After an hour some of the hands begrudgingly left only out of obligation to set up a trap for the next day's branding. Everyone else took no notice because their eyes were glued on the “action”. At one point Buck said in his own calm way that these types of exercises are crowd thinners because most people lack the longevity to deal with such subtle wins. Which makes you realize that patience is the conduit to his greatness. Lux wasn’t even his horse. Nor was he leading one of his world famous clinics, but you get the sense that his obligation to the animals and desire to help trumps all that.  Another 30 minutes went by with small gains and bigger losses. Still though, there was no wavering from Brannaman. He was there to complete the task. The only sounds heard were the flickering of the flag until the slightest bit of progress was made, which he recognized verbally but didn’t celebrate. Another 30 minutes passed. Two hours into an impromptu session and you had to wonder where he’d draw the line and start thinking about a cold whisky. When asked what to do if he felt the horse was out of patience, he stated that horses are much more patient than humans. And if your horse isn’t listening, then you probably don’t have anything interesting to say! 

Buck Brannaman working with a young horse on the OW Ranch in Montana

Buck Brannaman training a horse

A half hour and several hundred taps of the flag later, the guys came back from setting up the traps and Buck was still at work in the same 10 ft bubble as when they left. The only thing that had changed was the horse. After several thousand taps of the flag, he could almost seamlessly walk in and out of the trailer. His calm and confidence now mirroring Brannamans because they developed a mutual trust. After a few more taps, Buck said quietly “that’s the one”. Sure enough, he had successfully taken Lux from being an outright liability to a gentle collaborator. Any anxiety and hesitation had been erased. All this on a day when he simply wanted to throw some loops in good company and soak up a Montana sunset. Most people might have given Lux the old college try if anything at all. Buck spent 2.5 hours because that’s what he was born to do. Saying no or walking away wasn’t an option. And for those lucky enough to bear witness, they received the gift of a lifetime. Afterward his daughter Reata joked “you might have a future in this, Dad.” To which he calmly replied, “I don’t know, it’s kinda competitive” 

Photograph of Buck Brannaman on the OW Ranch in Montana

Contact me directly with all cowboy print inquiries for your home, office, or commercial space - rob@robhammerphotography.com

Montana Cowboys

Cowboy Photography - Big Sky Journal - Wall Art

Montana Cowboys Prints

Wyoming and Montana are parts of the world that have become synonymous with cowboys and the American West, and that didn’t happen by accident. I haven’t read any research to back this up, but it’d be a good bet to say there are more cattle in both of those states than there are humans. Which means those cows live in some of the prettiest country on planet earth. It’s been my good fortune to visit a number of historic cattle ranches in both states, and do they ever leave an impression. The OW Ranch in Montana in particular, really left it’s mark. The OW has been around since the late 1800’s. The famous Western photographer L.A. Huffman made a lot of photographs there in his day, one of which was hanging on the wall in the kitchen.

So grateful to be invited to these incredible properties and for the opportunity to document good people while they work. There are some handy cowboys in these photographs that were recently published in The Big Sky Journal (out of Bozeman, Montana). It’s always nice to have work show up in places where you know the viewers will appreciate it.

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Montana cowboy wall art prints

Wyoming cowboy photography prints

Western Horseman Magazine

Cowboy Photography - American West Wall Art

Western Horseman Magazine - Diamond A Ranch

The Diamond A Ranch is the largest cattle ranch in the Southwest at 725,000 acres. That’s a hard figure to wrap your brain around, so imagine your daily job is working cattle on that stunning piece of land!? Cowboys are tough people, but you need to be a tougher breed altogether for that lifestyle. Over a few different visits I got to know a number of the people on the Diamond A crew and am honored to call a few of them friends! The owners (Rick and Sarah Kieckhefer) showed me great hospitality as did all of their cowboys/cowgirls. It really is an honor just being aloud on these historic ranches, so I couldn’t be any more proud to to share this story that was recently published in Western Horseman Magazine - a publication that’s been a staple in the cowboy world since 1936! To read the article go pick up a copy of this issue or go to www.westernhorseman.com

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Reach out directly if you’re interested in wall art of any of my cowboy photographs - rob@robhammerphotography.com

Cowboy Culture Photography

Authentic Cowboy Prints

American West - Wall Art - Cowboy Culture

What a humbling gift it is being able to spend time on working cattle ranches. This photography series documenting cowboys in the American West has been going on for well over two years now, and I hope it never ends. There is no amount of gratitude I could express to the cowboys and cowgirls for allowing me to be along for the ride. Most of them would never call it work, but still, what they do isn’t just a vital key to supplying the country with beef, it’s an undeniably important piece of American culture. One that most people will never understand because they aren’t able to see it with their own eyes.

This set of images is from the Diamond A Ranch outside of Seligman, Arizona. At 750,000 acres, it’s the largest in the southwest. A piece of property that will make you feel small in a hurry. The images you see here are from my second visit to the ranch, and I’m proud to call a few of the people in them my friends. Stay tuned for more from this shoot. Some of the images should be published in a magazine soon.

Reach out directly if you’d like prints of anything from this cowboy photography series for your home, office, or commercial space.

Photograph of two cowboys riding horses at sunrise with a beautiful western scene behind them

Black and white photograph of two cowboys roping a wild steer

Photograph of cowboys eating dinner in a bunkhouse

Photograph of a cowboy saddling his horse early in the morning on an Arizona cattle ranch

Photograph of two cowboy riding their horses through tough terrain in Arizona

Black and White photograph of two cowboys in a bunkhouse

Sign for the Rose Well camp on the Diamond A Ranch - Center of the Universe

American West Cowboy Photography

FINE ART COWBOY PHOTOGRAPHY - PRINTS

Western photography when it comes to cowboys and cattle ranching has been around a long time. You might argue as long as the profession itself, since the legendary L.A. Huffman did it back in the 1800’s. Art collectors like to hang fine art photographs of the action - cattle branding, bucking broncs, stampedes, etc. And all of that is damn sure fun to photograph, but what about the quiet moments? Before and after the action when a cattle ranch is at rest. Those are just as fun to photograph, and important to show as a piece of the story telling puzzle. Last week I was fortunate to visit the historic K4 Ranch outside of Prescott, Arizona. It’s got a rich history in the cattle world as well as for it’s horses with notable bloodlines coming from the famous Driftwood Ike, among many others. Being there for the action is always prefered, but I find myself being very grateful for the off times that make way for images you would never otherwise have time to see or make.

Click here to see more of my photos series on Cowboys in the American West.

Contact me directly for prints of my cowboy photography. All images are available in different sizes for your home, office, or commercial space.

A cowboy’s revolver

Horse corrals on the K4 Ranch in Prescott Arizona

Photograph of used horseshoes sitting in a bucket on a cattle ranch in Arizona

Ropes from King’s Saddlery hang on a cow skull on the K4 Ranch in Prescott, Arizona

Photograph of a roping dummy on a cattle ranch in the American West

A cowboy’s shoeing station for his horse on a cattle ranch in Arizona

Doug Monson - Western Charcoal Artist

Best Western Charcoal Artist - Doug Monson

Doug Monson is a western charcoal artist that lives in Afton, Wyoming in the Star Valley. While his his entire life has been dedicated to art, it wasn’t until recently that full time success became a reality. Nowadays you can find his beautiful charcoal drawings of cowboys and wildlife hanging in his own Western Skies Gallery, Jackson Hole’s oldest fine art gallery - Wilcox Gallery , and in the homes of fine art collectors all over the world .

Its wild to look back and see how certain parts of your life come together. I make it a point to do as much backcountry snowboarding in Jackson Hole, WY as possible. The terrain and snow quality is just top notch. This past winter we were up there during a particularly cold storm which got down to -30 for 3 days in a row. The excitement overtook me, as it often does, and I forgot to treat my diesel pickup truck with the proper chemicals that would keep it from freezing. So, it froze. Literally. To the point that it was towed to the dealership in order to thaw out in their heated garage. Aside from costing a lot of money to fix, it also kept me in Jackson for longer than expected. My friends went out riding while I dealt with the truck, leaving a large portion of the day open. So I walked around town to all of the famous galleries like Wilcox Gallery, Horizon Fine Art, Gallery Wild, Heather James Fine Art, Altamira Fine Art, and Brookover Gallery, to name just a few. Jackson Hole has a LOT of fine art that can keep just about anyone happy for days at a time. I’d been meaning to tour the galleries anway, in hopes of finding a place to sell some of the work from my photography series on Cowboys. So having that day was an unwanted blessing in disguise. And the inspiration you can get from seeing so much great work can be addicting for any kind of artist.

By the time my truck was ready I was in a rush, which caused me to take the quick way home instead of taking several days sniffing around for photographs. The “quick” route took me through Afton where I stumbled upon Western Skies Gallery. Still having the gallery bug I went in and was greeted by Doug Monson, who I soon learned was a charcoal artist and the gallery owner. Upstairs above the gallery is his working studio. I was in awe of the space and asked if it would be ok to make some photographs while he was working. Doug obliged and we would up spending an hour or two just hanging out talking while he drew and I made photographs. I had no idea what would happen with the images, but was inspired by the space and his work. A few weeks later it occured to me that it would be fun to write an article on Monson, and here we are 10 months later with a feature in Western Art Collector Magazine!

Western charcoal artist Doug Monson at work on a drawing in his Afton, Wyoming studio.

Doug Monson drawing a cowboy with charcoal at his studio in Afton, Wyoming

The beautiful fine art of western charcoal artist Doug Monson

Boots O'Neal

Boots O’Neal - Cowboy - 6666 Ranch - Texas

Being a photographer has been a great pleasure and an even greater adventure. It’s taken me to some outstanding parts of the earth and allowed me to photograph some of the most famous athletes on it. “Who is your favorite?”, has always been a common question. Until recently, that was an impossible question to answer, now the final is Boots. Boots O’Neal is a 90 year old cowboy on the 6666 Ranch in Texas. A more inspiring human you will not meet. To learn more about him continue reading this piece I wrote that was originally published with Wrangler.

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Boots O’Neal on his horse working cattle in the corrals at the 6666 Ranch

Imagine for a moment, waking up in the hospital with 12 broken ribs, a punctured lung, broken vertebrae, and a bleeding brain. Now imagine that pain at 82 years of age. Cal Ripken Jr. was Major League Baseball's “Ironman”. Earning the nickname after playing 2,632 consecutive games. Put those end to end and you’ve got over 7 years of straight baseball. An astonishing stat and impressive feat only possible for a human made from the toughest stock. No offense to Mr. Ripken, but that doesn’t hold a candle to the Texas legend - Boots O’Neal, who's been horseback for the better part of the last 75 years. Despite the aforementioned injuries, piled on a lifetime of other broken body parts, the now 90 year old cowboy shows no desire whatsoever to retire. You’d think someone that’s lived in such a way would have a face much resembling their saddle that’s endured as many miles. Instead, O’Neal’s is endearing, and fixed with a perpetual smile that causes you to do the same. The kind of guy that inadvertently makes you a better person just by being in his presence. 

While we’re on the stat train, let’s dole out a few more just to drive the point home, what an outlier he truly is. The average retirement age in America is 62. The average age of death is 78. And a cowboy will normally take home about $31,466 a year. At a time in life when most folks are either dead or in a nursing home, Boots wakes up every morning with excitement to saddle a horse and work cattle alongside fellow cowpunchers that could be his grandkids. People just aren’t built like him anymore. Not a partier, but it would be safe to put O’Neal in the Keith Richards class. Immortal freaks, in the most beautiful way possible. 

Portrait of Boots O’Neal

Cowboys in general are a strand of human unlike the rest of us. Born not made. And from birth, it was obvious O’Neal created a category all his own. Growing up in the 30’s he was one of 8 children living in a home without running water. The bathroom was an outhouse, and the bath, a tub filled with water and placed next to the kitchen oven, door open for heat. After 3 or 4 of the kids took their turn, that water was tossed outside to calm down the dust. He was never much for school. The only thing he excelled at was boxing, but usually just looked forward to running off the bus and into the barn to saddle a horse, only coming in when his mother hung a white sheet on the clothesline - their version of a dinner bell. 9th grade was as far as he cared to go, leaving home in August of 49’ at sixteen to cowboy for the JA ($90/week). That job found him on the wagon, sleeping in only a bedroll 6-7 months at a time. A lifestyle that fit him just fine. 

Before we go any further, it would be appropriate to define what makes a real cowboy. The loud mouth sporting a big black hat getting in drunken bar fights makes for good movies, but that’s about it. According to the man himself, a real cowboy is polite. Smooth. Talks gentlemanly to ladies and is good under fire. Dusty Burson (32) - foreman on the Four Sixes and close friend to Mr. O’Neal said it best - “What’s a cowboy? Well, they’re good people. Honest. They do what they say they’re gonna do. If they tell you they’ll be there to help, they’ll be there, and they’ll stay to the end.” If that statement made its way into Websters, the following words should read “also see Boots O’Neal”. 

Boots O’Neal branding calves in the early morning on the 6666 Ranch in Texas

Boots O’Neal’s custom spurs

After the JA, he continued punching cows in different places including a quarter century stay at the Waggoner Ranch. All the while racking up a collection of buckles and saddles from bronc riding in rodeos all over the country. Word is he’s still pretty sticky. A wife (Nelda) also came into the mix as did a daughter (Laurie). Despite being opposites, Boots and Nelda remained in love for 44 years until her passing. She was a proper lady that enjoyed being in town but fully supported his innate need for open country. As their relationship grew, his career did along with it. The 50’s’ found him in Korea with the Army, where he stared out at vast foreign valleys, daydreaming about them filled with 1000 steer, and wondering why in the world they didn’t have any. After two years he was back on a ranch working hard to become a Peace Office and Brand Inspector at a time when cattle were still shipped by railroad. Along with the coveted title came a doubled salary, new clothes, fancy truck, and expense account. A novelty quickly erased by jealousy every time business on a ranch forced him to watch cowboys ride away on horses while he sat in a truck headed back to the office. “I just wanted to punch cows” he said. So he gave back a job that most in the industry would kill for and reclaimed his true love, working cattle from the back of a horse. 

Love is what it takes because the life of a cowboy asks a lot of a person, physically and emotionally. “ Even when I know tomorrow is gonna be a bad deal, and they’re predicting snow, and the wind coming out of the north blowing, and we’re gonna ride straight into it in the morning, I just look forward to getting out there and freezing my tail off” says O’Neal. How many 90 year olds have you ever heard say something like that? Burson again offers some insight - “he wakes up thinking I’m going to be happy today. He doesn’t let circumstances dictate happiness.” Dusty was the one who found the 82 year old O’Neal alone in a pasture, after the horse wreck that would have ended any mortal man. Even if it didn’t put him in the ground, the pain alone would cause a rational person to take a brush with death as a sign and say, ok, it’s been a good run. Burson visited him in the hospital shortly after and recalled the nurse asking why he kept lifting his left leg up in the air. Obviously, it was to keep the mobility of toeing a stirrup. “That’s how bad he wants to be a cowboy when he grows up” says Burson. 6 weeks later, he was back on that same horse and continues riding him today.  

Boots O’Neal talks with chuck wagon cook Charlie Ferguson on the 6666 Ranch in Texas

Seems like it came naturally for Boots, but don’t get it twisted, any good cowboy is a student of the trade. Always figuring out a way to get it done better without asking for recognition. All of the best cowboys Boots ever knew and patterned himself after, accomplished unthinkable feats even Taylor Shariden couldn’t script, in the middle of nowhere with only a few people to witness. Another friend and Texas icon Tom Moorehouse (72) is quick to point out “I’ve known Boots almost all my life, and anything I’ve got to say about him is good”. From the outside you might think that cowboying is a physical game. Only for the young. Not so. Sure, you need the gumption to handle extreme physical abuse and relentless weather that doesn’t end after an eight hour shift. But Moorehouse says the thing that separates Boots from the rest is that he’s a “keen observer”. He continues “my dad used to say a real cowboy is somebody that pays attention. Now that doesn’t sound like a good story, but that’s the truth.” There is so much that can go wrong when you’re working with 2,000+lb animals and navigating remote unforgiving terrain. One mistake could mean the end. 

We’ve already established that Boots is an enigma, but for arguments sake, let’s say he got lucky? Somehow the body that’s been broken more times than anyone can count, managed to miss the big one. Even with luck, longevity like his doesn’t just happen. And living on a wagon, eating ranch food, wouldn’t make any blueprint for “healthy living”. Cowboys require hearty meals to get them through their overly demanding lives. So It should be no surprise that beef has made its way to Boots’ plate just about every day for the past 90 years. Along with the beef came biscuits, gravy, and potatoes. Breakfast was peanut butter and syrup sandwiches. All of which goes against everything you’ll read from the so-called nutrition experts. Although pinto beans, prunes, and raisins are foods he now tries to consume regularly along with said beef. The fresh fruit and vegetables he also concentrates on just wasn’t a thing back then.”It wasn’t until I got up in years that I ever worried about putting something bad in my body.”  A chuckle was the only answer given when asked about exercise, but “I’ve never been short on sleep” says O’Neal. Which he believes has been the holy grail to his success. For as long as he can remember, even as a young buck, he’d turn in early, ensuring 8-9 hours of shuteye every night. These days he says “it takes me longer to rest than it does to get tired”, but it becomes obvious shortly after meeting him, that modesty is one of his many virtues. He’ll try and claim that he can’t do this, that, or the other. Then he slips into the saddle and the truth is revealed. “It takes a whole crew to keep me going”, he says. Again, modesty perfected. Perhaps his days aren’t spent aboard wild broncs, but he always gets the job done with grace, and his expertise couldn’t be matched anywhere in the world. Ironic for a guy who’s never considered himself very smart. What Boots has can’t be taught. He’s got a PHD in punching cows. Anybody will tell you he’s on the Mount Rushmore of the cowboy universe, but who the hell else could be up there with him? Is there another human that’s punched cows for almost 8 decades?  “It’s amazing what all he’s got stored up inside him that someone oughta have recorded” Dusty says. A lot of people with such knowledge and history can become high and mighty. Not Boots. He’ll let you mess up, then suggest, in a non degrading way, how to do it better. He knows we’re all in this thing together.

Boots O’Neal offloading his horse from a trailer on the 6666 Ranch in Texas

Boots O’Neal roping calves on the 6666 Ranch in Texas

If you think about the human condition and what we’re all after, one of the key ingredients is professional happiness. Everyone wants to spend their waking hours doing something they love. Why is that goal so elusive, so rare? A million dollar question. Even harder than finding that happiness, is keeping it. Somehow Boots O’Neal has managed to do it at one of the most physically demanding jobs on the planet and continues today at a very high level. Maybe the how doesn’t really matter. Maybe we should just use Boots as inspiration to be better humans. The iconic Four Sixes has been his home for the past 26 years. Panhandle, Texas is the closest town to their northern division where we met. The town sign fittingly reads “People of Pride and Purpose”. Just like the dictionary, there might as well be a picture of Boots next to that slogan. He figured IT out and still can’t get enough. He doesn’t need to work in a monetary sense. He wants to work, although it’d be a stretch to hear him use a four letter word like that. Even on a rare day off, he doesn’t look forward to a hobby or a vacation. Instead he’ll watch a rodeo on television or sit in a chair outside his bunkhouse apartment to watch the remuda come in. A sight he says, of 50 horses all running together, is one that most people will never get to see. Bob Dylan wrote a song on this very topic using only 17 words:  

“All the tired horses in the sun…..”

The guy has done it all, taken the beatings, and asked for more. He’s been inducted into every Hall of Fame a cowpuncher could possibly be associated with. Somehow that doesn’t seem enough of an honor though. Boots should be everyone's hero. He’s a national treasure and outstanding human being.  We should all strive to accomplish in our own lives what he has in his. Burson says “Yeah, he’s a cowboy, but he wants to be one tomorrow too”. If more people had that attitude, the world would be a better place. 

We were just about done talking when Boots’ story paused abruptly . A mischievous smile came to his face and the words stopped flowing. His attention fixed on one of the guys in a nearby corral working a young horse that was fixing to blow up. The grin stayed as he reminisced “I rode a lot of bucking horses in years past. I could get on a horse like that, just gather that thing up, and he’d be 3 feet in the air when I got that right stirrup”. Boots is a Christian. If he weren’t, and followed a religion believing in reincarnation, he says that’s what he’d want to come back as, a bucking horse. At 90 years young he knows precisely how good his life has been and isn’t scared of the inevitable. In a very matter of fact way he spoke about his funeral, being buried in the cemetery on the Four Sixes, and the speech by his friend Joe Leathers. When asked what he hopes Joe will say, Boots paused then replied humbly with a far off stare ”He was an honorable man. Done what he said he would. And didn’t mistreat his horses” 

Portrait of Boots O’Neal

Boots O’Neal on his horse at sunrise on the 6666 Ranch in Texas

Contact me directly if you’d like a print of Boots O’Neal - rob@robhammerphotography.com

Montana Road Trip

Talking highly about Montana is better left to the most lyrical of wordsmiths because I certainly can’t do that place any justice. Maybe that should be a personal goal? I’m fresh off the road after spending over a week in that glorious state and can’t wait to go back. This trip was particularly visual due to to the heavy winter snowfall that made everything greener than green. I’ve never been to Ireland, but the particular hue off grass felt more like something you could only see there. Check back soon to see images from the two cattle ranches I photographed, but don’t expect any images of trout. Those are only in my head.

Cowboy Photography - American West

American West - Cowboy Photography - Wall Art

Photographing cowboys in the American West has been so many adjectives. Just scrolling through images to make this blog post gives me even more appreciation for the work, life, and culture of these people. As of this writing I’ve been lucky to photograph on cattle ranches in Nevada, California, Texas, Arizona, Idaho, and Wyoming. Which has been an education in and of itself, seeing all the differences from region to region. Not sure how long thing has been going on no, but the desire to continue only grows with each ranch visited. Certainly my favorite project to date.

Click here to see more of my cowboy photography and contact me directly to purchase wall art from the American Cowboy series. All of my images are available as prints for your home, office, or commercial space.

Fulstone Ranch - Bridgeport, California

Dave Ennis - Wyoming Cowboy

Diamond A Ranch - Seligman, Arizona

Cowboy “Office” - Idaho

Dwight Hill - Buckaroo - Idaho

Diamond A Ranch - Seligman, Arizona

Dwight Hill - Buckaroo -Idaho

American West Photography

Cowboy Photography - Prints

It’s always great to get press on your work, especially when it’s a big outlet like the Daily Mail. If you want to go on “followers’, they come in at 22+million on Facebook, whatever that means. Either way, I’m honored to have them do a feature on my cowboy photography - a project I love. It’s also quite young compared to some of the others like Barbershops of America or American Backcourts, which have both been going on now for ten years!

Click here to see more of my cowboy photography. Or contact me directly if you’re looking Western prints / wall art for your home, office, or commercial space.

Western Art

Western Charcoal Artist - Doug Monson

Was on a big gallery kick last month up in Wyoming, and while driving back home from Jackson Hole, stumbled upon the Western Skies Gallery in Afton. It’s a beautiful space in an unexpected place. Inside I was greeted by Doug Monson, owner of the gallery and artist himself. He specializes in western charcoal drawings, but also displays/sells work by other talented artists in various mediums. We got to chatting for a bit while he showed me his upstairs studio, which is as enviable a place as you’ll ever see. Truly a dream for any artist. Next thing you know, I got the gear out of the truck, and began making photographs of Doug at work. He makes beautiful drawings of wildlife as well as cowboys. Look up the one he did of a Raven. It’s stunning to see in person. Anyway, Monson is really nice guy that I very much enjoyed hanging out with while learning about his journey to where he is today. For years now I’ve got a lot of pleasure out of photographing people that are highly passionate about their work, no matter what kind of work that may be. There’s something very special about seeing someone in their element, working away in a manner only they know how, because you know there isn’t anywhere else they’d rather be.

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Cowboy Photography - Buckaroos

The Great Basin Buckaroo

Cowboy Photography - American West - Prints

What a blast this project has been over the past year and a half. Maybe more? Would have to go back and check to see when it really began. In December I visited the C-Punch Ranch in Lovelock, Nevada and the Winecup Gamble Ranch in Montello, Nevada. Both ranches were jaw dropping beautiful and incomprehensibly large. The C-Punch, the biggest I’ve been to so far, is 1.8 million acres. Yeah. Try wrapping your head around that. Seeing all these properties in different parts of the country has been amazing. Each region has its own beauty. Nobody ever said to pick a favorite, but there’s something about the land in northern Nevada that really does it for me. Still working on putting that into words, but it’s special, to say the least. Forgive me for not sharing too many images here, but I’ve got to hold back so there is plenty of fresh content for the book.

Click here to see more of my cowboy photography or contact me directly if you’d like to purchase prints for your home, office, and commercial space. My western wall art is available in multiple sizes.

C-Punch Ranch - Lovelock, Nevada

Winecup Gamble Ranch - Montello, Nevada

Winecup Gamble Ranch

C-Punch Ranch

C-Punch Ranch

C-Punch Ranch

C-Punch Ranch

Portrait of Trapper Rodgers

C-Punch Ranch

C-Punch Ranch

Cotton Carrier G3 Harness - Review

It’s my opinion that photographers focus too much on buying the latest and greatest piece of gear. They just have to have the newly released camera body, lens, strobe, light modifier, whatever whatever. It’s bullshit. We forget so quickly that the camera we’re currently holding in our hands, was at one point that same cutting edge shiny object of desire. Admittedly, I too fell prey to the slippery slope of gear acquisition. Well, I can’t possibly do a shoot without 4 camera bodies, 13 lenses, and 35 storbes!! They are a must!! Nonsense. Obviously your gear needs to be at a certain level, but beyond that, it’s all just masterbation. Some of the most iconic images in the world were made decades ago with film cameras that today seem like dinosaurs. So why do you insist on having a 100 megapixel camera? One word: ego. The only other reason is to impress people/clients. Perhaps the most ridiculous example of this is the Hasselblad Ferrari camera. Really? Having that Ferrari logo on your camera doesn’t make you a better photographer. Back in the day I bought a bunch of Broncolor strobes at an exorbitant price. Don’t get me wrong, they are high performance machines, but they were purchased during a period where I was that very person I now ridicule. The thinking was, if clients see me using this top of the line gear, then they will think I’m top of the line. Craziness. You know what makes clients think you’re top of the line?? Beautiful images!! Since then, all of the unnecessary gear has been sold off, and my kit has been drastically downsized. I realized at some point that gear just gunks up your workflow and causes overthinking. Focus on the images, not the gear!!! The more free you are to be a photographer……..the better your photographs will be. Sounds dumb to even say out loud, but it’s true. Anyway. I’ve never done a review of any kind before, but when something truly helpful comes along, I like to share it with other people so they too can benefit.

Full disclosure - I was not asked or paid to do this review.

The Cotton Carrier G3 Harness is a product that I appreciate very much because it allows the photographer to focus on making images. I’m a physical shooter. Meaning that I like to be very involved in what it is I’m shooting. Sitting in a studio with a camera locked down on a tripod sounds like torture. The way I feel about a photo shoot is, if by the end, I’m not dirty, bloody, or tired, then chances are it wasn’t much fun. So the Cotton Carrier Harness is a no brainer. If you know what it feels like to regularly spend an entire day going back and forth between two cameras that hang from your shoulders, then the G3 is something you should pick up immediately. I recently purchased the G3 for a specific shoot that was a perfect test. I was photographing a cattle drive in the Wyoming backcountry, which involved me being on a horse for 12 horse and at least as many miles through extremely rugged terrain. The goal was to make images of the cowboys pushing 700 head of cattle across the vast landscape. The G3 made my day. Literally. I don’t think the shoot would have been possible without it. Hanging a camera across my neck/shoulder in the traditional manner wasn’t an option. Just being on a horse for that long is hard work. Then think about trying to control your camera while moving at fast paces on said horse. Not possible. With the G3 I was able to be completely and comfortably hands free until the camera was needed. And then, removing it from the holster was smooth and easy, as was putting it back in place.

The design was obviously thought through by someone that has spent countless hours in the field. My expectations for it were optimistic, but not high. After twelve hours in the saddle though, it exceeded everything I was hoping for. Perhaps the greatest asset of the G3 is the lens strap, which adds an additional layer of stability to the camera that keeps it from moving side to side or flapping up and down. Between it and the holster, your camera just sits still no matter what kind of movements you’re making. Without it, the system would be fine for casual strolls, but a 3/10 for physical shooters. On that same note, Cotton Carrier also added another layer of protection - the fall strap. In case something happens where your camera is knocked out of your hands, the strap prevents it from dropping/damage. And it’s a great length that never gets in the way. If I were to change anything about the system, it would be adding an attachment similar to the Peak Design system that allows instant attachment/detachment of straps. Instead of the archaic style that strap makers have been using since the beginning of time. Again, that’s sort of nitpicking, and not a big deal at all. It would be nice though.

Comfort of the actual vest/harness was also a concern prior to wearing. Would it fit oddly or rub/chafe in the wrong spots? Nope. It’s adjustable for different body sizes, and I can’t say I ever even thought about it throughout the day. Which is exactly what you want. The camera in the holster that day was a Sony mirrorless with an 85mm lens. Not exactly light or small, but the G3 handled it great. There is an option to buy an additional holster for a second camera, which would sit at or near your hip, but that wasn’t an option for this shoot. However, since using it that day, I can already see a long list of uses for it and the additional holster. On days where I’m shooting fly fishing, hunting, backpacking, or shooting more of this cowboy series from the ground, it will be incredibly helpful. Speaking from years and years of holding two camera straps on my shoulders, it gets exhausting. You’re constantly having to lift your shoulders/traps up to keep the straps in place. And contorting your body while bending over so the cameras don’t knock into each other, rocks, walls, railings, etc. The G3 solves all those problems and gives you more energy to keep shooting longer.

The things I photograph, are by design, things I love doing. This is another great advantage of having the G3 because you’re not forced to choose one over the other. If I’m out fly fishing or hunting, the harness allows easy access to the camera in a completely unobtrusive way. It wouldn’t impede my cast or shouldering a shotgun. That might be the biggest selling point for me, because there’s nothing worse than missing a shot when your camera is inside a backpack or 30 feet away. Additionally, it saves the camera from getting wet during activities like fishing/hunting because it doesn’t have to sit on the ground when you’re not using it.

Street photography is another genre that I engage in. Not commercially. Just for fun. Locally, but also while traveling. During international travel especially, I’ll be out all day from sunrise to sundown exploring new places by foot with a camera. Carrying extra weight for that many hours can be exhausting, which can lead to leaving the camera at home. Which then leads to missing shots. The G3 would certainly come in handy during times like that, but I’d probably consider getting their Sling Belt or Strap Shot for such instances. As of now, I can’t speak for them. Overall I’m a big fan of the G3 Harness and look forward to beating the shit out of it more in the coming weeks.

THIS PICTURE IS FROM COTTON CARRIERS WEBSITE

Click HERE to see more cowboy photography from this series.

Kurt Markus

In the realm of Western/Cowboy photography there are a small handful of names that stand above all the rest: William Albert Allard, Bank Langmore, John Langmore, and Andy Anderson, but in my opinion Kurt Markus is the G.O.A.T. Few would argue. He passed away today. Not sure how it’s possible, but I didn’t learn about him until October 2021 during a road trip to Montana. Emily, Mojo, and I were staying at an old cabin Airbnb (1st picture) near Glacier National Park. Kurt’s book “Cowpuncher” was sitting on the coffee table. After looking through it for 30 seconds I put it down and instantly ordered myself a copy, feeling grateful that we even had cell service enough to do so. Since then, Markus has been the photographer I’ve studied/taken inspiration from more than anyone else on the planet. He is truly exceptional. What sets him apart is that his writing is just as strong as his images. Looking through his books and reading his stories makes the reader feel like they are right there experiencing the same thing he did. A special talent. I’m honored to own two of his books - Cowpuncher and Buckaroo. I believe his crown jewel though, is After Barbed Wire. A couple months ago I looked it up to buy, but was dissuade by the $150 price tag. No doubt, it’s worth every penny and more, but an honest effort has been made to cut back on my photo book “problem”. A while later another search went out in hopes of a better deal, resulting in the lowest price tag of $350. Yikes! During a recent road trip in Idaho, I found myself in an antique shop and spotted the book resting quietly in a locked cabinet. This is it, I thought! The owner couldn’t possibly be asking the same as the internet!? $400 - a signed 1st edition. Damnit!! The search continued. Now I check almost every antique shop that crosses my windshield from California to New York in hopes of finding the White Whale. So far, the results haven’t produced, and Google shows it valued as high as $800. On days like today, it seems like I should just fork it up. Rest in power, Kurt!

Click HERE to see some of my cowboy photography greatly inspired by Kurt Markus.

Cabin in Montana

Cover of Cowpuncher by Kurt Markus (pulled from the internet)

Cowboy Portraits

Brought the lighting gear out to a cattle branding a few months ago to make some portraits. Wanted the focus to just be the people and their gear without anything else to distract from that. Had a blast setting it all up and shooting in a horse trailer, but still undecided if I’ll stick with this style or not.

Click HERE to see more from this series.

Horse Trailer Studio

William Wetzel

Emily Fulstone

Jimmy Giovacchini

Shawn Nelson

Ty Marriott

William Wetzel

Sim Quintero

Katy Hanlon

Cowboy Culture Photography

Cattle Branding - Cowboy Photography - American West

Trying to get caught up on posting, but it’s not a strongpoint. Here are a handful of images made at a cattle branding in Smith Valley, Nevada last month. Such a great time. The anticipation and building excitement when everyone arrives and saddles there horses is tangible. Thankful to be a part of it and can’t wait for the next shoot of this series in general. The entire culture surrounding their way of life is really fascinating and something that needs to continue to be documented as a piece of American history.

Click HERE to see more of my cowboy photography.

Smith Valley Nevada

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ROAD TRIP

THE BAD:This past week was the first time in a while since I’ve been on this particular route through Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. The findings were not good economically. It was hard to see so many familiar small town restaurants and hotels closed, boarded up, or in the process of being demolished. Maybe the timing was a coincidence, but you have to wonder if it was all the result of COVID? Either way it’s a shame.

THE GOOD: Road trips are always so much fun, educational, and therapeutic. This one had me shooting on a cattle ranch (The Four Sixes) in the Texas panhandle where I met some great people and had a hell of a lot of fun shooting with them. Will be a while until I can post those images. So for now you can click HERE to see more of my Cowboy photography.

Texas Road Trip

Cowboy Photography

Creating make-shift “studios” has become somewhat of a specialty over the years. I never understood the purpose of having a traditional brick and mortar studio and thoroughly enjoy the challenge of building one on the fly. Looking back, it would be fun to have a gallery of images just documenting all the ones I’ve made in random places. Moving forward, it’s on the list. Of all those places, this is the first for the inside of a horse trailer! Plenty more to come from this shoot.

Make-shift portrait studio - Nevada

Western Photography

Cowboy Photography - American West - Cattle Ranching

Maybe it’s the nostalgia? Maybe it’s the hats? I don’t know. However you spin it though, I appreciate everything going on in the pictures here. To really boil it down though, there are a couple factors that turn me on to this culture and lifestyle. First is the freedom. Cowboys/ranchers/farmers. Whatever you want to call them. They work their asses off, but they do so on their own terms, not someone else’s. They freelance, like me. I always say that if I’m not exhausted, dirty, or bloody by the end of a shoot, then chances are it wasn’t that much fun. And I wouldn’t dare to compare the work I do in a day to that of a cowboy, but I certainly connect with it. Another part is their “work” hasn’t changed that much since the old days. Sure there are more laws and guidelines, especially in California, but the bones of it is pretty much the same. And there’s a lot to be said for that, especially since everything else in the world changes minute by minute, and not usually for the better. The simplicity of their trade is another parallel to draw. That’s not to say that what they do is easy, because it certainly isn’t. Quite the opposite. With photography everyone is so focused on gear, gear, gear. Gotta get the latest and greatest piece of gear. Gotta light this with 12 strobes or it won’t look good! Admittedly, I was guilty of that in the past too. At a certain point though, I realized that was all about false impressions. Yes, your equipment needs to be at a certain level to operate as a professional, but that doesn’t mean you constantly need to be upgrading. Having a better camera doesn’t make you a better photographer. Hell, if you know what you’re doing, you could make an entire career with one camera and one lens. So you don't need that new 150 megapixel Medium Format bullshit. Fun to play around with? Yup. Not what matters though. Focus on making images not on the gear. That’s what I mean by simplicity. Location is the last thing I’ll mention. In general, the places where these people live and work is also something I connect with. Living in San Diego has a lot of pluses, but I’d much rather be out in the mountains or the country. It feels more like home and fits my personality/interests much more. Along with the location comes a certain type of attitude or lack there of. City people and country people are just different. No way around it. I prefer the later.

What a day this was with Spencer and Jessica of the Anderson Cattle Company (click to buy some of their beef) and their crew. Really grateful to have documented the work done by these folks. Not only was it fun, but also incredibly impressive. Watching the control they had over their horses and the way they used them as vehicles was a pleasure. That goes for the women too. They can rip. At the end of the day I asked one of the guys how long it took until he was comfortable with that sort of environment. To which he replied that you don’t, really. “Controlled chaos”. You just get use to the controlled chaos, he said. A very fair and accurate way to describe that type of event.

Something well worth noting in my opinion is that none of the people you see in these pictures were paid to be there. They are all friends of the Anderson’s and volunteered to work their asses off in the hot sun. A favor that is always returned over and over again throughout their lifetimes. On this day they helped on their ranch, but next time the Anderson’s will be the one’s lending a hand. The way life should be.

One of my favorite photographers of all time is William Albert Allard. He made a great deal of photographs in the American West documenting the lifestyle and I’d argue that nobody has ever done it better. In one of his books he talked about time spent on a ranch with some cowboys in Nevada. He asked one of the guys if he was ever afraid of being replaced by a machine. “Bill, they just ain’t come up with nothin’ yet that’ll take as much abuse as a cowboy”.

Follow along with the Anderson’s on IG @2aranchwife

More Western Cowboy Photographer here