Weston Shirey, a Park City resident who has clocked in 15 years on Park City Mountain’s ski patrol, loves the outdoors so much that he became a professional landscape photographer. His images have been published in SKI Magazine, Powder, Men’s Journal and Backcountry Magazine, to name a few. Three years ago, due to popular demand, Shirey decided to sell his work to the public. “People started seeking me out, and they came to me looking for prints,” he said. “I knew I had a good collection of art but really didn’t know what to do with them. So, I decided to make a website, and that’s been going well for me.” A couple of years ago, Shirey, whose works can be seen at dental offices at Kimball Junction and at Five5eeds restaurant, decided to make an accessible calendar to draw people to his fine art. “It’s a happy project for me,” he said. “I like to put myself in unique places and capture them so I can remember them and share them with others.” His latest calendar, “American West 2027,” which is now available, includes seasonal scenes of Thor’s Hammer in Bryce Canyon, Sundial Peak at Lake Blanche and Canyonlands’ White Rim Road in Utah, as well as Cirque of the Towers at the Wind River Range, Yellowstone National Park’s Mammoth Hot Springs in Wyoming. Other Utah images Shirey captured include Park City’s Old Town, Cardiac Ridge, House on Fire at Bears Ears, aspens at Mt. Timpanogos, a black-and-white image of Mesa Arch and a shot of skier Cody Townsend at Mt. Superior. “These are all of my favorite photos, the ones that stick out to me, and I try to make them a little bit attuned to the season,” he said.  Shirey developed a love for photography from his mother. “She used to shoot magazine covers and was a freelance photographer for the local news agencies, and I kind of adopted all of my photography instincts from her,” he said. Shirey’s love for the outdoors came later. “While I was always into the outdoors, it wasn’t until I went to college to race my bike that I got into things,” he said. “Then shortly after college I moved out to Utah and started backcountry skiing, ski patrolling and guiding.” Shirey’s outdoor savvy informs his art. “The landscapes are everything for me — from being out there in the early morning to find the best light possible to pushing myself to places that not many people get to go to,” he said. “It’s my church. It’s my gym.” Fine-art photographer Weston Shirey hiked miles in the dark to capture this image titled “Cardiac Ridge Alpenglow” for his “American West 2027” calendar. Shirey, a ski patroller at Park City Mountain, says his mother inspired him to become a photographer. Credit: Photo courtesy of Weston Shirey Most of Shirey’s excursions start at 4 a.m. “First, I have images in mind, and the second part of that is the preparation and knowing the time and effort it takes to get to those places,” he said. “The last piece is lighting, which is key. So that means getting up super early so you can get that morning light and evening light.” Shirey usually spends an hour at a scene, and that doesn’t include the hours of hiking or skiing to the spot. “Hiking in the snow in the dark with 40 pounds of camera and equipment can be a challenge,” he said with a laugh. “But the lack of people draws me to a place. I like to challenge myself physically. I put myself in hard spots that feed my soul and get unique visuals.” There are times when Shirey spends more than an hour at scenes. “Sometimes it’s important to stick around longer than you think you should, because the light changes so much,” he said.  Not all excursions are successes, Shirey said. “Getting up to a ridge line and finding myself in a cloud bank happens, too,” he said with another laugh. Shirey also makes it a point to let the landscapes speak for themselves in his photographs. “While I have the ability to over edit, I like to keep them as natural as possible,” he said. “I like how the simple landscapes draw you in, so I don’t want to over process them.” In addition to offering the calendar and fine-art prints with metal and acrylic frames, Shirey’s website also features tote bags, mugs and phone cases that are adorned with his images. “This has been a passion of mine,” he said. “I enjoy it for myself, and I am happy to share it with other people,” he said.  For information about fine art photographer Weston Shirey, his ‘American West 2027’ calendar and other photographs, visit westonshirey.com. The post Park City Mountain ski patroller’s side gig is fine-art photography appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less