Capture the Spirit of the American West with Fine Art Prints of Old Corrals on Historic Cattle Ranches

Rob Hammer December 7, 2024

Timeless Beauty of Old Corrals: Fine Art Photography Prints

Ian Tyson said best with the now famous line “I like old corrals and sagebrush…”

The American West is a land rich with tradition, rugged landscapes, and stories that span generations. Among the most iconic and enduring symbols of this heritage are the old corrals on cattle ranches that have been used for decades, if not centuries, to round up and care for livestock. These weathered, rustic structures hold a deep connection to the West’s cowboy culture and the hardworking men and women who maintain the traditions of the land.

As a Western photographer, I have had the privilege of capturing the beauty and authenticity of these historic corrals, immortalizing them in fine art photography prints. The texture of aged wood, the worn fences, and the fading paint tell a story of hard work, resilience, and a lifestyle that is slowly fading from the modern landscape. Each photograph brings to life the essence of ranching life in the American West—gritty, timeless, and beautifully raw.

These color and black-and-white prints evoke the nostalgia of a past era, where the sight of a well-worn corral set against sweeping landscapes was part of daily life. Whether you are drawn to the rugged beauty of these structures or simply appreciate the rawness of Western landscapes, these prints make a stunning addition to any collection. They are more than just photographs—they are windows into the heart of the American West, preserving a piece of history for future generations.

Perfect for those who appreciate Western art, rustic decor, or historical photography, these fine art prints of old corrals will transport you to the heart of the American West. They invite the viewer to pause and reflect on the enduring legacy of ranching, while adding an element of rustic elegance to any space.

Contact me directly for editorial/commercial licensing of these old corral photographs - rob@robhammerphotography.com

Shop Fine Art Prints Here

Photograph of an old wood corral in front of an iconic Western backdrop at sunset in Utah — Old wood cattle corrals in the American West

Black and white photograph of wood cattle corrals

Morning sun shines on the Sierra Nevada mountains and a cattle ranch outside Bridgeport, CA

Photograph of the cattle pens on the C-Punch Ranch near Lovelock, Nevada

Black and white photograph of wood cattle corrals in front of an iconic Western backdrop

Photograph of wood fence posts reflected in water at sunset on the Diamond A Ranch in Arizona

Wood corrals on a cattle ranch in Colorado

Fine Art Basketball Photography

Rob Hammer September 7, 2024

Photography Exhibition - Basketball

Scottsdale’s Museum of the West

Incredibly thrilled to announce a new exhibition of my American Backcourts series at the Western Spirit Museum in Scottsdale, Arizona. Not only is it a honor for me, but I also see it as a big win for the sport of basketball to be featured this way in a western museum. I love the American West so much and have been working on this basketball photography series all over the country for about 13 years now. So to have the game celebrated in place where most people never associate the two, is quite gratifying! If you’re in the area, please stop by to see the show as well as the other incredible exhibitions they have throughout the museum. I particularly enjoyed seeing William Matthews work in person. I’ve been a fan of his for a while now and have enjoyed seeing his work in books, but nothing compares to seeing it in real life.

A Traditional American Barbershop - A Neighborhood Fixture

Rob Hammer August 21, 2024

An Old School Neighborhood Barbershop

I first photographed this barbershop in San Diego in 2011, early on in what would eventually become the Barbershops of America project. At the time, I didn’t fully realize how important these photographs would become. I was simply drawn to places like this — shops that felt unchanged, where time moved a little slower and the barber knew everyone who walked through the door.

This shop, run by Johnny Lovato, was one of those places.

A Shop That Felt Lived In

Walking into Johnny’s barbershop felt like stepping into another era. The space wasn’t curated or styled — it was simply lived in. The chairs, the mirrors, the worn floor, the little personal details scattered throughout the shop all told a story without trying to.

These weren’t decorations meant to evoke nostalgia. They were just the things that had accumulated over time. That honesty is what made the shop special and what kept the doors open to the same neighborhood of friendly customers for decades.

The Barber and the Community

Johnny was always kind and welcoming, the type of barber who made time for conversation as easily as he made time for a haircut. His shop wasn’t just a place people came to get cleaned up — it was a place where stories were shared and relationships were maintained.

One of the small details I always remember is how happy Johnny was feeding his bird Cheetos. It’s a simple moment, but it perfectly captures the personality of the space and the rhythm of the shop. Those are the moments I’m always looking for when I photograph places like this.

Returning Years Later

I returned to photograph the shop again in 2019. By then, Johnny’s son had taken over the business. Much of the spirit of the shop remained, but time had clearly moved forward — as it always does.

Not long after, the barbershop closed, and the space was eventually transformed into something new, and in my opinion, soulless. That’s the reality for many traditional barbershops across the country. Rising rents, retirement, and redevelopment quietly erase places that once anchored their neighborhoods. Luckily another barber took over the space, so it remains a barbershop, just without the decades of character and memories that once filled it.

Why These Photographs Matter

Barbershops like this rarely close with ceremony. They disappear quietly, often without anyone realizing that a piece of local culture has gone with them.

This series exists so that those places aren’t completely lost. These photographs are not about nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake — they’re about acknowledging the importance of everyday spaces that shaped communities for generations.

Part of a Larger Archive

Johnny Lovato’s barbershop in San Diego is just one small part of a much larger body of work documenting traditional barbershops across the United States. Together, these images form an archive of a disappearing American tradition — one shop, one barber, one story at a time.

More Barbershops of America

View The Book

View The Gallery

Old-school American barbershop interior, Point Loma San Diego documentary photograph — *Interior of a traditional barbershop in Point Loma, San Diego, where time-worn chairs and details reflect decades of community history.*

Johnny Lovato feeding his pet bird inside his barbershop in San Diego, California — *Johnny Lovato, the barber, shares a moment feeding the shop’s pet bird — a small gesture emblematic of daily life in the space.*

An old school barber smiles while watching his pet bird — Johnny Lovato smiles after feeding his pet bird at his barbershop in San Diego

Portrait of a barber standing behind his chair in a traditional San Diego barbershop — *Portrait of a barber standing behind his chair — a quiet testament to the people who made these shops more than just businesses.*

Rotary telephone inside a traditional barbershop, documentary detail photo — *An old rotary telephone inside the shop — one of the many small artifacts that speak to the barbershop’s lived-in past*

Barber sitting in his chair at a traditional barbershop in San Diego, California — *A barber sits in his chair during a quiet moment — a human pause captured in the rhythm of the shop.*

Customer getting a haircut in a traditional barbershop in San Diego, California documentary image — *A customer receives a haircut — a simple everyday moment that also anchors the narrative of barbershop culture.*

Paris Street Photography – Black & White Fine Art Prints for Collectors & Licensing

Rob Hammer August 11, 2024

Paris Street Photographs — An Intimate Visual Journey

Paris in Candid Street Photographs

Paris moves quickly, but its most revealing moments happen quietly.

Away from the monuments and postcards, the city reveals itself in passing glances, small gestures, and the subtle choreography of people moving through shared space. These Paris street photographs were made while walking without an agenda — observing light, waiting for alignment, and responding instinctively when form, expression, and atmosphere briefly came together.

Rather than chasing iconic scenes, this body of work focuses on the in-between moments that define everyday Paris: café conversations, solitary figures crossing wide intersections, brief pauses along the Seine, and the unspoken language of posture and movement.

These photographs are not souvenirs. They are visual records of time and place, created to live on the wall as fine art prints.

What You’ll See in This Paris Street Photography Series

This ongoing collection reflects a broad, honest view of the city as it is lived:

Quiet exchanges at cafés and sidewalk tables
Figures moving alone through architectural space
Subtle interactions between strangers
Parisian streets shaped as much by people as by buildings
Moments of stillness within constant motion

Each image exists as both a documentary moment and a compositional study — balancing structure with spontaneity.

The Process Behind the Photographs

These images were made through patience rather than pursuit.

Street photography, at its core, is about observation — learning how light moves through a space, understanding how people occupy it, and waiting for those elements to align naturally. Many of these photographs came from standing in one place, or simply letting scenes unfold rather than forcing them.

The goal is not spectacle, but authenticity. Nothing staged. Nothing repeated. Each frame represents a singular moment that will never occur again in quite the same way.

Fine Art Prints of Paris Street Photography

All photographs in this series are available as museum-quality fine art prints, produced with longevity and tonal depth in mind.

Printed on archival, gallery-grade paper
Professional pigment inks for rich blacks and subtle midtones
Available in multiple sizes, including large-scale statement prints
Select images available as signed, limited editions

These prints are designed for collectors, interior spaces, and anyone who values photography as a lasting object rather than a disposable image.

Custom sizing, framing guidance, and edition details are available upon request.

Collecting Paris, One Moment at a Time

Street photography preserves what would otherwise disappear — a look exchanged, a pause mid-step, a moment of reflection before the city moves on.

If you’re drawn to Paris not as a destination, but as a living, breathing place shaped by human presence, these photographs offer a quieter way to bring the city into your space.

Explore the images below to view available fine art prints, or contact me directly to discuss editions, sizing, and framing options.

CONTACT ROB ABOUT PRINTS/LICENSING

Black and white photograph of a fashionable woman walking alone through a Paris intersection — A solitary figure moves through Paris, framed by architecture and empty space.

Black and white photograph of a bridge over the Seine beneath dramatic clouds — A quiet moment along the Seine as dark clouds gather over Paris.

Woman in a green coat holding a mustard yellow hat on a Paris sidewalk — A fleeting Paris moment—color, posture, and gesture captured without interruption.

Candid street portrait of people talking along the Seine in Paris — An unguarded exchange along the Seine, framed by the city’s familiar architecture.

Black and white photograph of a tender moment between two people on a Paris street — Photograph of a couple embracing on the street in Paris, France

Black and white photograph of café workers standing on a Paris street — Café workers pause between moments, grounded in posture and presence.

Paris rooftops leading toward Saint-Étienne-du-Mont under a cloudy sky — Paris rooftops unfold toward Saint-Étienne-du-Mont, capturing the layered geometry and muted tones of the city.

Two women seated at a café table in Paris, engaged in quiet conversation — Photograph of two women drinking at a cafe in Paris, France

People in fashionable clothing walking near Hôtel du Louvre on a Paris street — Pedestrians move through central Paris, where historic architecture meets modern pace and fashion

Woman in a polka dot dress partially obscured by pink flowers in Paris — Color and form intersect as a passerby blends into the visual rhythm of the street.

Black and white photograph of a woman walking past historic Paris architecture — Photograph of a well dressed woman walking in Paris, France

Black and white photograph of Sacré-Cœur Basilica in Paris under dramatic clouds — The Basilica of Sacré Coeur de Montmartre

Woman carrying a large hat box crosses a Paris street in front of a neighborhood café, capturing a candid moment of everyday Paris life. — A woman carrying an oversized hat box moves through a café-lined crosswalk in Paris, a small, surreal detail that turns an ordinary street moment into something quietly cinematic.

Woman standing inside a Paris metro car near the Notre-Dame station — A fleeting pause inside the Paris metro, where movement and stillness briefly align.

Red bicycle locked to a street sign against textured Parisian walls in France — A red bicycle rests against a worn Paris wall, a quiet study of color, texture, and everyday city life.

Close-up of a folded umbrella and clothing details on a Paris street — A study of pattern and texture—small details that define everyday Paris.

Group of people sharing wine and cheese at an outdoor table in Paris — An afternoon unfolds around wine and cheese, capturing the social rhythm of everyday Paris.

Visitor viewing a painting inside a Paris museum, seen from behind — A quiet exchange between viewer and artwork inside a Paris museum (La Louvre)

Black and white photograph of classic Paris buildings along the Seine River — Shadow the Notre Dame Cathedral on buildings along the Siene River in Paris, France

The Griffin Museum of Photography

Rob Hammer June 10, 2024

Photography Museum - Winchester, Massachusetts

13+ years now I’ve been photographing traditional barbershops in all 50 states of the USA and the layers continue to peel. In the beginning it was just a thing to do because I love barbershops. Then as time went on I felt responsible for documenting them before they all disappeared. Now, in 2024, I see the collective body of work as a historical document of the barbers and shops that served as a staple in their respective communities for 30, 40, 50, 60+ years. On the surface the theme of this project is about a place to get your haircut. Really though, it’s about community, friendship, and human connection. So I’m honored to announce that a selection of these photographs will be shown at the Griffin Museum of Photography in Winchester, MA for their upcoming group show “Vision(ary) which focuses on communities, cultures, and environments. Please go check out the show as well as the other great exhibitions from June 7th-September 27th.

Click here to purchase a copy of Barbershops of America (photo book) and HERE to purchase prints from this series.

Exhibition at the Griffin Museum of Photography — Barbershops of America at The Griffin Museum of Photography

Photography Books - American Culture

Rob Hammer November 6, 2023

American Photography - Documenting Traditional Barbershops

American photography as a genre is hard to define, especially when it comes to art collection and fine art photography. The term is so broad and leaves plenty of room for interpretation. One of my longest running series Barbershops of America fits into that category. Although it’s only been recently that I realized what’s been put together with this series is as much American photography as it is a historical document of a niche piece of American culture. And it occured to me the other day that getting a haircut is just a bonus to the experience you receive from being in a traditional barbershop. Grateful to see this project getting some exposure on Creative Boom and The Eye of Photography.

Click HERE to purchase a copy of Barbershops of American or HERE to purchase fine art prints.

Arizona Cattle Ranch

Rob Hammer November 6, 2023

Cowboy Ranch Life in Arizona — A Working Ranch Photo Essay

Photographing a Working Cattle Ranch in Rural Arizona

Arizona ranching doesn’t look the way most people imagine it. There are no dramatic mountain backdrops or postcard moments waiting around every corner. Most days are quiet. Dry. Spread out. The work blends into the land in a way that feels almost invisible unless you slow down enough to notice it.

These photographs were made on a working cattle ranch in rural Arizona. No staging. No recreations. Just day-to-day ranch life as it happens — early mornings, long distances, and a rhythm that hasn’t changed much because it doesn’t need to.

Ranch work in Arizona is shaped by the environment more than anything else. The land dictates the pace. Heat, dust, and long distances through dense brush are part of every decision, and nothing happens quickly unless it has to. You feel that right away when you’re there.

What struck me most wasn’t any single moment, but how steady everything felt. Horses saddled without ceremony. Gates opened and closed out of habit. Work done without commentary. It’s not dramatic, but it’s real — and that’s what makes it worth photographing.

Ranching in Arizona Isn’t Romantic — It’s Practical

A lot of imagery of the American West leans hard into nostalgia. This place doesn’t ask for that. Ranching here is practical and stripped down. The landscape doesn’t allow for much excess.

The cattle are moved when they need to be moved. The horses are tools as much as companions. There’s very little separation between work and daily life, and no sense that anyone is trying to preserve an image for the sake of outsiders. It simply exists.

That honesty is what drew me to photograph here.

The K4 Ranch

The photographs in this series were made at K4 Ranch, a working cattle operation where ranching still follows the land rather than trends. Like many ranches across Arizona, it operates quietly, without much outside attention, doing the same work it has for generations.

Places like this don’t always make headlines, but they form the backbone of ranching culture in the Southwest. They’re also disappearing faster than most people realize.

Why Photograph Places Like This

I’ve spent years photographing working cowboys and ranches across the American West, and the more time I spend in places like this, the more important it feels to slow down and document them honestly.

Not to turn them into symbols — but to show what’s actually there.

These photographs aren’t meant to romanticize ranch life or explain it. They’re simply a record of people working, land being used, and traditions continuing without much concern for being noticed.

Arizona Cowboy Photography Prints

Photographs from this Arizona ranching series are available as museum-quality fine art prints. Each print is produced in small editions and made to live with — not just be scrolled past.

View available cowboy photography prints

This story is also part of a larger, ongoing project documenting real working cowboys and ranch life across the American West.

View the complete cowboy photography gallery