6 Fort Collins Photographers To Keep Your Eye On
Photography, at its core, compels. Using a single tool, a photographer tells a story, freezes a moment or experience, or simply put, makes you feel something that’s often hard to put into words. That’s why some of the most introspective and captivating people are drawn to the sweet seduction of the lens.
Some of these people are living right here in Fort Collins. Some are college students, and some may not even consider themselves to be “photographers.” They don’t do it for anyone but themselves — a telltale sign of loving what you do. And each of their personalities shine through their work.
I’ve met these six individuals at different times and at different places. But collectively, they represent the growing community of photographers in Fort Collins. Take a look, be sure to follow them on various social media outlets and watch out for them in the future.
Kevin Olson
Kind, curious and introspective — three words that accurately describe Kevin Olson. His photography captures all of this, and more.
Kevin was first wooed by photography a few years back when his father gave him a film camera from the ‘80s. After developing his first roll of film, he realized his appreciation for the art. And now, he doesn’t feel whole without a camera slung around his neck.
“I’ve been chasing that feeling — the feeling of excitement when I’m able to create a window into my past through a photograph,” he says.
To describe his style of photography, Kevin uses a music metaphor, relating it to a pop-punk band from the ‘90s.
“My photos seem to portray a sense of rebellion mixed with a pop-culture sensibility,” he says.
His close attention to detail brings a fresh perspective to the photos he takes, and he captures the feel of a specific moment or location in a juxtaposition of light and dark aesthetics.
Taking these photos, usually of his close friends or of the outdoors, provides Kevin with a place of solace. And if it continues to provide that for him, he’d be interested in pursuing a photography career.
“Photography must continue to be a place of exploration and complete surrender to my self-awareness.”
Landon Christensen
When Landon was young, his grandfather had a photo studio in his basement. He started messing around with his grandpa’s digital camera, and eventually got one of his own.
Now, Landon attributes his fascination with photography to what his grandfather instilled in him those many years ago. Since then, he has shot and developed film, and is continuing to shoot digitally.
His photography has a soft, whimsical and laid-back aesthetic. And he, like many young photographers, is in the process of nailing down his style.
“My dream is that people would know a photo is mine just by looking at it, similar to Ansel Adams,” Landon says. “The idea of being that refined at your craft is really appealing to me.”
He is open to the idea of a photography career if the opportunity arises, but for the time being, Landon indulges in photography as a hobby. And he does so alongside a community of photographers in the Fort Collins area.
“In my opinion, surrounding yourself with people who are better than you in your field of interest is one of the best ways to learn and grow.”
Ben Ward
Ben Ward’s photos are crisp, sharp and lighthearted. You’d think he’s been snapping photos for years. And in fact, he has. His interest in photography was sparked during a camping trip with his parents when he was a young boy.
“Photography just came naturally as a means to remember all of our trips,” he says.
His love for the outdoors has been evidenced in his photographs since then, though he is still trying to refine his style.
Ben is currently focusing on portrait photography because he finds it to be more of a challenge than scenic landscapes, and because he hopes to earn some money with it in the future.
“If all goes according to plan I’ll do video production as a career and photography on the side as a hobby and to make some extra income,” Ben says.
The community of photographers in Fort Collins has been an influential resource for Ben, and weirdly enough, he found it through social media.
“Normally I hate social media, but I’ve actually met a lot of great friends through Instagram,” he says.
“It’s nice to have a community of like-minded individuals who are down for an adventure at the drop of a hat.”
Jason Menon
Last fall, Jason Menon studied abroad in England. In an effort to preserve memories from his time overseas, Jason took to his camera. Since then, he’s used photography as his creative outlet.
“I’ve begun to (look at) ordinary life as if I was holding a camera, noticing colors, shapes, contrast, lighting and composition,” he says. “It’s just a really neat way for myself to, in a way, look at a 2D world in 3D.”
To Jason, photography extends beyond its storytelling capability. For him, it’s a holistic medium, able to encompass a specific mood or feeling.
“When I take a picture, I really want to capture the mood and the ambiance, and translate to the viewer so much more than the image you see,” he says.
“It could be a perfectly warm summer day, but if the ‘aura’ of the conversation (I’m having) is dark, I’d like my pictures to reflect that.”
As a college student, photography is a hobby for Jason. But, he does have hopes of pursuing a career behind a camera — whether that be photography or videography.
“For right now, I use photography to keep me sane and creative, and to challenge my mind.”
Jack Garland
When Jack Garland was first introduced to a camera, he was interested in film. So he viewed it as a tool to learn the logistics of framing and capturing a scene with the cinematic experience in the back of his head.
What he learned by using it must have stuck, because now his photography is distinct. Dark and almost eerie, you can pick out one of his photos without knowing it’s his beforehand.
Jack is now focused on creating series of photographs, and displaying them in galleries and books. After working in the realm of commercial photography, he is uninterested in doing work that doesn’t feel authentic to him.
“I’d rather work a full-time job and do passion projects on the side than ever start selling my prints to online stock image places or do weddings,” he says. “There’s a place for that and that’s fine. But I’ve been on that side of it and I almost lost interest (in photography) all together.”
Jack’s opinion on the community aspect of photography is unique. Though he thinks it introduces fresh and ambitious creators, he finds Instagram to be a distracting medium to share work.
“We can’t all be clones of the same five Instagram accounts that have 100K followers,” he says. “Once we realize that and see more diversity in the stuff we are shooting, we all win.”
Daryl Love
Daryl Love may be the most popular name in the Fort Collins photography scene. Say his name in any room, and at least one person will know of him. His photos, which he describes as “fine-art photography” captivate people.
Daryl shoots analog, meaning he uses old school film cameras. His mother gifted him one that had previously belonged to his uncle, and well, the rest is history.
“I sold all my digital equipment last year to fully commit to learning the art form that is photography,” Daryl says.
The photography community for Daryl expands beyond young adults. Recently, Daryl’s connected with a group of high school students who have a budding interest in photography.
“They are eager to learn and some of them are incredibly talented,” he says.
Photography is currently a passion hobby for Daryl. In the future he doesn’t see himself becoming a professional photographer. He simply does it for fun.
