Welcome to The Western Lensman Dispatch
Out here, the road stretches farther than the eye can see. The West isn’t gone — it’s changing, and I’ve made it my work to document that change one frame at a time.
I’m Markus Van Meter, a professional photographer based on the Western Slope of Colorado for more than fifteen years. My work spans landscape and adventure, Western lifestyle, and everything in between. I’ve served as Destination Tourism Marketing Director for the City of Ouray, contributed to the Colorado Tourism Office, and had my photography published in countless magazines and campaigns celebrating life in the American West.
The Western Lensman Dispatch is my digital journal — part storytelling, part field report, and part creative workshop. It’s where I share the images, insights, and lessons I’ve gathered from years of chasing light across the high country.
What you’ll find here:
Lifestyle — coffee, cabins, craftsmanship.
Grit — ranches, rodeos, real work.
Adventure — trails, travel, and open country.
Environment — water, fire, and stewardship.
Culture & History — makers, traditions, and heritage families.
Posts come in a few forms:
Features — long-form stories that pair words and photography.
Field Notes — reflections and single images from the trail.
Behind the Lens — tutorials, editing walkthroughs, and insights into the creative process.
Conversations — interviews and V-Log entries with the people shaping today’s West.
Most stories are free to read. Paid subscribers gain access to photography tutorials, V-Log episodes, deep-dive essays, and exclusive behind-the-scenes content from my work in the field.
The West continues to evolve — through hard work, quiet towns, and changing seasons. This space is my way of recording it as it happens, with a camera in hand and deep respect for the land and the people who live close to it.
I’m glad you’re here to ride along.
— Markus