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.

Sunrise photograph of two saddled horses with pogonip in the background

Fulstone Ranch - Bridgeport, California

Black and white portrait of a Wyoming cowboy

Dave Ennis - Wyoming Cowboy

Photograph of a cowboy working cattle in a chute

Diamond A Ranch - Seligman, Arizona

Photograph of the clutter in a cowboys office in Idaho

Cowboy “Office” - Idaho

Photograph of Dwight Hill - Idaho cowboys

Dwight Hill - Buckaroo - Idaho

Black and white photograph of cowboys riding out into open range

Diamond A Ranch - Seligman, Arizona

Photograph of Dwight Hill practicing with his horse in Idaho

Dwight Hill - Buckaroo -Idaho

American Photography

Some frames from the last road trip up to Idaho and back. Seems like I’m always saying “______ is my new favorite place” and I can’t help that because I love this country so much. For now though, Nevada is becoming that new favorite place.

Looking at this set of images is interesting because they all fit into the different major ongoing series that have taken shape over the last few years. “American” , “Hotels” , “Barbershops of America”, and the latest “Roadside Meditations” which comes out in June. Only one missing is “American Backcourts”. None of these images were intentional. I didn’t set out with the thought to add to those series, it just happens. Grateful for that.

Click here to see more of my American Road Trip Photography

American Photography

American Photography - Road Trip - Travel

Americana - Wall Art - Photo Prints - Open Road

Taking time to think about a body of work is such and important part of the process as you continue to build it. And as time goes on attention needs to be given to the “holes” that are inevitably lurking in said work. Interiors are one of the many holes that I need to fill. For ten years now I’ve happily traveled around America photographing various aspects of it. And lately, collaboration in the form of outside eyeballs/opinions has been a major focus in order to figure out exactly what is or isn’t working. When we create in a bubble as so many photographers do, it’s easy to get lost on a track that might not be going the right direction. There are so many questions we need to ask ourselves all along the way, which probably won’t get brought up if we don’t receive input from other unbiased people. So, while I never plan on stopping my America series, I’m trying to be much more focused and open about what to shoot and what horses I’ve already beaten to death. Much more than that though, how many other photographers have already done what you’re doing? If the answer is “a lot”, then how can you change your contribution to offer the viewer something different?

Click here to see more from my AMERICA series.

American Road Trip

So grateful for this time on the road especially when it can incorporate the trifecta of shooting for a client, shooting for myself, and vacation time with Emily and Mojo. There really is nothing better. Our main destinations were Idaho/Montana and what a special time of year to be up there. The color and weather make you appreciate the seasons so much as people who live in southern California where we don’t get those drastic changes. Also made me realize how much I need to plan for this every year to shoot some fly fishing in locations surrounded by fall foliage. Maybe it’s just getting older (aka wiser), but that fall beauty was lost on me while going to school in Vermont where people would visit from all over the world. The “leaf peepers”. It makes a lot more sense once you start to pull your head out of your own ass. Check back soon for images from this trip.

American Photographs

American Photography - Nevada - Utah - Idaho

Finally getting caught up from last months road trip. These images are from the portion I did solo before Emily and Mojo met me in San Francisco after a commercial shoot. This section was fun, as all road trips are, but fu*#!ng hot. The first day driving up the western border of Nevada my trucks thermometer read 117 degrees. That’s just not the kind of weather humans are supposed to live in. And quite frankly, it takes all the damn fun out of being there. You know it’s bad when the heat smacks you in the face the second you turn the air condition off. Like the AC is just doing it’s best to hold the heat at bay, but it’s a losing battle. Aside from all that, I really enjoyed seeing new parts of Nevada. It’s a very interesting state, that most take for granted as one enormous desert that holds Las Vegas in it somewhere. Would like to spend more time there once the temperature drops, otherwise it’s just not feasible to shoot outdoors for more than a few minutes. Maybe that’s just me? Suppose other people can handle it better than I can??!! Getting up into Idaho it was more like 100-108, which felt like a vacation from 117. Then on into Wyoming where the weather was just right up in the Tetons. Met some friends there are did some fly fishing/backpacking. More on that later.

Click here to see more from my AMERICA series.


American Motels

American Motels - Road Trip Photography

Apparently my fascination with small town motels continues? Not sure what that is. Perhaps it’s because I’ve stayed in so many during all my time on the road, but they fit nicely into my America series either way.

Click here to see more from the America series.