Colorado 2024
A Journey I’ve Dreamed About for Years
Colorado
Boulder. Denver. Red Rocks.
Colorado was a place that always seemed so far away, almost an untouchable fantasy land. The summer of 2024 I finally made the journey to the Centennial State. I was taken by Colorado’s towering mountains, vast skies, beautiful afternoon storms, and hippy mountain vibes. I played it up so much in my mind, I half way expected some sort of culture shock when I stepped off the plane. Instead, I was welcomed with a patchwork of familiarity, like someone had stitched together my previous experiences into a comforting quilt and draped it over my shoulders. The large highways reminded me of driving Florida roads, complete with the bright light from the sun. I swear the sun is dimmer in Virginia. Pearl Street in Boulder reminded me of a larger downtown Charlottesville, but trade in the UVA fashion for the vibes of Asheville, North Carolina. There were rock climbing gyms, crystal shops, camper vans, and an alarming amount of unattended Hoka running shoes scattered about the towns. All my day dreams converged into the beautiful state of Colorado. And of course, I took plenty of pictures! I brought my most versatile camera, the Canon Elan with my zoom lens and a polarized filter, and a few rolls of Kodak Ultramax, the most versatile film I use. Keep scrolling to see what I saw!
The Mountains
The mountains were the easiest thing to photograph. I couldn’t get over the rock outcrops and how tall the mountains and the trees were. I wish my photos could convey how striking their size was, and how small I felt in comparison. There’s also a large amount of flat land surrounding the seemingly random ridges striping the state. The air was so clear, you could see for miles and miles. It gave a sense of how vast the land is, something I haven’t felt anywhere else.
Fun fact, all pack animals are banned from the hiking trails, except for llamas. Obviously. It was to my absolute delight to run into a pack of llamas and their herders while hiking at an altitude I’d never experienced before. It was as if the air restored to Virginia oxygen levels and I was given a little boost to finish the last leg up to the peak of the mountain.
As I look through these photos, I can’t help but tearing up. Life is so beautiful and there’s so much life to experience.
The Lilies
Denver is home to a beautiful botanical garden. There was an adorable cafe and a bunch of yogis enjoying their practice surrounded by beautiful plants. Since it was the heat of summer, the greenhouse was closed because it was too hot, and most of the flowers were past their blooming window. Not to be deterred from the heat, the lilies were in full bloom, showing off their brightly colored petals to the sun. Capturing the flowers ended up being a challenge. The piercing mid-day sun bounced of the petals and water, creating a lot of glare that even my UV filter couldn’t mask. I’m still happy with how most of the photos turned out, but I’m going to need to plan another trip for spring time.
Flora and Fauna
Colorado is well known for its variety of plants and wildlife, namely the iconic Aspen trees that turn the forests into seas of yellow during fall. However I was on the look out for a lessor known plant: the windflower, also known as anemone flowers or pasqueflowers. A couple days after I booked my flight, I was speaking with spiritual friend about my upcoming trip. I was a bit nervous about going. It had been on my bucket list since high school. What if it didn’t live up to expectations? Would I get lost trying to navigate an unfamiliar place? She invited me to pick out a pocket stone from her collection, one I could fidget with on the plane. I chose a green one with purplish-red spots. She told me it was Ruby Zoisite, the stone of return. It symbolizes the return to your true self and serves as a guide to your true path. As I was talking to her, I was doodling a flower that I didn’t know the name of. She recognized it as an alpine anemone flower that grows well in Colorado’s windy mountain ranges. She said they symbolize resilience and anticipation; the persistence of love in the face of loss. There was so much strength and hope found in that one conversation. You can call it just a coincidence, or you can call it a beautiful coincidence that allows us to find joy and strength in a chaotic world. In the end, I will choose joy.
With newfound meaning, I kept my eye out for anemone flowers. I found them around the streets of Boulder, hosting a number of bees, lady bugs, and other blissful insects. The land was full of other notable flora and fauna. On our hikes, I was taken by the eyes on the trunks of aspen trees, marking where old branches used to be. There were very bold chipmunks running up to the hikers, expecting to be fed. Near the streams and base of the mountains, there were beautiful lichens and mosses. I invite all of you to find joy, even in the smallest of moment, in this large, chaotic world.
Thank you for reading!
To celebrate my first gallery blog post, I want to give you a discount on my print shop! Use code Colorado20 for 20% off!
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