Smile!

One of Colorado’s premier landscape photographers, John Fielder, has collaborated with History Colorado to help take viewers through nearly every inch of the state, including here in the San Juans.

Created from 6,500 photos in Fielder’s Colorado Collection that was entrusted to History Colorado, the exhibit is called “REVEALED: John Fielder’s Favorite Place.” It is on display at the History Colorado Center in downtown Denver.

According to History Colorado, over the past 40 years, Fielder has traveled to every one of Colorado’s 104,984 square miles, photographing all the peaks, pinnacles and creeks along the way. In the exhibit, visitors follow Fielder’s journey across glacial cirques, over 13,000-foot passes and down into desert valleys.

But the exhibit is only the first step. History Colorado has plans for the 6,500 photos Fielder entrusted to the nonprofit.

“This is just the beginning of the inspirational exhibitions and displays that will come about as a result of John’s incredible gift to the people of Colorado,” Dawn DiPrince, President/CEO of History Colorado & State Historic Preservation Officer, said in a statement. “In the future we will be dedicating the second floor mezzanine of the center to John’s work, incorporating his photography into exhibitions at our museums across the state, and ensuring everyone can view the Centennial State as he has and understand the ways our Colorado has changed in the past half century.”

Perusing the photos, on will find many familiar sights from here in Southwest Colorado: the Needle Mountains; Last Dollar Ranch in Ouray County; Hovenweep National Monument; and more.

Fielder, for his part, has used his photographs over the years to help conservation and preservation efforts. He has photographed 28 mountain ranges, all of the state’s major rivers and remote desert canyons, and even that weird part of the state no one talks about – the Great Plains. He’s been to all the wilderness areas and national forests, and most state parks and wildlife areas. as well as more than 500 local parks. Not a bad day job.

So, if you find yourself in Denver (god help you), carve out some time to check out the exhibit and see Southwest Colorado’s beauty on full display.

Oh, also, if you go, let us know so you can pick up some stuff for us at Trader Joe’s.