Famed Colorado Nature Photographer Donates Life’s Work To Public Domain

Landscape photographer John Fielder, billed as Colorado’s “most famous nature photographer,” has donated his entire life’s work to the public domain, placing his vast collection of images in the care of History Colorado. 

In total, over 5,000 images will serve as a permanent visual record of the state, distilled down from the incredible 200,000 photographs taken by Fielder over the past five decades. 

We're overjoyed to have been trusted with more than 5,000 photographs from John Fielder! 📷 We'll be working to digitize and catalog these photos, which capture the landscapes of every county in the state, so they're accessible to everyone and preserved for future generations. pic.twitter.com/9nRA3OdLa9

— History Colorado (@HistoryColorado) January 24, 2023

The organization will digitize and catalog the pictures to make them easily accessible and searchable by the public, so the picturesque views of every county in Colorado can be immortalized. 

“My goal was always to reveal and preserve the essence of the place that I think is the most beautiful on Earth: Colorado. I am humbled that these photos have inspired others and spurred the passage of numerous environmental protection projects and laws across this beautiful state that I love and cherish,” Fielder explained. 

The nature writer and his images were responsible for influencing numerous policies protecting the state’s lands, including Congress’ Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993, where 660,000 acres of space across 36 sites became federally protected.

In addition, the Great Outdoors Colorado Trust Fund has contributed US$1.3 billion to thousands of conservation, recreation, and stewardship initiatives across the state.

According to a press release, Fielder chose History Colorado to take charge of his images not just because of a prior partnership, but also because of the agency’s pledge to make the collection publicly available for personal and commercial use. 

Fielder, who said the organization was a “natural caretaker” for his work, wanted the pictures to serve as an inspiration for future publications, exhibitions, and research around the important topic of climate change. 

Over the next several months, History Colorado will make the photographs available on its website, and it has plans to curate an exhibition at the History Colorado Center in late summer this year dedicated to the conservationist’s art. 

Furthermore, a rotating gallery of the photographer’s work will be set up starting in January 2024. Head here for more information on the collection, which is currently still in the works.

[via PetaPixel and History Colorado, images via John Fielder / History Colorado (for press use)]