Authentic Fly Fishing & Outdoor Lifestyle Photography

I photograph fly fishing as it actually happens: long days on the river, changing weather, quiet stretches of water, missed fish, good fish, and the people who keep coming back. For outdoor brands, outfitters, publications, and commercial clients, that means creating photographs that feel lived-in rather than staged. The work can be built around products and campaigns while still retaining the authenticity that makes fly fishing culture compelling in the first place.

Why Fly Fishing Matters to Me

Fly fishing is a horrible disease. One minute you think you’ve got it all figured out, then 30 seconds later you’re cursing the day you picked up a fly rod. Perhaps that never ending challenge is what keeps so many coming back? A good friend introduced me to the sport a decade ago during a trip to the mountains in Colorado. Prior to that, it seemed like a boring sport that old men did to get away from their wives, but I couldn’t be more wrong. That day I just kinda tagged along with my camera because there was nothing else to do. He sat down for a break at one point, so I picked up his rod, and have been inconsolable ever since. This obsession has taken me to a slew of iconic American rivers and creeks in search of fish and photographs. Each one changing the way I look at life and sport.

At first you just need to catch a fish. Then you want to catch the biggest fish. And as time goes on you realize the fish are a small part of it. The culture and adventures with friends in the most beautiful places on planet earth are energizing and addicting, but the quiet moments really make it all sink in. These combined experiences over the years show you how special rivers are. So the sleepless nights thinking about fish will always continue, but we also need to put the rod down once in a while, to ensure that our rivers stay wild and clean. As a photographer and lover of the outdoors, it’s important to use my skills for good, to collaborate with other people, brands, and organizations who share the same mentality about conservation.

Fly Fishing Photography Licensing & Fine Art Prints

Fly fishing photographs from this archive are also available for commercial and editorial licensing. For collectors, a selection of photographs is available as fine art prints in a range of sizes. For licensing, assignments, or other project inquiries, get in touch at rob@robhammerphotography.com

“Over the years I’ve fully explored a handful of these little mountain creeks, casually fished a few dozen others, and have hiked or driven past dozens or maybe even hundreds more on the way to somewhere else—and I’ve barely scratched the surface. There are thousands of them in the American West and that many more over the border in Alberta and British Columbia. Some days it worries me that I’ll never be able to get to all of them.”

- John Gierach -

Photograph of a fly fisherman casting into clear water of the South Platte River in Cheesman Canyon near Deckers, Colorado.

A fly fisherman casting into a beautiful section of the Gunnison River surrounded by steep rock walls in the Black Canyon.

A fly fisherman casts into a beautiful section of the South Platte River in Cheesman Canyon, Colorado.

Photograph of a fly fisherman casting into clear water of the South Platte River in Cheesman Canyon near Deckers, Colorado.

A fly fisherman casting into a beautiful section of the Gunnison River surrounded by steep rock walls in the Black Canyon.

A fly fisherman casts into a beautiful section of the South Platte River in Cheesman Canyon, Colorado.

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FLY FISHING PHOTOGRAPHER - COMMERCIAL OUTDOOR PHOTOGRAPHY

Authentic Fly Fishing & Outdoor Lifestyle Photography

Why Fly Fishing Matters to Me

Fly Fishing Photography Licensing & Fine Art Prints

EXHIBITION RECORD