Life through Stiffler’s lens: Colton Stiffler
By Timothy Behuniak EBS CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
BOZEMAN
– Many of us have ample experience with impulse purchasing. Some of us even
regret spending our hard-earned cash after walking out of the store. But
Montana native Colton Stiffler hasn’t looked back since spontaneously buying
his first camera in 2005.
However,
Stiffler’s creative interests can be traced back to his earlier years growing
up in Butte. His mother was a painter and potter with an eye for detail that
trickled down to her son. In high school, he was drawn to videography and media
by making ski videos with his friends. “We made rambunctious films and caused
some ruckus in town,” said Stiffler, a wry grin on his face.
The
photographer’s love for the outdoors and outdoor recreation began at an early
age and now, at 37, that love has yet to dissipate. Growing up in southwest
Montana means spending countless hours of free time outside. While his mom
ingrained a creative energy in Stiffler, his dad instilled an adoration for the
great wide open.
“We
spent most of our free time in local rivers and in the mountains fishing, hiking,
skiing and mountain biking,” Stiffler said.
After
composing and capturing his first simple image of a tree in 2005, Stiffler
immediately gravitated toward photography. “I couldn’t believe the amount of
detail, resolution and colors,” he said. “I really enjoyed the technical
aspects of trying to take a photo while learning about light. It captivated
me.”
While
Stiffler attended DeVry University in Seattle for electrical engineering and
now works full-time researching photonics, he’s constantly juggling the
stimulation of his left and right brain. After working 40-hour workweeks at the
S2 Corporation in Bozeman, Stiffler unwinds at home by scheduling photoshoots,
editing photographs and pursuing creative opportunities.
“Both
pursuits are full-time jobs,” he said. “But I always feel fortunate to be able
to make both things happen.”
On
weekends and during off-work hours, Stiffler expels his restlessness by skiing
in winter and mountain biking when the snow abates, always with camera in hand.
“I like subjects with a lot of color and contrast, and of course beautiful
landscapes.” he said. “I use a combination of getting settings right in the
camera as well as manipulating images in the digital darkroom. I enjoy
post-processing and bringing flat, bland images to life.”
In
his early 30s, Stiffler was bitten by the international travel bug. He
purchased a plane ticket to Nepal in 2015 and departed on his first solo trip. Feeling
out of his comfort zone at first in the bustling capital city of Kathamandu, Stiffler
eventually embraced language barriers, new sights and smells and headed toward
the mountains.
“I’ve
always dreamed of seeing with my own eyes the world’s tallest peaks,” he said.
On the morning of his 34th birthday, Stiffler watched the sun rise
over Mt. Everest – a present to himself, he said.
Stiffler
has since traveled the entire length of the Nile River in Egypt and toured
various countries in South America. Recently, he returned from Japan where he
again experienced a new culture, food and language barrier while capturing
images of his friends in world-famous snow, dubbed JaPow.
“I
love to shoot action,” Stiffler said. “I love seeing people challenging
themselves in precarious situations and I’m always trying to capture and share
that with the world.”
Although
Stiffler’s action and travel images have appeared in Teton Gravity Research
media as well as Outside, Powder and Ski and Mountain Outlaw magazines, among
others, he also dabbles in weddings and architecture photography.
“I
like to challenge myself to shoot a little bit of everything and not just
confine myself to a particular subject or theme,” he said. “Shooting a static
subject in a studio with the right lighting is very challenging, but it all
translates to being a more well-rounded photographer.”
Long
days working two full-time jobs continues to pay off: Stiffler has recently
been collaborating with the national outdoor-orientated eyewear brand Zeal
Optics, and also traveled to Patagonia as a hired photographer for the tour
company Traveling Jackie. All the while, his list of places and subjects to
shoot gets longer and longer.
“Right
now the biggest challenge is finding the time and energy to go on new trips,” he
said. “But I’m always chasing elusive moments with my camera.”
Visit coltonstifflerphotography.com or to view more of Stiffler’s work.
