Photographer's new book features more than photos

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DENVER - Colorado's picturesque ranches are highlighted in the latest book by renowned local photographer John Fielder.

In 2007 and 2008, Fielder traveled around Colorado to find 50 of the most scenic working cattle ranches to photograph. The snapshots are featured in Fielder's new book, "Ranches of Colorado."

The 232-page book features 375 photographs. It is bound with a 16 x 12 simulated leather cover and a barnwood-like inlay. The book also includes a number of essays, by the late-James Meadow, that are based on interviews with ranch families.

Not only is Fielder showcasing his photography, he addresses his concerns about preserving the legacy of ranches in the book.

He expresses his growing fears that many ranches are becoming victims to vacation homes, shopping centers and ski areas and hopes to share images of a life that may be slowly disappearing.

Fielder has partnered with the Colorado land trust community and will give part of the profits from the book to organizations like the Colorado Coalition of Land Trusts, Colorado Open Lands and Colorado Cattlemen's Agricultural Land Trusts.

Many of the ranches photographed are already protected from development.

This book is not the first time Fielder has tried to inspire environmental preservation. He has been a member of Board of Great Outdoors Colorado and has received the Sierra Club's Ansel Adams Award.

Fielder is well-known for photographing Colorado's unique landscapes over the last three decades. One of his most popular works is the best-selling book "Colorado: 1870-2000," which juxtaposes the past with the present.

The book shows the changes in the state throughout the years, by featuring Fielder's landscape photographs side-by-side with those taken in the 19th century by William Henry Jackson.

"Ranches of Colorado" is available in stores now for $95.

For more information head to www.johnfielder.com

Editor's Note:

Fielder will be doing a presenation in support of this project on Sunday, November 22nd at 7:00pm at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science in City Park.

Tickets are $10/person and can be obtained at www.coloradoopenlands.org or www.ccalt.org or at the door.