The power of Colorado in images

The power of the images found in “Colorado: Life and Light on the Land” are a call to Coloradans to forever remember the immense beauty to be found in their state.

In the introduction, author-photographer Robert Castellino poses the burning question of our generation: “What will our legacy be for life to come? The one our children inherit.” He implores readers of the book to “Explore each image with your eyes, mind and heart.”

Castellino’s enthusiasm for image making and storytelling extend far into the field. He gives talks at libraries, bookstores, museums and national parks. He isn’t just interested in telling audiences about how the book came to life or the challenges he faced to produce it. His presentation is segmented into three engaging and different topics that segue seamlessly in 30 or 40 minutes.

First, he reveals how to make exceptional images of these extraordinary places and events as found in his book, “Colorado: Life and Light on the Land.” He shares his tried-and- tested process to help audiences capture photographs just as he has.

Then he talks about how early explorers and naturalists fervently lobbied the government to set aside vast tracts of land in the public trust to ensure they would remain unspoiled. Whether it is a spiritual connection to the land, or the value that nature and wildlife offer to the Colorado experience, generation-after-generation have fought to protect these places and everything they embody.

In the final part of his presentation, he explains that snow and ice are Colorado’s primary water stores. Water, of course, is the essence of life. The rivers flowing from the snow-capped mountains in Colorado provide water and habitat for more than 350 species of wildlife and more than a hundred million people in 14 states. Then he returns to the importance that wild and scenic waterways play in our future.

He invites audiences to explore how they can make a difference.