Railroads, mining companies, and real estate developers also employed photographers. In 1865, Andrew J. Russell became the official photographer for the Union Pacific Railroad. His photographs recorded the railroad company's growth across the western landscape until the early 1870s. Russell's images often include the construction of the railroad, monumental geological elements, and structures.

People are also shown, although they are sometimes dwarfed by the vast landscapes. Why might the photographer combine these things in his photographs? What do you think he was trying to tell the viewer? Russell's photographs record an important point in American history. The nation's attention shifted from the Civil War in the South to the economic opportunities in the West. One of the places that attracted much attention was the Yellowstone Region.

Illustration: Andrew J. Russell, "Citadel Rock" in Sun Pictures of Rocky Mountain scenery, with a description of the geographical and geological features, and some account of the resources of the great West; containing thirty photographic views along the line of the Pacific rail road, from Omaha to Sacramento, by F.V. Hayden, 1870. McCracken Research Library, Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Cody, Wyoming. Gift of Willis McDonald, IV, F594.H41.