Authentic Western Brand Photography in Texas with Bucking Bull Trainer Dennis Davis

Behind the Lens of a Commercial Western Photoshoot in Texas

When Boot Barn called me to photograph a project with Dennis Davis, a bucking bull trainer in Texas, I knew it was going to be one of those shoots where everything lined up — the subject, the setting, and the story.

Dennis lives and breathes the Western lifestyle. His world is built around the kind of grit and determination that can’t be staged. That’s why people like Dana White trust him with their bulls, and that’s the kind of authenticity brands like Boot Barn want in their photography. It’s also the kind of work I love to produce.

From a production standpoint, shoots like this are where preparation meets adaptability. Bulls don’t wait for lighting setups, and Dennis can’t hit pause so we can get the perfect angle. The key is building trust, staying mobile, and knowing when to step in and when to step back. Every shot has to feel as natural as the dust and sweat in the air. So my tactic is to just be a fly on the wall, with the confidence that all my experience leads me to the right wall at the right time.

Working with Boot Barn meant balancing their brand vision with the reality of Dennis’ day-to-day routine that would both tell a story and sell clothes. We mapped out a shot list, but the best images came from leaning into what was happening in the moment: Dennis working a bull through the chute, quiet pauses between runs, the weathered textures of the arena, and of course action photos of the riders in action. Those unscripted moments are what connect an audience to a brand. For brands, that’s the value of hiring a photographer who has spent years documenting real Western culture. It’s not just about sharp images — it’s about telling stories that feel lived-in and true, while still delivering the polished assets a campaign demands.

Why Authenticity Matters for Brand Photography

Audiences are sharp. They can spot staged from a mile away, especially in the Western world. Photographing someone like Dennis Davis for Boot Barn wasn’t about staging cowboys and bulls — it was about showing the raw power and quiet pride of the work as it really happens. That kind of authenticity is what gives a brand’s imagery staying power.

What Brands Can Expect Working With Me

Every brand has its own story. My job is to translate that story into imagery that feels both true and visually striking. On shoots like this, that means:

• Clear communication before the shoot to align on goals.

• Flexibility on location to work with real-world conditions.

• An eye for the unexpected that creates the strongest images.

• Fun - if we can’t have fun on a photoshoot while still getting the job done, then you’re in the wrong business.

• Deliverables ready for campaigns across print, web, and social.

That’s the same approach I bring whether it’s a shoot for Boot Barn, a fitness campaign, or photographing working cowboys in the middle of Nevada. So if your brand is looking for imagery that feels as real as the people wearing your gear, I’d love to help bring that story to life -rob@robhammerphotography.com

To view the short documentary Boot Barn made about Dennis Davis go HERE.

To view more of my Western cowboy photography go HERE.

Shop Fine Art Cowboy Photography Prints

Portrait of professional bucking bull trainer Dennis Davis

Dennis Davis getting into his big rig truck used for hauling bulls

Dennis Davis unloads a bucking bull from a trailer

Jacob Law - bull rider

Close-up photograph of a bull riders belt buckle

Gritty photograph of a bull ride in Texas

Dramatic portrait of a bull rider

Quiet moment of contemplation before riding a bull

Dennis Davis laughing with friends during a bull training session

Dramatic photograph of a bucking bull

Photograph of a bull rider before a ride

Action photograph of a bucking bull in mid air

Anthony Smith - Bull Rider

Dennis Davis petting the back of a bucking bull

Bull trainer Dennis Davis laughing with friends while drinking beer

Dennis Davis Bucking Bulls

Detailed photograph of a cowboy driving in a classic truck with a rifle by his side

Photograph of a cowboy riding in the back of a pickup truck at sunset

Bucking bull trainer Dennis Davis loading a bull onto a trailer at dusk

Arizona Cattle Ranch

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

A cowboy’s revolver

Brady and Marianne Clark - Cowboys

Horse corrals on the K4 Ranch in Prescott Arizona

Brady Clark - Cowboy

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

Cowboy riding through thick brush

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

Working Arizona cowgirl - Marianne Clark

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

Rick and Sarah Kieckhefer - Arizona cattle ranchers

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

Arizona cowboys getting on their horses before a day of work

Cowgirl feeding horses

Horses running free on an Arizona cattle ranch

World Champion Cowgirl

Saddling a horse on the K4 Ranch in Prescott, AZ

Arizona cowgirl riding her horse through rough forest

3 legged cattle dog

Wyoming Cattle Ranch

Wyoming Cowboy Photography

American West

Wyoming cattle drive

Wyoming is a land rich in rugged beauty, where open plains meet towering mountain ranges, and the cowboy way of life still thrives. One of the most iconic images that evokes the spirit of the American West is that of a working cowboy on a Wyoming cattle ranch. These photos not only showcase the breathtaking landscapes but also the hard work, dedication, and heritage that define ranch life.

Cowboys moving cattle on a ranch in Wyoming

Black and white cowboy photography print

Wyoming cowboys

Click HERE to see more cowboy photography from this series.

Cowboy Photographs

Cowboy Photography - Prints - American West Wall Art

Western Photos - Cowboy Culture

Had a conversation with a buddy the other day about hunting/fishing which came after a very unproductive outing that certainly wasn’t from a lack of effort. When you put time into either of those sports it can be frustrating to get skunked. Frustrating isn’t a strong enough word actually. My most recent trip was a few weeks ago on the lower Owens River outside of Bishop, CA. Felt like I was doing everything right but results said the opposite. The fish were rising and eating bugs off the top. Every bug that is, besides mine. Kept changing flies, moving locations, water depth, yada yada yada. Not so much as a nibble. Later in the day I ran across a lady about 75 years old who had just pulled in a nice brown trout and quickly mentioned that it was her first time ever fly fishing. Ok, I thought, this place is going to be a Hand Out. Hour and a half later, not a damn thing. So I sat on the tailgate drinking a beer at sunset staring at the pastel sky saying out loud “I fuckin hate fly fishing” to absolutely no one. Which obviously isn’t true, but my ego was damaged and I was tired. And when you’ve been fishing for any amount of time, you realize that’s just how it goes sometimes. Back to that conversation. We talked about how boring it would be if you went out every day and netted 20 monster trout. Or were guaranteed to hit your limit of ducks, deer, elk, whatever it is you’re after. No, that would suck. That is not a sport. Where is the fun in that? There is none.

It’s probably a stretch to make a comparison, but that’s the way I feel about morning light. Later afternoon light for that matter too. It’s so good that you want to hit the pause button on the sun to make it stay in that position, barely peaking over the horizon. Crisp. Golden. Tasty. Then you realize a lot of the appeal is due to it’s fleeting nature. Morning/evening shots wouldn’t be as desirable if you could make them all day. It’s fun to dream though. Out on a ranch, mornings are special. Really special. You’re lucky to get a couple good frames in before that light is gone. And that is one of the many factors that what will keep me going back again and again and again.

Click here to see more Western Photographs