Photography from the American West never fails to interest us. It’s the dawn of the camera, and photos from that era showcase a world that we think we know, from films, books and games, but which is often hugely surprising in the details.
We’ve gathered another amazing slate of images from the US National Archive, showcasing what life was really like back then, in a time when there was no such thing as an easy day.
Family portrait
We open with this lovely family portrait, taken in New Mexico in 1895, which shows off a lovely range of clothing and styles, all with that textbook seriousness that posed photos from this era so often showcase. This is a big family group, in front of their log cabin.
Different means
By contrast, this family is a far smaller one, and you get the sense that their means are similarly reduced in comparison. you may see their homestead in the background, and it looks modest to say the least, although the presence of some horses holds some faint promise for them.
If you want to get a sense for how difficult work could be under the hot sun of Oklahoma, check out some the expressions these women are wearing. From fatigue to sardonic, these cherry-pickers look about as tired as we imagine they feel.
Mucking in
Fruit picking was a common job, though, and sadly could be done pretty effectively by the child labour that was still extremely common at the turn of the century. There’s something cute about the little trolley being used, but there’s nothing fun about that work.
From a distance
This view from a distance showcases how busy an environment could be in the West when tracks were being laid and settlements prepared. In one frame you have people, horses, carriages and a train all working together to clear the land.
If you want a portrait of the isolation that the West could mean, check out this house on the edge of nothing at all, complete with porch and chimney stack. Yet it also shows how quaint and free it could be - a young girl helping to feed the chickens, with a young calf stood by. It’s a lovely domestic scene.
Nature’s bounty
This shot, meanwhile, is an apt reminder of how pristine the unspoiled landscape could be. Whoever lived in the ranch on the right of the frame, whatever their troubles, the natural beauty all around them must have provided some measure of comfort each day.
No shortcuts
If farming was the route for you, hard work lay in that direction, too - this farmer is turning the first sods in his field, with the help of a team of horses, but there’s no escaping how backbreaking it looks. Still, he’s got plenty more to get through.
Quite a herd
We think this a stunning bit of photography, regardless of its age. In the foreground this cowboy readies his lasso for a day’s work, but waits for a signal from his fellow herdsman, who you’ll spot on the far horizon, on the other side of the herd. It’s a beautiful bit of mirroring.
Ways of life
But those modes of living could be seriously tough, as show by these trappers, whose haul of raccoon pelts might fetch a price, but wouldn’t offer enough to upgrade what is a fairly ramshackle dwelling. At least they’ve got some canine companionship.
