Photographs of Albany, New York - Historical Landmarks & Architecture

ALBANY, NEW YORK PHOTOGRAPHS

Growing Up Around Albany, New York

I grew up in the Albany area, and my relationship with the city has always been shaped by familiarity rather than novelty. It’s a place I knew long before I ever photographed it—through daily routines, changing neighborhoods, and the quiet rhythms of a city that rarely tries to impress anyone.

That familiarity is what eventually pulled me back with a camera. Photographing Albany wasn’t about rediscovery so much as paying closer attention. I wasn’t looking for defining moments or iconic views. I was interested in the spaces that felt ordinary enough to be overlooked, yet permanent enough to hold memory.

Photographing Albany as a Lived-In City

This photography series is rooted in observation rather than spectacle. Albany is a city layered with history—Federal and Victorian architecture, civic buildings, industrial remnants, and residential streets shaped by decades of quiet change. Much of that history lives in plain sight.

I gravitated toward scenes that reflect that lived-in quality: empty streets, weathered facades, winter light, and moments where architecture and atmosphere intersect. These photographs are intentionally restrained. They aren’t meant to dramatize the city, but to reflect it honestly.

The goal is not to explain Albany, but to let it exist as it is.

Architecture, Atmosphere, and the In-Between

Many of the photographs in this series focus on architecture, but not in a formal or celebratory way. I’m less interested in buildings as symbols than as backdrops for daily life—structures shaped by use, time, and weather.

Light plays an important role. Fog, snow, and low winter sun soften edges and slow the pace of looking. These conditions reveal details that might otherwise go unnoticed, and they echo how the city often feels to move through: quiet, deliberate, and grounded.

This approach mirrors how I work across my broader documentary projects—allowing place to speak without forcing a narrative.

A Long-Term Documentary Project

This Albany photography project is ongoing. The city continues to change, and my relationship to it continues to evolve as well. Returning with a camera allows me to see familiar spaces with fresh attention, while still photographing from a position of understanding rather than distance.

The photographs aren’t meant to define Albany, but to contribute to a broader visual record of American cities—particularly those that exist outside the usual spotlight.

From the Project to the Prints

While this page focuses on the documentary work itself, many of these photographs are available as fine art prints. The prints are produced with the same care and intention as the photographs, emphasizing longevity, material quality, and thoughtful presentation.

If you’re interested in viewing available work from this series, you can explore the print collection below.

→ View available Albany photography prints

Click HERE to view my photographs of Troy, NY

Black and white photograph of the New York State Capitol partially obscured by winter trees in Albany

The New York State Capitol recedes behind bare winter trees as fog softens its presence in Albany, NY

Black and white architectural photograph of Empire State Plaza buildings in Albany, New York

Empire State Plaza emerges through fog, emphasizing clean lines, scale, and negative space.

Timeless black and white photograph of Albany, New York

Classic black and white photograph of Albany, NY

Black and white photograph of cathedral spires emerging through fog in Albany, New York

Cathedral spires of the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Albany, NY rise quietly through dense fog, reducing the city to silhouette and form.

Black and white photograph of The Egg performing arts center in Albany, New York

Empire State Plaza - A close architectural study of The Egg, where curve and concrete dominate the frame.

Black and white photograph of birds flying past a tall government building in Albany, New York

A flock of birds breaks the stillness above the Alfred E. Smith building, adding movement to an otherwise rigid form.

Black and white photograph of decorative balustrades and lampposts at the New York State Capitol in fog

Decorative stonework and lampposts lead the eye toward the Capitol as fog softens the background.

Black and white photograph of the New York State Capitol with symmetrical towers and a central evergreen

Symmetry, fog, and restrained contrast reduce the the New York Sate Capitol building to pure form. This photograph is offered as a fine art print that works especially well in offices and interiors where quiet authority matters.

Black and white architectural photograph of an Albany, New York landmark displayed in a high-end attorney’s office with dark wood paneling and classic furnishings

A black and white architectural photograph of Albany, New York, shown here installed in a high-end attorney’s office. The fog-softened historic architecture and bare winter trees bring a quiet sense of permanence and authority to a refined professional space.

Black and white photograph of The Egg performing arts center partially obscured by fog in Albany

The Egg appears as a softened form within heavy fog, emphasizing scale and negative space.

Black and white photography print of historic Albany, NY architecture

Photograph of the New York State Education Department building in Albany, NY

Black and white photograph of a statue in Washington Park framed by bare tree branches in Albany

A statue of George Washington stands quietly framed by winter branches and softened by fog.

Black and white photography print of the statue and staircase in front of the Capital building in Albany, NY

Timeless black and white photograph of Albany, NY architecture

Black and white photograph of a columned government building along an empty street in Albany

A long row of columns fades into fog along a quiet Albany street, emphasizing repetition and scale.

Black and white photograph of Albany, NY architecture

A single lamppost anchors an empty Albany street as fog dissolves the surrounding architecture.

Black and white fine art photograph of The Egg and architecture in Albany, NY

The sweeping curve of The Egg floats above Albany’s softened skyline as fog reduces detail and scale.

Old Corrals of the American West | Western Photography Prints for Sale

Old Corrals of the American West

Fine Art Western Photography Prints

“I like old corrals and sagebrush,” Ian Tyson once sang, and that line has stuck with me for years. Not because it’s poetic — though it is — but because it’s true. Old corrals say more about the American West than most people realize.

These weathered structures were never meant to be permanent. They were built to work, to hold cattle for a season, and then be repaired, reused, or left behind as ranching shifted with time, economics, and land. What remains today are fragments of that working history — sun-bleached posts, worn rails, and quiet enclosures slowly returning to the land.

This series of photographs documents old corrals across the American West, created as limited-edition fine art photography prints for collectors, designers, and anyone drawn to authentic Western imagery.

Photographing Old Corrals in the American West

I’ve been photographing working landscapes of the West for years — ranches, grazing land, water sources, and the structures that quietly support them. Corrals often sit just off the main road, easy to pass without a second glance. But when you slow down, they reveal something deeper.

These photographs were made on location throughout the West, often in remote ranching areas, using natural light and a documentary approach. I’m interested in the honest presence of these places — not recreating the past, but acknowledging it.

An old corral isn’t nostalgia. It’s evidence.

Why Old Corrals Matter

Corrals are where cattle were gathered, sorted, branded, treated, and shipped. They’re places of work, pressure, patience, and routine. Over time, many were replaced by steel systems or abandoned entirely as ranching operations modernized or disappeared.

What’s left behind tells a quiet story:

  • Of land use changing

  • Of families moving on

  • Of work that once defined entire regions

Photographing these structures preserves a visual record of a West that is still present, but increasingly easy to overlook.

Western Wall Art for Collectors and Designers

These Western photography prints are well suited for:

  • Ranch homes and Western interiors

  • Hospitality spaces and lodges

  • Interior design projects seeking authentic American West wall art

  • Fine art collectors drawn to documentary photography and Americana

The imagery is restrained, textural, and rooted in place — meant to live comfortably in a space without overwhelming it.

Limited-Edition Fine Art Photography Prints

All old corral photographs are available as archival pigment prints, produced to museum standards.

Print details:

  • Printed on museum-grade archival paper

  • Limited editions

  • Multiple sizes available

  • Signed by the photographer

  • Unframed unless otherwise requested

These are not decorative reproductions — they are fine art prints intended to last for generations.

Buy Old Corrals Photography Prints

A curated selection of old corral photography prints is available to view and purchase online.

Shop Fine Art Prints Here

View More Cowboy Photography

Old wooden cattle corral on a remote Utah ranch with desert mesas in the background

An old cattle corral on a remote Utah ranch, set against the layered desert landscape of the American West.

Black and white photograph of a weathered wooden cattle corral in the American West

A weathered cattle corral built from rough-cut timber and wire, photographed in black and white.

Old corral partially buried in snow on an open ranch landscape in the American West

An abandoned ranch corral slowly disappearing beneath winter snow, photographed in the American West

Black and white photograph of an empty cattle corral with long shadows cast across the ground

An empty cattle corral photographed in black and white, with long shadows stretching across the ground at the end of the day.

Old metal corral gate and stone post on a ranch with a mountain range in the background at dusk

An old corral gate and stone post on a remote ranch, photographed at dusk with the mountains of the American West beyond.

Wooden corral fencing on a working ranch with open agricultural land and distant mountains in the American West

Corral fencing stretching across a working ranch landscape, with open fields and distant mountains in the American West.

Saddles and ranch tack hanging along a corral fence at sunset on a working ranch in the American West

Saddles and working ranch tack hanging along a corral fence at sunset, part of daily life on a working Western ranch.

Wooden cattle loading chute and corral structure on a working ranch in the American West

A wooden cattle loading chute and corral structure used in everyday ranch work in the American West.

Wooden corral fence posts reflected in still water on a ranch in the American West

Wooden corral fence posts reflected in still water, photographed on a ranch in the American West.

Black and white photograph of a corral set within an open Western landscape

A corral set into a wide, open Western landscape, photographed in black and white.

Authentic Cowboy Photography: Preserving the Spirit of the American West

Timeless Images of Cowboys: Fine Art Photography Prints for Western Enthusiasts


Bring the unique charm of the American West into your home with our collection of authentic limited edition cowboy photography prints. Each image captures the spirit of the frontier, showcasing iconic scenes of cowboys in action—wrangling cattle, riding horses across vast open plains, and building bonds in the branding pen.

These hand signed prints highlight the raw beauty of the Western landscape, from sweeping vistas of golden prairies to dramatic mountain backdrops. With a focus on authenticity, each photograph reflects the grit and grace of cowboy life, celebrating the tradition and heritage of this enduring culture.

Perfect for home décor or as a unique gift for lovers of Western history, our prints come in various sizes and formats, allowing you to find the perfect piece to complement your space. Bring the essence of the Wild West into your home with our stunning cowboy photography—where every print tells a story of adventure, resilience, and the timeless allure of the open range.

Shop The Cowboy Collection

Authentic western cowboy photography prints

Black and white framed cowboy photography prints

Basketball Hoop Photographs

Basketball Hoop Photography - Small Town America

Someone recently shared the Netflix trailer with me for Rez Ball - a movie about a basketball team on an America Indian Reservation in Shiprock, New Mexico. Which got me thinking about this fine art basketball photography series I’ve been shooting for the past 13+ years. After driving 300,000+ miles all over the USA, I can say there isn’t a pocket of this country where you won’t find the sport, but nothing is more dense with basketball hoops then Reservations across the American West!

It’s been a while since my last post of basketball hoop photographs despite the American Backcourts series continuing. So here are a few images made during recent road trips. If you’d like to see photographs of basketball hoops on Indian Reservations, click HERE to visit the main gallery for this project.

And click HERE to purchase fine art basketball hoop prints for your home, office, or commercial space.

Photograph of a basketball hoop in front of an old dilapidated house in Upstate New York

Basketball hoop in front of a dilapidated house in Upstate New York

Photograph of a homemade wood basketball hoop and rim hanging on a telephone pole in Utah

Homemade basketball hoop on a telephone pole - Utah

Weeds growing through the cracks of an outdoor basketball court in Massachusetts

Fine art photograph of a basketball court on the Llano Estacado in Texas

Markings on an old barn where a basketball hoop once hung on a farm in West Virginia

Black and white photograph of a basketball rim hung on a tree stump with no backboard in Upstate New York

Photograph of an outdoor basketball court in a small Western Massachusetts town

Photograph of a basketball hoop on an old ranch in Colorado

Oregon Landscape Photography Prints

Oregon Wall Art - Landscape Photography

Oregon is a special place. Not just as a part of America, but of the world. It’s truly unique, with a vibe you can’t find anywhere else. Going through these images has been a lot of fun, revisiting past road trips through the state, as well as a gentle reminder that it’s been far too long since seeing that magical place. The photographs stir up great memories of being on the road with Mojo. One in particular several years back in the middle of winter. We were driving late at night on a backroad through the Cascade Range. No towns. No street lights. Nothing. It was freezing cold and the entire landscape was covered in a fresh blanket of snow. At some point I started feeling a very bizarre energy that was totally unexplainable, but it persisted long enough to make me think. “Pulsing” is the only way I can describe it. The sensation continued for a while, so I pulled over, got out of the truck and just stood there. There were no signs of civilization at all. And after my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I could see massive snow covered peaks on all corners of the horizon that seemed to be glowing. One of them was Mt. Hood, not sure what the rest of them were. Either way, I’d never experienced anything like it before or after that day. I was totally in awe at the sight and energy they were putting off. And to see so many prominent peaks so far away all at once, seemed totally surreal. All I could do was stand there and take it in. No images were made that night, but it’s a memory that will never leave me.

Click here to check out my American Road Trip photography book

Send an email if you’d like any of my Oregon wall art for your home, office, or commercial space - rob@robhammerphotography.com

Mt. Hood Landscape Photography Print

Mt. Hood Wall Art

Photography print of Lake Albert in Oregon

Lake Albert - Oregon - Photography Print

Photography of an old barn in Oregon

Oregon Photography

Photography print of a country road in Oregon

Country Road in Oregon

Photography of Seneca, Oregon

Seneca, Oregon

Lake Albert Oregon Landscape Wall Art

Lake Albert, Oregon - Wall Art

Photography of Highway 395 going through a beautiful section of Oregon at sunset near Lake Albert

Highway 395 - Oregon

Photograph of country roads leading to Mt. Hood in Oregon

Mt. Hood Photography Print

Photograph of a country road in Oregon

Country road in Oregon

Photograph of a country road in Oregon

Oregon Road Trip

Montana Cowboy Photographs

Montana Cowboys through the Lens: Fine Art Prints of Grit, Sky & Tradition

Big Sky Moments & Cowboy Spirit—For Fans of Yellowstone and Real Ranch Life

When I pull up to a Montana ranch with a camera, I'm looking for more than a scene—I’m looking for something true. That first breath of morning air, the way the horizon stretches. Montana cowboys move quietly, with wear on their boots and stories in their hands. They don’t need an audience. Their work—reining, branding, riding out—isn’t performance, but it carries power anyway.

I shoot what feels real: cowboys leaning into saddle leather at sunrise, the sky turning cold and blue above mountain ridges, or riders rounding up cattle under heavy clouds. Moments like that—untouched, gritty, alive—feel like they echo what Yellowstone fans see onscreen: raw Western landscape, ranch life, sweeping skies, authenticity. The Chief Joseph Ranch in Darby plays the role of the Dutton Ranch in the show, but what draws me to Montana is seeing the same rhythm of life behind the scenes.

My prints are made from those moments. Limited edition, archival prints that hold light, dust, sky, and sweat. If you’ve ever watched Yellowstone, the beauty in close‑ups of ranch gear, the way a horse’s muscle works in motion, the golden glow on barn wood—these are the same details I chase. Montana isn’t just setting; it’s character.

Whether you want to hang a Montana cowboy print above a fireplace, in a lodge, or a room that tastes of the outdoors, there’s a piece here for you. A silhouette, a dusty trail, a cowboy’s hat brim catching last light—these aren’t just photographs. They’re windows into a life rooted in land, season, purpose.

Add Western Art to Your Space
Shop Cowboy Wall Art

Montana cowboy wall art

Montana cowboy wall art prints

Cowboy wall art for fans of Yellowstone

Western cowboy photography prints

Small Town North Carolina Barbershop

Granville Barbershop, North Carolina

A Traditional American Barbershop Documented Through Photography

The Granville Barbershop in Grannville, North Carolina is the kind of place that has quietly served its community for decades. No branding overhaul. No attempt to modernize what already works. Just a steady rhythm of haircuts, conversation, and routine that has outlasted trends and redevelopment cycles.

These photographs were made as part of my long-term documentary project, Barbershops of America — an ongoing effort to photograph traditional barbershops across the United States before they disappear. Shops like this are not just businesses; they are cultural fixtures that anchor small towns and neighborhoods.

Why Traditional Barbershops Matter

Traditional barbershops play a unique role in American life. They are spaces built on trust and repetition — places where people return month after month, year after year, to see the same barber in the same chair.

In small towns especially, barbershops function as informal community centers. News is exchanged. Silence is respected. Generations overlap. These are the kinds of everyday environments that rarely feel important in the moment, yet become deeply significant once they’re gone.

Photographing these spaces is about preservation, not nostalgia — recording them honestly, as they exist, without staging or intervention.

The Story

These photographs were made during a drive home to upstate NY for Christmas. The owner was very skeptical of my intentions at first but agreed to let me photograph his shop. During my time there I had some fun interactions with customers, but he never said much. As far as history goes, the shop opened in the 1940’s, and prior to that it was an African American movie theater!! How’s that for Southern?

As with most old shops, the relationship between proprietor and those in his chair was easy, fluid, and quite candid. At one point an older gentleman sauntered in with his head down, dropped a gift on an empty chair, turned back toward the door and said “well, gotta go”. That was it. No interaction. Never even lifted his head up to make eye contact. The barber didn’t seem surprised, nor did he skip a beat on the haircut in progress.

Took about a half hour until I was pleased with the pictures made. Afterward I gave the barber a card and thanked him for the hospitality. He stopped cutting, grabbed a few coins off the back bar, placed them in my hand and in an almost too good to be true accent said “take these two qwwwaaaaaaaatehs back to that machine and get you a pop. I’ll bet you haven’t had a 50 cent pop in yeeeeaaaaaaahs.” Sure enough, there were ice cold sodas coming out of a vintage Coca Cola machine against the back wall. Can’t tell you the last time I even had the desire for a soda, but I wasn’t about to turn that one down.

Interactions like these are what keep Barbershops of America going. Talking to people that give you a very definitive sense of place is gratifying, educational, and fun. Hearing about the shops history in such a dialect not only tells you where you are in the world, but also where you aren’t. I love that.

Continue exploring documentary barbershop photography in the Barbershops of America series

Barbershop Photography Gallery

Barbershop Photo Book/Prints

Another Barbershop Photo Essay

Contact me directly about barbershop photography licensing for your editorial and commercial projects -rob@robhammerphotography.com

Interior view of a traditional barbershop with barber chairs, mirrors, and military flags on the wall

The interior of Granville Barbershop reveals layers of personal history, from worn barber chairs to walls filled with service flags and memorabilia.

Traditional barbershop interior in North Carolina with a barber cutting a client’s hair using clippers

A working barber trims a longtime client inside a traditional North Carolina barbershop, where routine and familiarity define the space.

Exterior of Granville Barbershop in Granville, North Carolina with classic signage and storefront windows

The storefront of Granville Barbershop in Granville, North Carolina, a long-standing fixture of the town’s Main Street.

Documentary photograph of a barber cutting hair inside a small-town North Carolina barbershop

Inside the shop, haircuts continue as they have for decades—unhurried, familiar, and grounded in routine.

Detail photograph of a custom wooden walking stick resting beside a customer in a North Carolina barbershop

A handmade walking stick rests beside a customer, a small detail that hints at the personal histories carried into the shop.

Lake George Nature Photography

Lake George Landscape Wall Art

Adirondacks in the Fall - Prints

Feeling very grateful after spending the entire month of October in the Adirondacks, more specifically in Lake George, NY. And what a time it was to be there with the fall foliage in all it’s glory. After living in a place essentially without seasons (San Diego), it was refreshing to be around all that color. I did some shooting for a regional magazine which required a lot of hiking around the lake up Pilot Knob Trail, Black Mountain Trail, and Cat Mountain Trail. The main focus was to shoot hiking, but of course the surroundings were so inspiring that I had to make some landscape photographs along the way. Can you call these landscapes?? I suppose they are more abstract nature photographs.

Contact me directly about Lake George wall art. All of my images are available as prints in varying sizes for your home, office, or commercial space.

Black and white photograph of a forest in Lake George, NY

Fine art nature photograph in Lake George, NY - Adirondacks

Lake George, New York landscape photography

Lake George Nature Photography - Adirondacks

Photography print of the fall foliage in Lake George, NY

Lake George Nature Photography Prints

Photograph of a hike in Lake George, NY during the fall foliage

Fall foliage in Lake George, NY - Nature Photography

Landscape photography of a forest in Lake, George, NY during fall foliage

Nature Photography - Lake George, NY - Adirondack Prints

Black and white nature photograph of the forest in Lake George, NY

Black and white nature photography - Lake George, NY

Basketball Wall Art

BASKETBALL HOOP PRINTS

For the past fifteen years, I’ve been photographing basketball hoops across the backroads, small towns, and cities of America. Not the gleaming gym setups—but the ones that have been patched, bent, weathered, and played on for decades. You’ll find them nailed to barns, welded from scrap, or barely standing in overgrown fields. Each one tells a story—not just about basketball, but about community, resourcefulness, and the places we grow up in.

This collection of prints features both color and black-and-white photographs, all available as limited editions in a range of sizes. Some are quiet and nostalgic, others graphic and bold—but all of them speak to the soul of the game and the beauty of everyday American scenes.

Whether you’re a lifelong basketball fan, an art collector drawn to Americana, or a designer looking for something real and unexpected for your space—these hoops offer more than just a connection to the sport. They capture a piece of American history, told through backboards and rusted rims.

Every print is museum-quality and made to last. Each one comes signed and numbered, part of a carefully curated series that I’ve been building for over a decade. If one of these reminds you of your own home court, or just makes you stop and feel something, well, that’s exactly why I started this project. And I’m proud to say that this project has been published in magazines here in the states as well as overseas and exhibited in fine art galleries and museums.

Click HERE to shop my basketball hoop prints

Basketball photography print on the wall of a beautiful home

Basketball hoop wall art for residential design

Black and white print of a basketball hoop on a barn in rural America

Ohio basketball hoop print

Photography print of a basketball hoop with a setting sun in the background

Sunset basketball hoop print

Unique basketball hoop wall art

Unique basketball hoop print

Culture Brewing Company - Encinitas

Feels so good to see the world opening back up. Over the last week especially there has been so much life out on the street and in the local shops, restaurants, and bars. Grateful to have the opportunity to be social again while sharing some work from American Backcourts. So if you’re in San Diego during the month of June, stop on by Culture Brewing Company in Encinitas to check out some fine art prints while enjoying some delicious craft beer in the sunshine.

AmericanBackcourtsCulture.jpg

AMERICAN BACKCOURTS - FINE ART PRINTS

There is no greater compliment to a project than when a person decides to hang an image on their walls. Buying art for your wall is a commitment and an expense, so it makes me extremely grateful when my image(s) is chosen out of all the other options in the world. It’s also satisfying to think about the personal connection to people across the world. Even though I may never meet most collectors in person, it’s fun to think about my images in their homes and the joy they receive from looking at them on a daily basis.

Click here to grab a fine art print from American Backcourts for yourself

California Fly Fishing Photographer

Eastern Sierra Fly Fishing - Convict Lake

Mammoth, California

As the leaves begin to don their vibrant autumn colors and the crisp air signals the change of seasons, Convict Lake near Mammoth, California, transforms into a fly fishing paradise. Nestled in the stunning Sierra Nevada mountains, this lake is not only a backdrop for nature's autumnal palette but also a haven for anglers seeking tranquility and the thrill of the catch. In this post, I share a collection of photographs capturing the unique essence of fly fishing at Convict Lake during the fall season.

The Magical Autumn Setting

Fall at Convict Lake is a spectacle of nature. The surrounding aspens and willows flaunt shades of gold, orange, and red, reflecting off the clear, calm waters. Early mornings at the lake are serene, with mist hovering over the water and soft light filtering through the trees, creating a perfect setting for both photography and thoughtful fishing.

Capturing the Essence of Fly Fishing

Fly fishing is as much an art as it is a sport, and Convict Lake in the fall provides the perfect canvas. My photographs focus on the fly fishermen in action, highlighting their deep connection with the environment. The images showcase the elegance of the cast, the intense focus of the angler, and the natural beauty that envelops them. This collection is not just about the act of fishing but the experience of being one with nature.

For commercial brands, these images offer a glimpse into the authentic experiences that their products can facilitate. For collectors, they provide a moment of peace and a reminder of the quiet beauty of the natural world. Enjoy this visual journey through one of California's most picturesque fly fishing destinations during the most magical time of the year.

Click here to shop my fly fishing photography prints - and contact me directly about editorial and commercial licensing - rob@robhammerphotography.com