About John Cotton
A Colorado-Based Photographer
MY STORY
I’m a classically trained photographer with over 40 years of experience. Having picked up a camera at the age of fourteen for a high-school photography class, I have hardly put it down since…
In college, my skills were enhanced through film and darkroom work in large format (6×7 and 4×5), mastering the Zone System, developing studio lighting and acquiring advanced darkroom techniques.


After a couple year hiatus when my children were growing up, I picked the camera back up to start shooting soccer games, cycling and horse shows. Photography was all digital now and brought with it a new paradigm in the practically instantaneous nature of image capture, that never existed in the film era.
Despite the instant feedback, I believe the true value of any photograph comes in the post-processing – matching the photographer’s vision with the final product. I am continuously enhancing my post processing techniques with the ever changing hardware and software.
Having grown up on the front range of Colorado, and despite extensive traveling for cycling, I still love the mountains and the lifestyle that living here provides. Wherever my adventures take me, I enjoy exploring and photographing.
When I’m not photographing, you’ll find me on my bicycle, skiing, or out enjoying the great outdoors. You will also find me coaching and tutoring others in cycling or photography.