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.

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

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

The Photographic Journal

Basketball Photo Essay - The Photographic Journal

Southern California Basketball Culture

Over the past couple years I’ve been quietly working on a series of photographs about the unique basketball culture that exists in Southern California. It’s been an incredibly fun project and a huge contrast to the American Backcourts photographs of hoops from far off places all across the country. So it’s great to see the series featured on The Photographic Journal - a website that puts together beautiful photo essays. Click HERE to check it out.

Basketball Wall Art For Modern Interiors

Basketball Wall Art Ideas for Modern Interiors

Basketball doesn’t just belong in arenas. It shows up in driveways, alleyways, deserts, and small towns—places where the game exists without an audience. As wall art, these scenes bring a sense of quiet, structure, and familiarity into a space.

For those looking to add basketball wall art to their home or office, the question isn’t just what to hang—but what kind of image holds attention over time.

Why Basketball Works as Wall Art

At its simplest, basketball is a set of recognizable forms—a rim, a backboard, a painted line. When photographed outside of a stadium, those elements become graphic and minimal.

A single hoop against an open sky. A backboard weathered by years of use. A court fading into the landscape.

These images tend to work well as wall art because they balance:

• strong, simple composition

• texture and age

• a subject that feels familiar without being overly specific

They don’t rely on action or players. Instead, they create space—something that holds attention without overwhelming it.

Different Styles of Basketball Wall Art

Not all basketball imagery feels the same in a room. The setting and composition shift the tone entirely.

Minimal / Isolated Hoops
A lone hoop in an open environment creates a clean, understated presence. These pieces often work best in modern interiors.

Urban Courts and Alleyways
Layers of texture—walls, pavement, fencing—bring more density and detail. These images tend to feel more grounded and architectural.

Rural and Landscape-Driven Scenes
Hoops set against fields, mountains, or desert environments introduce scale and atmosphere. These often read as quieter, more contemplative pieces.

Graphic Light and Shadow
Reflections, silhouettes, and strong contrast push the work toward abstraction, where the subject becomes more about shape than place.

Basketball Photography as Fine Art

For over 15 years, this project has focused on basketball hoops found far from stadiums—mounted to barns, garages, telephone poles, and fading backboards in rural towns.

The photographs are not staged. Each one is discovered, observed, and documented as it exists. Together, they form a visual record of basketball as a constant presence in American life, regardless of location or scale.

This ongoing series has been featured in galleries, museums, on NBA TV, in iconic magazines like SLAM, ESPN, and Sports Illustrated, and international fine art books on basketball, reflecting the broader cultural significance of the work.

View The Full Project

Where to Find Basketball Wall Art Prints

For those looking to bring this work into their own space, a selection of photographs from the series is available as fine art prints.

View Basketball Wall Art Prints

For Collectors, Designers, and Licensing

These basketball hoop photographs are also available for editorial and commercial licensing. The work has been used by brands, publications, and media outlets looking for an authentic representation of basketball culture beyond the professional game.

For inquiries regarding larger installations, hospitality projects, or licensing, please get in touch - rob@robhammerphotography.com

Basketball hoop wall art for residential design

A basketball hoop reflected in a puddle on an outdoor court, creating a surreal, inverted scene. Available as a fine art basketball photography print for modern interiors and collectors.

A weathered basketball hoop standing against a dramatic sunset in rural America, captured as part of the American Backcourts series. Available as a fine art basketball wall art print for collectors and modern interiors.

A weathered wooden basketball hoop mounted to a utility pole, photographed in rural America as part of a long-term series documenting the overlooked places where the game is played.

A solitary chair facing a basketball hoop in a remote desert landscape, part of the American Backcourts series. Available as a fine art basketball wall art print.

Installation view from the American Backcourts series, a long-term project documenting basketball hoops across the United States, exhibited in gallery settings and featured in publications including SLAM and NBA TV.

Communication Arts Photography Annual Winner

Award Winning Basketball Photographs

Competitions have become one of the many shams in the photography industry. Today is seems like there are as many competitions as there are Starbucks, and they all prey on people, promising “exposure” that will lead to a world of endless possibilities. What they really are is a bullshit way for companies to rake in a boatload of money on entry fees. Communication Arts on the other hand, has a long standing reputation for high quality and publishing the most inspiring work of the year in their Photo Annual. So I’m honored to have my American Backcourts images included in this years pages along with breathtaking work by incredible photographers.

Click HERE to pick up a copy of American Backcourts

Communication Arts Photo Annual

American Basketball Culture

Basketball Hoop Photography - American Sports Culture

10 years into this series and it’s still just as much fun documenting the sport of basketball as it was initially. It’s always interesting to think about the games played on hoops in different parts of the country. It’s also enjoyable to see the images and realize that each one was an experience in itself to make. The first photo here in Primm was taken on a day so windy that I had to brace myself with one leg five feet in front of the other. You can see how the net is being pushed backwards. The second shot is from a high school gym in the middle of a remodel. Door was wide open and not a sole in sight. The hoop in Santa Rosa is actually one I photographed 10 or so years ago under completely different conditions. That image from all those years ago is in the book. Crazy how a location so random can be unintentionally revisited. And shocking to see that there is still a chain net hanging from the rim. The last image was made on a road I’ve driven a hundred times and never noticed before.

Click here to grab a copy of the book

Primm, Nevada

Minden, Nevada

Santa Rosa, New Mexico

Olancha, California

Los Angeles Streetball Culture - Venice Beach

Venice Beach Basketball Courts & the Venice Basketball League

There are places where basketball feels bigger than the game itself, and Venice Beach Basketball Courts is one of them. The courts sit just steps from the Pacific, surrounded by noise, movement, and a constant flow of people, but once a game starts, everything narrows in. The Venice Basketball League has been played here for decades, drawing a mix of locals, pros, and travelers into something that feels equal parts competition and performance.

Where Streetball Becomes a Stage

There’s a rabid energy to these courts that you don’t find anywhere else. Games unfold with an audience just feet away—tourists, regulars, salty characters, players waiting for the next run—all watching closely. Every possession matters, but so does how it looks. Style, confidence, and presence carry as much weight as the score. Make no mistake, ball in Venice is a show!

The setting adds to it. Ocean air moves through the courts, music drifts in from the boardwalk, and the light changes quickly as the sun drops behind the horizon. It’s not just a place to play—it’s a place to be seen.

The Venice Basketball League

The Venice Basketball League has built a reputation as one of the most competitive outdoor leagues in the country. Games are physical, fast, and often unpredictable. You’ll see former college players, overseas pros, and local legends sharing the same court.

What makes it different isn’t just the level of play—it’s the environment. There’s no separation between players and spectators. The energy sits right on top of the game, and you feel it in every possession.

Basketball as a Universal Language

Over the years, I’ve photographed basketball in small towns, backyards, alleys, and places most people would never think to look. What stands out in Venice is how all of that comes together in one place.

People from all over the world pass through these courts, but the game stays the same. No introductions needed. You step on the court, and you understand the rules immediately. It’s one of the clearest examples of how basketball connects people across completely different backgrounds.

More Venice Beach Basketball Photography

Over the years I’ve linked up with Nick Ansom on a number of fun projects, including his “Survival Hoops” - a collection of hoops made from junk then hung in the alleyways of Venice.

View the hidden alley basketball hoops of Venice

Part of a Larger Project: American Backcourts

These photographs are part of a long-term body of work documenting basketball hoops and courts across the country. While much of that work focuses on quiet, overlooked places—barns, driveways, rural towns—Venice Beach sits at the opposite end of that spectrum.

It’s loud. It’s visible. It’s constantly moving.

But it’s the same game.

That contrast is what ties it all together. Whether it’s a handmade hoop in a small town or a packed court on the California coast, the feeling is consistent. The game shows up everywhere.

→ View the full collection of basketball culture photography
→ Inquire about editorial and commercial image licensing

If you’re interested in seeing how this fits into the broader series, you can view the full project here:

→ American Backcourts

The Hoops Bus

Pre game prayer at the Venice Beach basketball courts

Basketball game in Venice Beach

Venice Beach Basketball

Tattooed spectator in Venice Beach

Los Angeles fashion

Venice Beach culture

Girls basketball - Venice Beach

People dancing at half court in Venice Beach

Compton AV - Rapper

Fashion on display in Venice Beach

Dunk contest - Venice Beach Basketball Courts

Action shot of a basketball game at the Venice Beach courts

Entertainment in Venice Beach

Well dressed

Venice Beach basketball fashion

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Photograph of a guy riding his dirt bike on the courts at Venice Beach

Spectators at the Venice Beach courts

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Street Basketball Art - Venice Beach

The Hidden Hoops of Venice Beach: Basketball Art in the Alleyways

Just a few blocks away from the oceanfront courts of Venice Beach, a different kind of basketball exists. Tucked into alleyways and mounted to the sides of telephone poles and back walls, these hoops are built from scrap wood, bent metal, and whatever materials happen to be on hand. They aren’t part of any official court or league—they’re improvised, functional, and entirely rooted in the creativity of the neighborhood.

These photographs document a series of handmade basketball hoops throughout Venice—objects that blur the line between sport, necessity, and art.

Basketball Hoops Built from Junk: Functional Street Art

Nick Ansom is at the helm of the Venice Basketball League. He is responsible for all the creative energy and growth that happens locally as well as across the country and overseas. If you haven’t seen what he’s done with the Hoop Bus, check it out. Very impressive. I linked up with Nick a while back because of our obvious shared interest in basketball. Yet another example of personal projects leading to fun outcomes/relationships. COVID was a strange time for the VBL because it literally couldn’t happen. The city put a device on all the rims that prohibited play. As the saying goes though, Basketball Never Stops. Instead of sitting around crying about it, Nick put his energy into another creative endeavor - Survival Hoops. Along with another artist friend Lori Powers, they started creating hoops out of junk. It started small, but after a while they had built and hung 100+ beautifully weird hoops all over the alleys of Venice Beach. About a month ago we linked up and documented their work. I really enjoyed seeing what they had created and am honored to be part of a piece of basketball culture. It would be easy to write this project off as someone just being bored and having time to kill during a pandemic. You would be wrong though. What they created is much bigger than that. It’s well thought out, deliberate, and has brought a lot of happiness not just to the people who have played on them, but also to the locals in Venice that walk by these hoops every day. And hopefully now it will be preserved in some kind of document for people to see years from now.

A Different Side of Venice Beach Basketball

Most people associate Venice Beach Basketball Courts with loud rowdy games, eccentric locals, and a constant flow of tourist spectators looking for a show. But the game doesn’t stop at the edge of the courts.

It continues in quieter places—out of view, away from the crowds—where the structure of the game is stripped down to its simplest form: a hoop, a ball, and a small piece of space to play.

These alleyway hoops reflect that side of basketball. Informal, resourceful, and entirely local.

Part of the American Backcourts Project

These photographs are part of a long-term body of work documenting basketball hoops across the United States. Over the past 15 years, the project has focused on the overlooked places where the game exists—rural driveways, barns, small towns, and improvised courts like these in Venice.While the settings change, the idea remains the same: basketball shows up wherever people find a way to build a hoop.

View the American Backcourts series

Collecting Basketball Hoop Photography Prints

A selection of these photographs is available as fine art prints, produced on museum-grade paper for collectors, interior designers, and spaces looking to incorporate basketball culture in a more understated way.

View the full Basketball Hoop Photography collection here

See More Venice Beach Basketball

While these alleyway hoops offer a quieter perspective, the main courts of Venice Beach remain one of the most iconic places to watch and play the game.

View from Venice Beach basketball culture and courts here

Survival Hoops - Venice Beach, California by Nick Ansom

DIY Basketball Hoop - Golden Girls Mural

Creative basketball hoop hung on a telephone pole in Venice, CA

Basketball hoop with LA Dodgers logo made with a bucket and wood

Basketball Hoop Art - Venice Beach

Basketball hoop made from bike parts

Art Hoop - Venice, CA

Venice Beach Alley Basketball Hoop

Surfboard basketball hoop - Venice Beach

Junk art basketball hoop

Artistic basketball hoop

Artistic homemade basketball hoop

Area 52

Black Lives Matter - Venice Beach

Alley basketball hoop - Venice Beach, CA

Venice Beach basketball hoop

Youth Basketball - Venice Beach

Milk crate basketball hoop

Basketball hoop made from an old wheelchair

Basketball hoop made from a Weber Grill

Nick Ansom and Lori Powers - Creators of Survival Hoops in Venice Beach, CA

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.

American Backcourts

Beyond excited to finally be sharing the forthcoming (November 15th-ish) book with everyone!! I could probably go on talking about this project for days, but the world doesn’t have an attention span for that, so I’ll try and keep it quick. Also know that I’ll be posting more about this in the coming weeks as the book comes closer to release. Even now sitting down to write this I’m not sure how to keep it short. The video itself probably best describes how I feel about basketball and this series that I’ve been shooting for the past 8+ years. Like most of my projects, I believe it was a “thing” even before realizing it. If you’ve followed “The Basketball Hoops Project” for any amount of time, you know this this was all inspired by a picture of Larry Bird’s childhood hoop. As a kid, he was my hero, and I just couldn’t understand how one of the greatest of all time could have grown up playing on a rusty old rim hanging on a dilapidated old barn in the middle of Indiana. I was certain that all the greats came from the inner cities and were afforded the finest facilities. That image of Bird’s hoop and the story it told never left my head as I got older and began traveling as a photographer. During those cross country road trips (with my dog Mojo) I would encounter hoops just like Bird’s and couldn’t help but stop to photography them, always wondering what stories they would tell. After taking the photos I didn’t give them much thought, as my main focus was on a different subject (Barbershops of America) altogether. Then time went on and people started responding to the Hoops images I would post on various social media channels, and I realized that a body of work had really developed. At some point, Hoops became the new focus and things started to snowball. Now, almost 9 years later, I’m just as obsessed with the project as I was then.

A few weeks ago I received the unbound proofing copy of the book, and couldn’t help but feel as though this is the most complete body of work I’ve every put out. And a lot of that has to do with the collaborations I entered into after understanding how important it is to hand over to control of the things you aren’t good at. Being honest about what you don’t know is an important trait in life. Is it pertains to this, the best thing I did was to work with an editor. A professional who understands the importance of giving it to you straight. Someone who isn’t emotionally connected to the project and will edit the images in a way that’s best for the project as a whole. Which often times, means saying bye to your favorites! This is a huge lesson for me, and one that I’m infinitely thankful to have learned. I also worked with a designer on this book to give it the visual attention it deserved. Again, knowing what I don’t know. I’m not a designer and can’t expect to make a book look good on my own. Trust in the professionals! There is no situation in life where it isn’t important to surround yourself with people who are smarter or better than yourself! It only raises you up to their level. I’m quite confident in my abilities as a photographer, but when it comes to editing and design, I’m very much an amateur.

There is a whole lot more to say about this project, but for now I hope you enjoy this teaser video. I think it says a whole lot about the game of basketball, and sums up why I continue to love this project. Stay tuned for more info about the book’s release.

**The book you see is a digital mock up as I have not yet received the hard copies. The text on the real thing looks slightly different.

To shop basketball hoop prints from this series go HERE

Photographer Rob Hammer traveled all over America for 8+ years in search of old basketball hoops with a story left to tell. The result is a hard cover coffee...

Project Backboard

PROJECT BACKBOARD

Community basketball court renovations

Been saying this for a while now, but personal projects are the best, especially when they connect you with other like minded people. Which is certainly the case with Dan Peterson of Project Backboard. He’s been doing amazing things with outdoor basketball courts all over the country. Taking broken down courts and turning them into beautiful works of art that locals are excited to play on. Recently we visited a few of his courts in Los Angeles together, and I was able to talk with him first hand about the process and how things have developed over the years. I really applaud this project and hope that it continues to grow. If you want to check out more of what PB has done, go to their WEBSITE or follow along on their INSTAGRAM PAGE.

If you recognize the bridge in the Watts Oasis images, that’s because it is the very bridge from those famous scenes in White Men Can’t Jump. I personally love that movie and was ecstatic when Dan told me what it was.

Click here to see more of my basketball photography from the American Backcourts series

1) Where are you from and what place has basketball taken in your life (prior to Project Backboard) ?

I grew up in suburban NY during the heyday of the great 1990s Knicks teams and ultimately played a year of basketball at Iona College before leaving my official playing days behind.

2) When did you come up with the idea for Project Backboard(PB)? 

Project Backboard wasn't really my idea! I started the work just by painting lines on public courts in Memphis that did not have any just because I loved outdoor basketball.

3) How long/what did it take to get things going for PB? 

I got my first large grant about a year after starting Project Backboard but it was another year before I did the court with William LaChance in St. Louis that really got a lot of attention and opened the door for Project Backboard to become what it is today. 

4) What was the initial reaction? How have reactions changed since you started? 

The initial reaction was overwhelmingly positive and that is the reaction I have continued to get. That said, this style of court has become surprisingly common over the past 12-18 months that the reaction now may be a bit more restrained than the early courts. No one had ever seen anything like the William LaChance court when we first painted it.

5) How have you gone about getting funding for these projects? 

A lot of the courts are funded either by community or corporate foundations.

6) What is the process like from the original idea for a court to the final execution? 

The painting process is different for each court depending on what the artist has in mind for the court artwork. Sometimes its a lot of measuring and straight lines or curves and other times we create a grid across the entire surface of the court and drawing the artwork box by box. 

7) PB has teamed up with some big name companies. How have those relationships come about? 

People reach out and I respond! I am always open to collaborating but the successful projects have been ones were the brands are able to be a little less “corporate” in their approach and allow the artist the freedom to create and lead the project vision. 

8) What is the overall goal for PB?

For every community to have a safe and inviting basketball court. I love outdoor basketball and want to share that with others but, from my perspective, the way that will happen is when individual community members step up to help care for public spaces and hold those charged with maintaining those spaces accountable.

9) Any big projects in the works that you want to share? 

Yes! Looking forward to a few courts in the Bay Area and a court in Puerto Rico along with a handful of others.

10) Random thoughts on PB......

I appreciate all the support and, as I said, always open to collaborating and helping others follow my example so don't hesitate to reach out!

Venice Beach Basketball Courts

Venice Beach Basketball Basketball Court designed by Project Backboard

Basketball Court -Crete Academy - Crenshaw

Nipsey Hussle Basketball Court -Crete Academy - Crenshaw

Watts Oasis Basketball Court

Watts Oasis Basketball Court

White Men Can't Jump - Basketball Court

Watts Oasis Basketball Court

Watts Oasis Basketball Court

Dan Peterson - Project Backboard

American Basketball Photography

Fine Art Basketball Photography Prints

I always think to myself that any photographer who really gives a shit will invest heavily in personal projects. That's not to say you have to spend a lot of money, but invest yourself. Shoot something that's just for you and let that project develop a life of it's own. You'll be glad you did.  I also think that a photographers personal project begins without even knowing it. In your own time you shoot what you're randomly and naturally drawn to. Then over time, a small collection or series of images comes together that you didn't even realize you were creating. The even greater part is over the same period of time, that body of work naturally grows followers of people with similar interests. Those people can be totally random, but they can also be commercial clients who want to buy your images or pay you to make something similar. That's a win on all levels. No longer are you searching for the right clients. Now the right clients are looking for you.

I don't care who you are, things can get slow from time to time. And what happens during those lows, is that you take assignments you're not right for. Maybe it's not your speciality, or maybe you just don't give a shit? Either way, you shouldn't have taken it because it always shows up in the work. Everyone who views an image can tell if it's right or not. When a photographer wants to make a great image he'll do whatever he can to make it. But when the interest isn't there, or they just took the job for the money, you can see it. I decided a long time ago that I'd rather be broke than take assignments that aren't right for me. I use to take them all the time, and it just led to bad relationships and bad images. Definitely not the kind of thing you want out in the world as a freelance photographer. So I started investing heavily in my own projects while also shooting commercially. And after years of building up different portfolios, all that work is starting to pay off. One of them in particular is starting to get really fun, The Basketball Hoops Project. Last February the project had it's first exhibition in New Orleans for NBA All-Star Weekend. And just recently I signed on with Fathom Gallery in Los Angeles. They will not only be sourcing shows for the project and selling prints, but also seeking commercial licensing. I'm really excited about this partnership, and look forward to seeing where it goes. 

Creating images for the right clients is always fun. For a company to choose you out of all the other photographers in the world is a great compliment. When your personal projects start to take flight though, that's the real reward. Hugh Hefner died yesterday. Calling him a legend would be an understatement. Among the many great things he's ever said, my favorite has to be "Life is too short to be living someone else's dream". 

Go out and create for yourself. 

I made this image back in April of 2011 during a road trip with my mother. At the time the Hoops Project wasn't even a thought. Yesterday though,  after stumbling on this,  it made me wonder if it was? 

Click here to see more of my basketball hoop photography

The Basketball Hoops Project

It never stops feeling good to see your personal projects advancing. Today my Hoops Project was featured on ESPN, which included a video narrated by Jalen Rose. Awesome. Go check it out at ESPN.COM.