A Perfect Winter Day

with photographer Ryan Bonneau

Achildhood spent in rural Vermont gave Ryan Bonneau a love for wild places, a love that intensified when he found Telluride 23 years ago. Here, amid the magnificent beauty of the San Juan Mountains, this gifted photographer was able to give free rein to his talent for capturing the stunning landscapes that surround us. Look for Bonneau’s work in his most recent book, Telluride Unveiled, in the Telluride calendar (which is available at telluride.com and Between the Covers bookstore) and on the pages of this magazine. Here, Bonneau talks all things winter in Telluride and Mountain Village.

What does a perfect winter day look like to you?

Waking up to a fresh dumping of snow with clearing skies. I head out pre-sunrise with my pup to shoot scenics around the area as this sun lights up the evaporating clouds. I play with Izzy for a bit as she loves the fresh snow and reverts back to her puppy days raging in it. I head back home

and get out to the lifts first thing with my camera. Shooting a bluebird powder day is one of my favorite things and I thoroughly enjoy capturing face shots and the buzz of ski bums on a powder day. After I get my shots, I get my skiing in and maybe some hike-to’s. I meet my wife at Oak for lunch. In the afternoon, we take our time skiing around the mountain enjoying the day together. Later, an evening hike with the dogs on the Wiebe gives me the opportunity to shoot the town glowing at dusk cloaked in deep snow. Cooking a big dinner that’s well deserved, and finishing with a movie feeling drained and happy caps the perfect day for me.

As a professional photographer, if it’s a powder day do you ditch the camera and head out to enjoy the snow, or does the desire to catch those great powder shots win out? The ultimate conundrum. It really depends on the day. If it’s a bluebird, post-storm day, I always shoot it. It’s very difficult to give up the really

good skiing for myself, but I love shooting skiing on a deep day with killer light. As long as I get some good shots, I’m happy. If it’s a stormy powder day, I’m much more likely to get my skiing in.

You published a collection of your photos of regional landscapes in Telluride Unveiled. They were visually stunning, but also conveyed a deep affection for our natural environment. Was that the intention?

That was my exact intention with Telluride Unveiled. When putting together the book I focused on images that were deeply personal to me, not just casual snapshots. When I look back at my favorite images, the ones that I connect with the most are the ones that I put the most effort into, whether that’s physical effort or some creativity that takes a real commitment and often a lot of time. I hope that those images convey that connection and love for the natural environment.

— with Erin Spillane