The Inspiring Nature of Hinsdale County by Kristen Breeden

What is The Inspiring Nature of Hinsdale County about?

My book, The Inspiring Nature of Hinsdale County is a souvenir type photography book with photos of nature in areas where I have hiked or traveled to in Hinsdale County, Colorado.

What inspired you to create a photography book about Hinsdale County?

I was inspired to create a photography book about Hinsdale County because for over 35 years, I have taken thousands of photos of my visits. I decided the digital pictures from the last 10 plus years would tell a story of my journey in the area. This area of southwest Colorado is rugged, yet beautiful. There are dozens of mountains in the San Juan Range of the Rocky Mountains. The skies, landscape, flora, birds, and animals are ever changing. It's a hidden gem!

How did you get into photography?

I first started in photography when I was in high school. I took a few photos for my HS yearbook, and worked at a couple of photography stores and studios. I was frequently found in my neighbors' yards taking photos of butterflies or flowers. I often took pictures of kids I babysat, or at our local lake just a few blocks away. I took photos of pretty much anything!

What is your favorite photograph in this book?

My favorite photo in the book? Whew, that's a hard one! I think there are about 300 photos in the book, but I'd have to say my favorite is probably the Cover Photo. The most notable mountain in the entire region is Uncompahgre Mountain, and it is the sixth tallest mountain in Colorado, as well as the entire Rocky Mountain Range. There are probably more than a dozen photos of that mountain throughout the book.  I'm also very proud of the Milky Way photo over Round Top Mountain, another iconic mountain in the area, because when I first started taking MW photos they were terrible! The learning curve and getting the right equipment made the difference. Being prepared at 2 am, and getting those clear skies made it all worth it. 

What was the most challenging part of this experience?

The most challenging part of this experience was creating the sequence in a storytelling type setting. There are themes within themes. Generally, It is laid out seasonally with landscapes, then with visual breaks with the birds and animals every few pages. I have been a scrapbooker all of my life, so telling the story was important to me.