San Diego Botanical Gardens

Lightscape - San Diego Botanical Gardens

Christmas Light Show - Photography

The last few weeks haven’t seen much action with the camera, unfortunately. Instead the days have been filled with end of the year business nonsense that I don’t enjoy. Going for any amount of time without making images causes a bit of uneasiness, so I brought the camera for a walk through Lightscapes at the San Diego Botanical Gardens, and played around with some hand held long exposures. It confused a number of workers that we would actually walk to the event, instead of driving.

Lightscapes - San Diego Botanical Gardens
Holiday Light Show - San Diego, California
Lightscape - San Diego Botanical Gardens - Encinitas - Photos
Christmas Light Show - San Diego
Long exposure abstract light trail photographs
Lightscape - San Diego Botanical Gardens - Encinitas - Photos

Kansas City Basketball

Basketball Hoop Photography - Prints

Story Behind The Image

Of my many vices, BBQ is damn near the top of the list. Food in general is a big part of my life, but great BBQ is an especially large weakness. Many years ago while driving cross country, I stopped in Kansas City for some of their famous meat, and almost immediately complained to friends about the quality of that particular establishment. One of them recommended Arthur Bryant’s on Brooklyn Avenue. Ever since that trip AB’s has been a must stop anytime I’m within a couple hundred miles. They don’t miss. You know walking in there that they are going to take care of you. The place just feels right. Like walking into Madison Square Garden, you can feel the history. What the hell does this have to do with basketball? Nothing really, but if you’ve ever had a proper plate of BBQ, then you know the only thing that follows is immense satisfaction followed by meat sweats and a nap. So the ritual goes that I eat too much food, sparing the napkin full of scraps that are saved for Mojo who is (was) always waiting in the truck, drool already hanging several inches from his mouth. Poor bastard had to sit there while the smell of burnt ends and pulled pork wafts steadily in the window. After his treat we go for a long walk which turned into the same familiar route over the years. One of the regular sites is an abandoned school that I’ve made some mediocre images of. Viewing it from the outside always led to daydreaming of what the  gym inside looked like. As luck would have it, while walking by one year the plywood on a ground floor window was ripped off and the metal grate had been ripped open. That’s an invitation, right? Of course it is. Anyone that takes if for anything less is a fool. So I hopped in the window with a tripod, camera bag, and a headlamp. Kansas City summers are hot to say the least. Inside a sealed off brick building is something else altogether. It felt like you could chew on the air in there. Walking into the gym didn’t even seem real. My jaw must have drooped right to the floor. Couldn’t believe what a gift I was handed.  The whole room was all but gutted, yet the backboard still stood. I could have been happy in there for days. Still though it wasn’t a place to be for long. There were obviously people squatting and I didn’t have much interest in them knowing I was there. So after waiting waiting waiting for my lens to defog, a few frames were made, and I hit the road without any interactions between the squatters or the police. Moral of the story is eat more BBQ. 

If you’re a photography collector looking for basketball wall art, please contact me directly. All of my basketball hoop photography is available as fine art prints - rob@robhammerphotography

American Photography

Photographing America - Road Trip - USA - Travel

Every day spent on the road is educational in some way, especially when you drive for hours upon hours without producing anything. Half days even. A full day, and you still might not have put the camera up to your eye. Then you get to some kind of hot spot, for the lack of a better word. That’s what happened here. These top 3 images were made within 100 feet of each other in some small Illinois town on a day that otherwise produced almost nothing. Odd how that happens.

Click here to see more from my America series.

The Open Road - Photography

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

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

Roadside Meditations - Kehrer Verlag

Just returned from the road to find the first copy of Roadside Meditations waiting quietly at home. Feels so good to finally hold a hard copy in my hands after the long (but fun) production process with Kehrer Verlag in Germany. Unfortunately the books aren’t for sale yet in the States, but I will be posting and talking much more about this when the time comes. Hoping to have them up and ready to sell on my web store in about a month. Check back here or Instagram (@robhammerphoto) for updates.

Fine art photography book Roadside Meditations by Rob Hammer and Kehrer Verlag.

American Road Trip Photography Book

The Open Road

Photography and the American Road Trip

The new book went to press today in Germany! We’ve been working on it for quite some time now, so having forward progress on a physical product feels great. I’m really proud of the work and excited to be able to share it with everyone. Depending on shipping, the books should be here in the middle of October. Follow along on Instagram @robhammerphoto for more frequent updates.

American Basketball

Basketball Hoop Photography - Sports Culture

You’d think that working on a series for an extended period of time would make it easier? Like practicing a sport, hobby, or any skill you strive to be better at. It’s quite the opposite though. As time goes on, it becomes harder and harder to find scenarios that fit the bill, because the bar keeps rising. In this case we’re talking about basketball hoops. Unless a hoop is better or more unique than what I already have, then it gets passed by. So this past trip only produced 2 images that I’m really happy with. More importantly though, after 10 years, it’s still fascinating to see where the game of basketball pops up. It’s everywhere.

Click here to buy a copy of American Backcourts

Western Road Trip

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.

Basketball Culture Photography

Basketball Hoop Photography - Culture

Communication Arts Photo Annual - Award Winning Photos

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

Photographing America

American Photography - Fine Art

Road Trip Photos - Travel

Walking away from our work can be such a benefit. Meaning that we need to not see it for quite some time to realize what’s good and what isn’t. The “America” series has, like most of my projects, been going on for ten years now. I love it, but things have reached the point where the library is so big that it’s overwhelming. Making it hard to share in any productive manner. Everything you seen in the post was made over the last two or three years, which is usually the amount of time it takes to make sense of it all. That’s not a good thing. It’s time to enlist the help of a professional editor.

Click here to see more from the America series

American Photography

Some frames from the last road trip up to Idaho and back. Seems like I’m always saying “______ is my new favorite place” and I can’t help that because I love this country so much. For now though, Nevada is becoming that new favorite place.

Looking at this set of images is interesting because they all fit into the different major ongoing series that have taken shape over the last few years. “American” , “Hotels” , “Barbershops of America”, and the latest “Roadside Meditations” which comes out in June. Only one missing is “American Backcourts”. None of these images were intentional. I didn’t set out with the thought to add to those series, it just happens. Grateful for that.

Click here to see more of my American Road Trip Photography

Fausto Ferrari Barbershop

Traditional Barbershop - Cincinnati, Ohio - Photos - Americana

It’s crazy what BBQ can bring into your life besides good times and a happy belly. There are countless images made on the road that have been a direct result of my love for smoked meat. In December 2013 I was cruising around downtown Cincinnati in a huge snowstorm when a (meat) smoker caught my eye in front a non-descript store front. If it weren’t for the huge plums of smoke coming from it I would have went right on by. Luckily it was about the only form of life on those empty streets that day. So I stopped for some food which happened to be next door to a beautiful old barbershop, which at the time, was closed despite the listed hours stating it should be open. I remember asking the owner of the bbq joint about the barber - “Good luck. That guy comes and goes whenever he wants to. Who knows when he’ll be back.” I had to take a gamble though, hoping he would indeed be cutting the following day. After spending the night I showed up at his stated “opening” time, but there was no sign of the barber. So I sat in my car wondering if he would show. Quite some time after, he did.

Over the past 10 years of working on this project I’ve encountered an almost endless list of characters. Mr. Fausto Ferrari is at or near the top of them all. Despite being in this country some 50+ years, he still spoke very broken English, so our conversations were fun to dissect. One of his long time customers came in shortly after he arrived and it was obvious that they had quite the history together. Halfway through the cut Fausto went into the back room . The man in the chair could see how much I enjoyed the barbers antics and said “I keep a file on my computer of all the stories he tells me”. Fausto was entertaining on his own, but watching the two of them was a gift. The kind of chemistry that can only happen between old friends. They carried effortless conversations that were often interrupted by the barber abruptly saying “Seeeñññoooooorrr” and the man in the seat volleying back with a smile “Faaaauuuussstooo”. Then the conversation would continue like it never stopped until the next volley. A special interaction that I was luck to witness.

Señor Fausto recently passed away after 94 years. A beautiful ride that any of us would be luck to match. Rest in Power Mr. Ferrari. Cincinnati will miss you.

Click here to grab a copy of Barbershops of America

Photo was made on 12/7/13

American Portraits

American Portrait Photography

Road Trip - Americana - Culture

It’s really interesting to look at what you do and don’t shoot over a long period of time. Way back when I first got going it was only people. That’s all I would shoot. Then at some point drifted away from that to basketball hoops and people-less places in small towns. It was never a conscious decision, but it happened. It was a conscious decision to start again however. Not sure why, although it occurred to me that subconsciously I was missing human interaction from COVID? Don’t know. Either way, it’s a plus. I love America so much. And just this second as I’m typing, a commercial comes to mind of John Cena saying “To Love America, is to love all Americans”. While that’s not a reality for most, it’s true. And talking to people from all over this country can teach you so much, about people, and the country. One of my favorite things in the world is being on an empty road for long periods of time, but nothing can replace the interaction between someone that lives, thinks, and believes in things opposite of yourself. It’s also an opportunity to give. To help change a person’s mind about a possible misconception they have of “people from California”, which as I’ve found out is not a liked stated.

On a photography related topic, you also learn a lot from what you can’t have. The first shot here of the woman in the Minion coat was made about 7:00am while she was out walking her dog/smoking a cigarette. Her response to being asked for a picture was “as long as my face isn’t in it”. That frustrated the hell out of me. What good will this portrait be without her face ? Then she put her head down and the Minion eyes/mouth appeared and solved the whole problem. And on top of that you can still see the cigarette sticking out. So the result wound up being way better than the image I originally set out to make.

California 395

An image that fits nicely into my “Roadside Meditations” series/book but I never paid much attention to it until today despite making it in June of last year. Funny how that works. If you live in Southern California and like the mountains, then the 395 is part of your life. I’ve personally been traveling this road for 12+ years now and always find something new to love about it. Normally that comes with the changing light as is the case with this image. If memory serves, I was in the middle of doing an 8.5 hour drive from Tahoe to San Diego when this scene presented itself and forced me to pull over. Something about the light, lines, color, and textures that really add up.

Basketball Hoop Photography

American Basketball Culture - Wall Art - Photography Prints

When you’re a kid the “golden arches” of McDonald’s are a beacon. Recognizable anywhere at any time of day or night. You can see them without even looking. It’s probably been 15 years since I’ve eaten at McDonald’s but it comes to mind every time I work on this project. Weird correlation? Probably, but basketball hoops have become very similar to those famous arches. A shape so distinctive that my mind subconsciously registers it and tells me to hit the breaks. American Backcourts the series has been going on for about 10 years now, yet even after publishing the book it’s a subject that never seems to get boring.

Click here to see more basketball photography from the American Backcourts series. And contact me directly with all print inquiries for your home, office, and commercial space.

American Photographs

Photographs of Small Towns in America

A few images from the most recent cross country road trip that go along with my America series. This type of thing wasn’t the main focus of the trip, but I can never help myself . One of these days or years all the images in this series will add up to something that makes sense and it will be a book. Still working through it…

Click here to see more from this series

Kehrer Verlag

The first book I published was in 2012-ish with the first printing of Barbershops of America. but my relationship with books, photo books in-particular, goes back much farther. Hard to say when my collection really got out of control, although it’s not something I’ll ever apologize for because I can trace all of my significant growth as a photographer to the endless mesmerizing hours spent digesting work of the greats (and unknowns). That, and learning how ego is the enemy.

After self publishing the first book, my obsession with the project continued, as did the shooting. Which led to another self published book on the same subject. Again, shooting continued as it still does 10 years later. About a year and a half ago I published a 3rd barbershop book, this time with an actual publisher out of Pennsylvania. Around the same time also self publishing the American Backcourts book. So I’ve gained quite a lot of knowledge of the publishing world. Most all of that knowledge of course came from making infinite mistakes along the way. Grateful for every single one of them.

Fast forward to last November, I signed a contract with Kehrer Verlag in Germany for a new series with the working title of “Roadside Meditations - Travels through America”. I’ve long been a fan of Kehrer and the beautiful work they produce, so it’s an honor to now be on their roster. Photo books and the industry surrounding it has changed so much over the last 5+ years, and it’s my opinion that there are very few fine art photo book publishers out there doing things the right way for the right reasons. Making me even more grateful to be with Kehrer. The way in which this project/book deal came to be is a whole other story and one that has also taught me a great deal. Roadside Meditations is due out internationally in the Spring of 2022 and domestically in the Fall of 2022. I’m beyond excited about this and can’t wait to see what comes of it.

***This is a mock up of the book in Kehrer’s Spring Catalogue. The final design is still a work in progress.

Road Trip Map

Mojo and I did it again. Another lap around the country filled with good times, foul weather, family, friends, and if all went even remotely well, a solid handful of images that I’m happy with. These trips never stop surprising me and hopefully they never do. Some days on the road you’ve got to scratch and claw to find just one decent frame. There were numerous times I asked myself “Is this America project done? Have I seen all there is to see?” Of course that’s complete nonsense. It was just frustration and exhaustion talking. A person could spend a lifetime traveling this great country and never see all it has to offer. The flip side is those days where you can’t seem to stop shooting. Those are a gift. You find that honey hole, you’re seeing really well, and the frames just start stacking up. That’s the best feeling in the world because you know it’s fleeting. You know it might not happen again for a couple days or 1,000+miles. There are so many factors at play that you can’t possibly pretend to know what’s going to happen out there. That’s the best part though. The not knowing. The hunt. It’s a drug.

Have a lot on the plate right now but will be going through this batch of images soon, so check back to see what I came up with out there.

Roadside Meditations

Been shooting a “new” series for quite a while now and at this point the working title is Roadside Meditations. The title could change, but the series certainly won’t. If the words don’t make things obvious, the subject will be an array of findings from my time on the road. Isn’t that what I’ve been posting about for years? Yes, but this is different. These images won’t focus on the small broken down towns, barbershops, or basketball hoops. Instead they will show, if I’m at all successful in this pursuit, how I feel while on the road. More precisely how certain places or stretches of road make me feel.

More to come. Lots more.