Colorado: Moments in Time (a 14" x 10.5" coffee-table book featuring photographs of the Rocky Mountains, Maroon Bells, Great Sand Dunes, Black Canyon, Mesa Verde National Parks, and much more) - Hardcover

Grant Collier; Colorado Books By Collier Publishing

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1591520126 ISBN 13: 9781591520122

Publisher: Collier Publishing, 2004

Synopsis

We've recently released a new coffee table book entitled "Colorado," which contains many of Grant's best new photographs. It can be found in the "From the Publisher" section below.

With over 160 full-color photographs, Colorado: Moments in Time is one of the most comprehensive photography books ever published on Colorado. This expansive volume includes photographs of the state's most popular attractions, such as the Maroon Bells, Rocky Mountain National Park, and the Great Sand Dunes. It also contains images of places that have never before appeared in a photography book, including several photographs taken on vast, unspoiled stretches of private property.

In producing this book, author and photographer Grant Collier has tirelessly striven to capture the beauty and essence of the Colorado landscape. He has traversed every corner of the state, from the grasslands and prairies of the eastern plains to the canyons and mesas of the Western Slope. In the process, he has woven a portrait of Colorado unlike any that has been seen before.

Colorado: Moments in Time is divided into eight sections of the state. Each section contains an essay on various events that have shaped the history of Colorado.


Order soon! This is Grant Collier's first Colorado photography book, filled exclusively with film photos, and a limited number of new copies remain unsold.

"Colorado: Moments in Time" was a 1st Place Winner of the CIPA Book Awards

Reviews:

One of "the best books of the year." - Rocky Mountain News

"'Colorado: Moments in Time' is a moody survey of the state's impressive landscapes, from the Pawnee Buttes - near Nebraska, a seeming transplant from the southwestern part of the state - to Flatirons sleeping in blankets of fog to firecracker colors in the high country near Sylvan Lake." - Boulder Daily Camera

"This expansive coffee-table book superbly showcases the nature photography skills of Grant Collier in the form of more than 160 full-color images of Colorado's visually impressive wilderness areas...Colorado: Moments In Time is a treasure for anyone who appreciates and cherishes natural beauty, and highly recommended." - Midwest Book Review

"Many may find it hard to believe, but Colorado has many fine landscape photographers who are not named John Fielder. They may lack his flair for self-promotion, but they can capture images at least as well, if not better. Among them is Grant Collier of Lakewood." - Colorado Central Magazine

"An inspiration to anyone wishing to explore Colorado." - Art Wolfe

About this title

About the Author

Grant Collier is one of Colorado's premier nature photographers. His work has been published in magazines worldwide, and he is the author of the highly-acclaimed book Colorado: Yesterday & Today. Colorado: Moments in Time is Grant's second book, and it presents for the first time his stunning color landscape photography.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

The San Juan Mountains in southwestern Colorado are awe-inspiring in their beauty. They harbor innumerable rivers, streams, lakes, and waterfalls, six wilderness areas, and a diverse population of wildlife. They contain more land above 10,000 feet than any other range in the continental U.S. and are home to thirteen 14,000 foot peaks. These mountains rise up very steeply and abruptly, giving them an air of majesty that is unrivaled in Colorado.

The first inhabitants of the San Juans are thought to have been the Ute Indians. These Native Americans infiltrated much of western Colorado following the departure of the Anasazi and Fremont Indians around 1300 A.D. Unlike their predecessors, who relied on farming, the Utes subsisted as hunters and gatherers. They stalked the large populations of deer, elk, antelope, rabbits, and beavers that were found throughout the region.

In addition to animal meat, the Utes also relied on berries that grew throughout the mountain valleys. It is believed that the Utes would leave the berries at the top of the trees untouched for the birds to eat. Likewise, the berries at the bottom of the trees were left for small animals to consume.

Like many other Native American tribes, the Ute Indians were a nomadic people. They lived at lower elevations during the winter and migrated to the San Juan Mountains during the warm summer months. Even during this relatively mild season, the living conditions in the rugged mountains were oftentimes harsh and unpredictable. Nevertheless the Utes revered the San Juans and called them "The Shining Mountains."

While living in these secluded mountains, the Utes seldom had to defend their land against competing tribes. They did, however, come into conflict with many of the Plains Indians when they migrated to lower elevations. These skirmishes became more pronounced after the arrival of the Spanish settlers in New Mexico in the 1600s. The Utes were the first tribe to acquire horses from the Spanish and they quickly became one of the most powerful and feared tribes in the region. They galloped out of the mountains to raid neighboring tribes, making off with supplies and capturing women and children.

Beginning in 1859, a large population of American miners and prospectors converged on Colorado and established settlements throughout the eastern Rockies. Few of these prospectors ventured into the western part of the state, and as a result the Ute Indians were able to avoid serious conflict with the early settlers for several years. This situation began to change in the 1870s when large amounts of silver and gold were discovered in the San Juans. Many prospectors descended on the area and tensions between the miners and the Utes began to escalate.

The Utes won a temporary victory in February of 1873 when the Department of the Interior ordered all miners to vacate the San Juan Mountains. This order was later suspended by the president, and soon afterwards the Utes were pressured into signing the Brunot Agreement, which reduced the size of their reservation by 3 million acres and opened the San Juans for mining.

As it turned out, the Brunot Treaty was only the beginning of the problems for the Utes. In 1879, members of the northern Utes revolted against Indian agent Nathaniel Meeker, killing him and eleven other men in what would become known as the Meeker Massacre. This incident created uproar throughout the state and led to the removal of the Northern Utes from Colorado in September of 1881. The Southern Utes were able to remain in Colorado due to the strong leadership exhibited by Chief Ouray. Today, these Native Americans inhabit the extreme southwest portion of the state.

While the Ute Indians no longer reside in the San Juan Mountains, they left a tremendous legacy in the region. Even today, in an era long removed from the pinnacle of Ute civilization, residents can learn from how this tribe lived. The Utes revered their homeland and respected the animals who shared the region with them. They realized that "The Shining Mountains" contained not only material resources to sustain their body, but spiritual elements to nourish their soul.

Edition details

• Publisher: Collier Publishing
• Publication date: 2004
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1591520126
• ISBN 13: 9781591520122
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 180