Harvey Caplin's Real Cowboys and the Old West

Freelance photographer Harvey Caplin recorded ranch life in the American West from the 1940s to the 1980s, before the last roundup, capturing magnificent landscapes, picturesque people, and the growing population. This selection features his images of cowboys at the vast Bell Ranch near Tucumcari, New Mexico, on the range, in camp, and working horses and cattle. Caplin went along as a trailhand during roundups, branding cattle, drives to stockyards, and the final journey to market. He patiently waited for the right time, the right light, and the right subject. See 173 of his beautiful images and revel at the grandeur of the land and drama of life played out upon it.