Streets of Colorado

The photographer Rudy Ortega wants to convey happiness: his images capture moments that define life on the streets of Colorado. It is less about beautiful landscapes, and more about people who bring fun to the city. They are the protagonists of his graphic compositions.

LFI: What can you find on the streets of Denver that is missing in other American cities?
Rudy Ortega: The city of Denver is special to me because it offers lots of outdoor recreation. Because we have over 300 days of sunshine, you can find cyclists, kayakers, surfers, and pedestrians walking around the city. Denver is also a big dog-friendly city, which I love. I can invite myself into a group of people if I ask to take some photos of their dogs. Once I'm granted access I can stick around and catch moments of interactions between people. The sunshine also gives me contrasty light, which I love to capture because it gives my photos some extra pop. Because of the nice weather, Denver is a city that has tons of outdoor festivals. This means that I get more opportunities to photograph people enjoying themselves.

What does the "street" mean to you, and how does the Leica Q suit your work?
I photograph street photography to capture moments. I'm always looking to tell a story. Sometimes I'll photograph a scene because it has great colours and light that make a strong graphical image; but that's only if there aren't a lot of moments happening. The Leica Q is a great camera to use on the streets because it's small, unobtrusive and very quiet. It's also very responsive whenever I click the shutter with zero shutter lag. It does exactly what I need to capture great moments.

You shoot in both colour and black and white. How do you choose?
I photograph in colour whenever I see either matching colours or when a primary or secondary colour is dominating the frame. I only shoot in black and white when there is strong backlight, when there's not a lot of bright colours, or when a scene has a timeless feel to it. Most of the time I'm shooting in colour.

Is your series also a visual journey through the clichés of America?
The Streets of Colorado project is about documenting the way of life of Coloradans within the city. The people of Colorado are vibrant and friendly and I want to capture that happiness to show what Colorado is about. It's more than mountains and beautiful outdoor scenery. It's about the people that make it a vibrant and a fun city to live in.