Oregon Landscape Photography Prints

Rob Hammer March 14, 2024

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

Road Trip Photo Book

Rob Hammer December 9, 2023

Photography Book - American Road Trip

Open Road - Travel - Photography Prints - Wall Art

Crazy to think that American Road Trip Photography is a genre entirely in itself. So many of the greats like William Eggleston, Robert Frank, and Stephen Shore (to name only a few) paved the way with photographs published into iconic photo books of a pastime that is more popular today than it ever was, especially after COVID.

My American Road Trips started 12 years ago and have average 35,000 miles per year of open road ever since. At first there was no real intention other than to have fun making photographs in a state of pure freedom, because that’s what road trips are all about. Obviously I’ve taken heaps of inspiration from my hero’s, but it’s also important to never compare yourself to them. Never thinking how does my photo book stack up to theirs? Rather, what can I/you/we contribute to the genre in our own way. As I step away from Roadside Meditations for long periods, then come back to it, I feel proud of the work and hope that it inspires others to get out there to experience America by car. The way it’s supposed to be seen. And hopefully, you’ll take your dog with you too!

Click here to pick up a copy of my American road trip photography book - Roadside Meditations.

Fine art prints are also available from this series. Contact me directly to purchase wall are for your home, office, or commercial space - rob@robhammerphotography.com

American Road Trip Photography

Rob Hammer June 17, 2023

The Great American Road Trip - Photography

When are you supposed to say enough is enough and move on to another subject? Roadside Meditations was published a few months back, which would (should?) be the logical line in the sand stating ok, you did the thing, now try something else! And a person smarter than myself would probably do that! History thus far does not comply. My long term personal project are just that, personal. So I might partially focus on a new subject, but I’m always on the look-out for images that fit the older projects too. It’s not intentional. It just is. I love these projects and can’t help myself.

Click HERE to purchase a copy of Roadside Meditations or contact me directly to inquire about prints of my American road trip photography.

Photograph of a road going through a beautiful cattle ranch in Montana — Wyola, Montana

Landscape photo of the California desert — California desert

Photograph of a vast Wyoming landscape — Wyoming

Photograph of a train going through the landscape of Parker, Wyoming — Parker, Wyoming

California desert road trip photo — California desert

Photograph of plants in the California desert — California desert

Aerial Photograph of a road going through a desolate section of the California desert — California desert

Basketball in Vietnam

Rob Hammer June 16, 2023

Photographs of basketball in Vietnam

Vietnamese Basketball Culture

When you think about the humble beginning of basketball by Dr. Naismith back in 1891, it’s mind blowing to see how far the game has come. While there have been monumental economic changes with shoe contracts and television coverage, the basics of the game are still unchanged. A hoop is still a hoop. But the sport, an American original, has influenced people all over the world. After ten years of working on this project, there’s one line that seems to reoccur - “basketball is everywhere”. Truly everywhere. Even Vietnam. Which is particularly fascinating when you stop to consider the tumultuous relationship we once shared with them.

Click here to see more of my basketball hoop photography

Contact me directly about prints of my basketball photography - rob@robhammerphotography.com

Montana Road Trip

Rob Hammer June 1, 2023

Talking highly about Montana is better left to the most lyrical of wordsmiths because I certainly can’t do that place any justice. Maybe that should be a personal goal? I’m fresh off the road after spending over a week in that glorious state and can’t wait to go back. This trip was particularly visual due to to the heavy winter snowfall that made everything greener than green. I’ve never been to Ireland, but the particular hue off grass felt more like something you could only see there. Check back soon to see images from the two cattle ranches I photographed, but don’t expect any images of trout. Those are only in my head.

Road Trip Photography Book

Rob Hammer May 18, 2023

The Open Road -

Photography and the Great American Road Trip

Results for the American Photography 39 Competition are in and filled with a massive amount of incredible images from so many photographer that I look up to. So it’s a real honor having two of my images from Roadside Meditations be a part of it.

Roadside Meditations

Road Trip Photos - USA

Rob Hammer March 24, 2023

Photography and the Great American Road Trip

Road Trip Photo Book

It’s a good thing most people only think of Las Vegas when Nevada gets brought up. Otherwise it gets thrown into the “fly over state” category. Staying that way would be just fine. The hoards can go elsewhere and leave the untamed beauty to the rest of us that truly appreciate it. Of the states many redeeming qualities, under populated ranks very high on the list. I’d argue it has everything, but that’s an obvious bias. The biggest draw is almost endless open roads, which is why it fits so nicely for my Roadside Meditations series. One of those places that really allows your mind to wander. Beyond that, it’s got sage brush, deserts, mountains, snowboarding, fly fishing, and cattle ranches. What more does a guy need? All joking aside, Nevada is a really special place. Another one that took me a while to understand or appreciate, but now the hooks are firmly planted. Desert mornings and evenings offer a vibe you can’t find elsewhere. It’s something about the light mixed with the color palette and textures of the landscape. I’ve spent many a night sleeping in my truck in Nevada, waking up to sunrises that rival any in the country.

Click here to pick up a copy of Roadside Meditations

Contact me directly about American road trip photography prints for your home, office, or commercial space - rob@robhammerphotography.com

Desert road near Goodsprings Nevada - American Road Trip Photography - Rob Hammer — Goodsprings, Nevada - Road Trip Photography

Desert road near Goodsprings, Nevada - American Road Trip Photography — Goodsprings, Nevada - American Road Trip

Jean, Nevada -Photography - American Road Trip — Jean, Nevada - Road Trip Photography

Hawthorne, Nevada Photo - American Road Trip — Hawthorne, Nevada - American Road Trip Photography

Sandy Valley, Nevada - American Road Trip Photography — Sandy Valley, Nevada - Travel Photography - America

Sandy Valley, Nevada - Road Trip- American — Sandy Valley, Nevada - Road Trip Photo Book

Walker Lake, Nevada - American Road Trip Photography — Walker Lake, Nevada - American Photography

Hawthorne, Nevada - American Road Trip Photography - Rob Hammer — American Road Trip Photography

Gardnerville, Nevada Carson Valley Photo — Carson Valley, Nevada - American Photography

Driving Through America

Rob Hammer March 17, 2023

American Road Trip Photography

More from the road this winter. You never know what you’ll find out there, which is most of the draw. If you knew, what fun would it be? That’d be like fly fishing if you were guaranteed a catch every single time out. It’s about the hunt. The coyote image is a great example how the road always keeps you guessing. I only found them because of a pee break on the side of some desert parking lot in the middle of the Nevada desert. Parking lot is the only word available, because it didn’t seem a need for one. There was nothing around for miles and miles. Nevada desert. Which begs the question, why were the coyotes there? Clearly they were killed by hunters and placed carefully in that spot. It took effort to drag them from the kill location. Why not just leave them there? We’ll never know. Nor does it matter. Just the kind of thing you see on the road.

Click here to see more of my America series

Dave's Pubb - Tetonia, Idaho - dive bar - photo - America — Dave’s Pubb - Tetonia, Idaho

Photograph of the Lovelock Speedway - Lovelock, Nevada — Lovelock Speedway - Lovelock, Nevada

Dead coyotes in the Nevada desert -photo — Nevada desert

Mojave, California Photo Train Windfarm — Mojave, California

Hawthorne, Nevada - movie theater - photo — Hawthorne, Nevada

Frames Magazine

Rob Hammer March 9, 2023

Photography Podcast - Frames Magazine

It’s rewarding connecting with people that you’re on the same page with. The motto at Frames Magazine is “Because excellent photography belongs on paper”. For quite some time I’ve been saying that photography belongs on your wall, not your phone. So you can see the natural connection to the people at Frames. They get it. So I was honored to be interviewed about Roadside Meditations by W. Scott Olsen for their podcast. Scott is as talented a photographer as he is an interviewer and writer. If you’re into long form photo essays about travel, check out the piece he did on traveling the country by train - Scenes From a Moving Window . It’s a lot of fun. Here is a link to my episode on the Frames Photography Podcast.

And here is a link to purchase Roadside Meditations

Road Trip

Rob Hammer March 9, 2023

Road Trip Photographer - America - Open Road

What a winter it’s been. The snow just keeps on coming. Made an impromptu road trip up to Jackson Hole again for a mix of business and pleasure. More on the business part coming soon! We had two days of incredible backcountry snowboarding. The best of which was in Grand Teton National Park, where the snow was literally as good as it gets. Felt like floating on a cloud. The road trip portion was a lot of fun too, although the weather conditions made it quite interesting. On the way south while driving through northern Nevada, an emergency alert popped up on my phone. I figured it was just an overreaction, then got slammed with some of the worst driving conditions I’ve ever witnessed during 10+ years of road trips. The snow and wind was so heavy, that there were moments when I couldn’t figure out if the car was moving forward or backwards. It was also the first time I ever called it and got a hotel due to weather. That hour and a half of driving in those conditions completely fried my eyes and brain. Gotta love the road. It keeps you honest. Will be posting new images soon from the cowboy project.

The American Road Trip - Photo Book

Rob Hammer March 9, 2023

Photographing the American Road Trip

Photo Book - Americana - Open Road

Very happy to see Roadside Meditations is being received so well over in Europe. LF Magazine did a feature on it, which you can use Google Translate to read HERE.

Or click here to purchase a copy of my book on American Road Trip Photography - Roadside Meditations

LF Magazine - Spain - Roadside Meditations - Rob Hammer - Fine art photography book — American Road Trip Photo Book

Road Trip Book

Rob Hammer February 10, 2023

Photographing the American Road Trip

Another feature for Roadside Meditations! Very grateful and hope they keep coming! This one is over on the photography website All About Photo, which does a great job of featuring and writing about some very inspiring photography projects. Honored to have my latest photography book on the American Road Trip be a part of it.

Click here to read the article

Click here to order a copy of the book

American road trip photography book Roadside Meditations featured on All About Photo .com — Best photo book on the Great American Road Trip

Best book about the American Road Trip

Rob Hammer February 10, 2023

Fine Art Road Trip Photography

The Open Road - America

It’s great to see Roadside Meditations getting some press, especially overseas. L’Oeil de la Photographie in France did a piece on it. You can head over to their website and use Google Translate to read it. If you’re wondering, those fancy looking words mean “The Eye of Photography” in English. Any press for the book is welcomed, but it feels particularly good being featured in magazines that specialize in photography.

Click here to read the article

Click here to order a copy of the book

Road Trip Photography Book

Rob Hammer February 6, 2023

American Road Trip Photography

Photo Book - The Open Road

Last week on the drive home from Wyoming I listened to a great podcast with Rick Ruben and Rich Roll. Rick is such a unique and inspiring individual with an immense amount of knowledge from a lifetime of varying experiences. Of the many nuggets he dropped on the show, this one stuck out the most - “The audience comes last, in service to the audience. The audience wants the best thing. They don’t get the best thing when you’re trying to service them. They get the best thing when you’re servicing yourself. When you’re true to who you are”.

That’s an invaluable statement for any creator to hear and it sums up exactly how I feel about photography, for personal projects as well as commercial work. Very rarely do you see commercial work that has any great effect on people or the world of photography, because it’s watered down generic imagery that’s sole purpose is to sell a product and feature the companies logo as many times as possible. Nobody wants to take a risk. They want to play it safe and not ruffle any feathers. Seldom does an ad campaign come out with historical significance or staying power. They are about now! How much can we sell now!!?? So what does this have to do with a photography book? Everything. If I or any other photographer set out to make a book strictly with the audience in mind, it would suck. The intention would be glaringly obvious and the images would reflect a direct lack of caring. The title of the book might as well be Money Grab.

Roadside Meditations is a niche subject that’s not for everyone, which you could argue is the case for any fine art book. If it were for everyone, it wouldn’t be worth a damn. To further Ruben’s above quote, I’d like to share how my latest photo book came to be. A few years back I began collaborating with (now) photo editor/consultant Alexa Becker (Germany). At the time she was working for Kehrer Verlag and I was trying to pitch her one (maybe three?) different book ideas, none of which landed. Her interest in my work seemed genuine though, so I kept in touch. And at one point I reached out asking simply for a consultation on my “America” series. After a half dozen back and forths through Zoom, she pulled a few outlying images from my edit and asked if I had anything else that might go along with it. I did, so she began assembling a side edit. A while later she had the beginnings of Roadside Meditations, and told me to forget all about the America series, because “this” was the book! Turns out she was right, and all the roadside images I made thinking they were just accents to the bigger series, was IT all along. The point is that I never had anything in mind for the photos. I wasn’t making them for anyone but myself, and maybe one or two of them might find their way into a book, print, whatever?? Well, here we are a year and a half later, and a large shipment of books is scheduled to arrive from Germany in less than a half hour. So much has happened since then. I’ve continued shooting images that would fit into a Roadside Meditations Vol. 2, but that’s not the intention. The images are only made because I’m drawn to make them. And it would be a bonus if another book happened to develop. Vol.1 isn’t out in the world yet, so there is nothing to say people even want it, but I’m still a firm believer that “the audience comes last, in service of the audience.”

Click here to purchase a copy of Roadside Meditations

Fine art photography book Roadside Meditations by Kehrer Verlag and Rob Hammer — Fine Art Road Trip Photography Book

American Road Trip - USA Photography

Rob Hammer January 13, 2023

The Open Road

Photography and the Great American Road Trip

The library of road trip photographs is starting to get out of hand. And as usual, I’ve been slacking on sharing images. So here is a selection made over the past couple years in Iowa, Utah, Nevada, Virginia, and California. Taking these trips is so much fun, and equally as fun is going back through the images after not having seen them for quite a while. It’s sort of like reliving each trip again and putting yourself right back in each of these places.

Click here to see more American photography

Click here to pick up a copy of Roadside Meditations

Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System

Abstract fine art photography — Virginia

Driving through the Eastern Sierra Mountains near Mammoth, California at sunset — Eastern Sierra - California

A truck kicks up dust as it drives down a country road at sunrise in southern Iowa — Iowa

The capital building in Des Moines, Iowa — Des Moines, Iowa

Sunset on train tracks going through farmland in southern iowa — Iowa

American Photography

Rob Hammer January 6, 2023

Photographing America - The Open Road

Road Trip Photography Prints - Americana

A new batch of American photographs from the last couple road trips around the country. This series has gotten increasingly overwhelming from an archive perspective. It’s probably the largest series to date, but also the one I’ve done the least with. And by “least”, I mean nothing. So to look at it as a whole feels like a monumental tasks to make sense of for a book or any other publication. Guess it’s time to turn things over to a professional??!!

Click here to see more of the America series.

Contact me directly to order fine art prints for your home, office, or commercial space - rob@robhammerphotography.com

El Capitan Casino in Hawthorne, Nevada - Photo — Hawthorne, Nevada

Photo of the Honolulu Club bar in Yucca, Arizona - vintage sign. — Honolulu Club - Yucca, Arizona

McDonald's billboard and other signs in the desert landscape outside Tuba City, Arizona - Photo — Tuba City, Arizona

A small town graveyard with wind turbines in the background in southern Iowa — Southern Iowa

A Little League baseball field in the small farm town of Griswold, Iowa — Griswold, Iowa

Photo of a broken down truck in front of a factory in Big Island, Virginia — Big Island, Virginia

A baseball field in front of farm silos in Mountain Home, Idaho - Photo - Rob Hammer — Mountain Home, Idaho

Photo of a palm tree, power lines, and clouds in the California desert — California Desert

Vintage Whiting Bros sign in the small town of Yucca, Arizona — Whiting Bros - Yucca, Arizona

Photo of an old theater in Hawthorne, Nevada — Old movie theater - Hawthorne, Nevada

The Lovelock Speedway in Lovelock, Nevada - Photo — Lovelock Speedway - Lovelock, Nevada

Interior of an old shoe shop in Texarkana, Texas - photo — Shoe shop - Texarkana

An empty pool in a small town neighborhood near Griswold, Iowa — Griswold, Iowa

American Road Trip

Rob Hammer January 1, 2023

Every year you hear the same story on the news - people left stranded in airport after thousands of canceled flights. Same thing. Every year. This December (2022) marks 10 years that I’ve been driving from San Diego to New York to do some shooting and see family for the holidays. It’s also the first December in a decade without Mojo, so I pulled an audible to the normal cross country drive, instead trying to focus time and effort on the cowboy project. The plan was drive to a couple ranches in northern Nevada for several days of shooting on each. Afterward leave my truck at the Salt Lake City airport and fly home to Albany from there. Plans don’t always work out. After rushing to the airport I walked right through security with a knife and a lighter. Didn’t plan on having them with me, it just worked out like that. My flight had several delays as did Emily’s. She was supposed to land in Albany 5 hours prior to me. I finally made it there at 5am, while she had been rerouted. Which meant taking my mothers car, driving to Boston to pick her up, then back to Albany for Christmas Eve at my Aunt’s house. Then up to Lake George for 3 days at my sisters. Those 3 days were fantastic. Then on Tuesday I woke up to a text saying my Thursday flight was already canceled. Phone calls to Southwest resulted in a busy signal or that annoying ring from yesteryear that happened when the number you called was no longer in service. An internet search revealed the next available flight wasn’t until January 2nd. Who knows if that would actually happen though? So I rented a car and started the next morning on a drive back to Salt Lake City where my truck was waiting. Honda Accords with summer tires are no fun to drive in the winter, especially when the weather reports are filled with storm warnings. Slowly, it did the trick. Meaning it got from A to B, but not much else. Unfortunately there wasn’t enough time during the ride to do much shooting, but I still managed to squeeze in a few early morning frames of southern Iowa.

Sunrise over farmland and wind turbines in southern Iowa near Griswold

The ride through Wyoming on the 80 was par for winter in Wyoming on the 80 - a windy/snowy mess. Thankfully it remained uneventful. After picking up my truck in SLC, I started the drive south through 3+ hours of rain. At some point of tiredness I pulled off into a truck stop and slept in the back of the truck. Tried anyway. The days coffee intake was far too high for any real sleep. Around 2:30 am I was back on the road, pulling off again for a nap around 5 am just south of Vegas. Waking up from the nap was a pleasure. That hour or so before the sun actually rises is really special in the desert. From about 7am to 9am I was shooting almost non-stop. Everything just seemed photographable in that beautiful light. Really though it’s the lack of light that makes it particularly desirable, in my opinion. Low ambient light through the cloud cover without any harsh direct sunshine is premo. The side road took me to a part of Nevada I’d never been before, into a place that seemed completely disconnected from the rest of the world, despite only being 25 minutes from the highway. From there is was back into the mess that always is southern California traffic.

There were two lessons learned over those couple weeks of travel. 1) I’m an idiot for not driving the whole way. 2) the pictures will always come if you’re patient. The first day of driving 15 hours straight from Albany to a hotel in Iowa was frustrating. I hate burning country without making images, but there was a deadline to meet, so I didn’t have much of a choice. That next morning the weather was interesting, so I hopped off the 90 for an hour and managed to make images I’m quite happy with. The itch was scratched. Still though, it would be wildly disappointing to drive from coast to coast only making a few images in a small section of one state. It worked out though. The incorrect amount of coffee led to a sleepless night that put me in exactly the right place/right time. Situations like this have happened many times over the years on road trips, international vacations, etc. So the lessons have slowly changed the way I go about finding images. 10+ years ago I couldn’t sit still until images were in the can. Now, I’m learning to let them come.

Click here to see more from the America series

The Open Road - Photography

Rob Hammer October 28, 2022

American Road Trip Photography

There’s been a hold up with the delivery of Roadside Meditations from Germany, so the release date is looking more like early to mid December. Instead of using this blog post to vent, it seems like a better opportunity to share some new work from the series. They were made over the past two months during two separate road trips to Wyoming and Arizona while working on the new cowboy series.

Looking at these photographs now, there is certainly a calming meditative nature to them. The thing that stands out though, is they aren’t something I could have or would have made 6 months or a year ago. That’s called progress, isn’t it? They aren’t landscapes. So what are they? Not sure you really need to classify them at all. If they are pleasant to look, provide a documentation, or education, that’s what’s important.

Will keep you all posted with updates on the new book as soon as possible.

Utah fine art photography. A beautiful landscape in a rural part of Utah. — Utah

Fine art landscape photos made in a beautiful remote section of Utah, USA. — Utah

Utah Fine art landscape photos by Rob Hammer — Utah

Fine art photo of the California desert. Black and white desert photo. — California

California Desert Road Trip

Rob Hammer October 13, 2022

Road Trip Photography - America - Travel - California Desert

It’s interesting how certain places can grow on you that at first didn’t seem so appealing. And light seems to be one of the biggest determining factors of that in my opinion. It doesn’t have be traditionally beautiful light either. It just has to be interesting light. Or, maybe light that you understand how to work with? That knowledge is part of growing as a photographer. Most people focus so much on that “perfect” light that occurs during a sunrise or sunset, but beautiful images can be made at all times of day if you know how to work under different conditions. Even midday sun can transform a scene from completely forgettable to “I can’t wait to come back here”.

Click here to shop the Roadside Meditations book

Contact me directly about prints of my American road trip photography for your home, office, or commercial space - rob@robhammerphotography

Mountains in the California desert along Highway 395. American road trip photography by Rob Hammer. — American road trip photography

American Photography. Back roads near the desert town of Mojave, California. American road trip photography. — California desert - Mojave, CA

Wall art of Joshua Trees growing in the California desert. Desert vibes photo. — Mojave Desert

A sky filled with clouds behind a windmill farm in Mojave, California. Alternative energy photos. — Windfarm in Mojave, California

A desert landscape along Highway 395 near Lone Pine, California. Desert Vibes. — California desert near Lone Pina

Windmills in the desert near Mojave, California. Alternative energy photos. — Mojave, CA

Photo of a small town in the California desert — Road Trip Photography

A train going through the small desert town of Mojave, California — A train going through the desert town of Mojave, CA

Western Road Trip

Rob Hammer August 1, 2022

Open Road - Photography

American Road Trip Photos - Nevada - Utah

It seems like there is always a new “favorite” state based on a recent experience. Nevada is really creeping up on the list for me though. In a much different way then say Montana, Colorado, or Wyoming, but I really love Nevada. It’s a place that’s generally overlooked or unthought of altogether. Except of course for Vegas. Personally, I’ve had far too many good times there to ever need a return trip. The rest of the state though!! Would be fun to do a whole book just on the state of Nevada…..

Click here to shop my road trip photo book - Roadside Meditations

Click HERE to see more of my American Photography.