After a 40 year career in wedding and portrait photography in Southeast Texas, Howard Barlow retired to the high mountains of Colorado in 2017. Trading babies and brides for landscapes and wildlife, he headed in an entirely different direction in his photography.

“I absolutely loved working with babies and brides and all ages between. There was a time I could not see an interest in wildlife, or landscape photography. But, one day I realized “the thrill is gone” with what I was doing. I knew it was time to hang up my cameras, at least as far as people were concerned.

“After spending time in the Anahuac and McFaddin National Wildlife Refuges in Texas and Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge in Louisiana, as well as traveling backroads in both states, I discovered a new interest. Wildlife, and a bit of livestock, too. Longhorns, alligators, large colorful birds, and more caught my eye.

“Then, having had several opportunities to visit family in the Colorado mountains, I did, indeed, find an interest in wildlife and landscapes there, as well. From the wildlife of Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana, from birds, alligators, and white-tailed deer, to bears, cougars, elk, mule deer, moose, and much more, wildlife became the new pursuit. Trading the flatland, mosquito infested rice fields, piney woods, and hurricanes of Southeast Texas for the Rocky Mountains and 3-4’ of winter snow, photography became new again.

“Don’t get me wrong. Southeast Texas is a great place. However, after being born and raised in Beaumont and living there 68 years, my wife, Donna, and I were ready for a change. We had always said we would never leave Texas. However, I did leave an escape hatch. I would always add, “If I do, it will be Colorado.”