Lenses on Legacy: Capturing the Western Lifestyle with Kaysyn Krystal Photography

As the sun dips behind the mountains of Meeker, Colorado, Kaysyn from Kaysyn Krystal Photography takes us behind the scenes where nothing is staged and everything is rugged. With a family legacy in outfitting, she honors life by capturing the hunt, and paints a romantic image of the western lifestyle. From outfitting to the controversial reintroduction of wolves in Colorado and its impact on local elk herds, we explore topics close to home for many in the community. We talk about the beauty of the backcountry and moments of clarity amidst the untamed wilderness and how these have shaped her life towards simplicity and gratitude. 

She shares insights on finding joy in everyday tasks and the whirlwind of growth and learning in motherhood. We talk about how a new hand railing can symbolize the passage of time and represent newfound independence for little ones. There's a charm to living simply and she shares how she's able to keep focused on the simple life; especially in decision-making:

1. Does this benefit produce a better life for my family? 
2. Does it bring joy or happiness? 
3. Does this benefit our health? 
4. Does it create a memorable moment?

All this and more! Book your next elk hunt, outdoor photography session, or capture a moment by the fire in the backcountry.

We invite you to book your next adventure with Kaysyn Krystal Photography!

Book a session.
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Chapters

• 0:06 Exploring Western Lifestyle and Outfitting
• 10:52 Finding Joy in Simple Living
• 21:00 Outdoor Photography and Hunting Tag Process

Transcript

Cicily: 0:06

Hi guys, welcome to another episode of the Creative Mountain Mama podcast. I am joined by Eason from Case and Crystal Photography. She is a Western photographer and she is all about recording the Western lifestyle and romanticizing life, as well as educating people about the Western lifestyle and romanticizing life, as well as educating people about the Western culture. It's been so overblown in the media, so I'm super excited to be joined by you, kaysen. Welcome, thank you and thank you for having me. So you are based in Meeker. Do you have any funny stories to start us off?

Guest: 0:43

Yes. So here in Meeker I just bought my own little place and it's a single wide 1979. It's the cutest thing ever. It's painted bright blue. I love it.

Guest: 0:57

But anyway, my grandpa and my uncle came over because I have some steps that don't have hand railings and they just thought that they absolutely needed to have some hand railings. So I have two daughters One is four and one is three and so while my grandpa and my uncle are over here putting the steps in together, the girls are running around, helping them, grabbing tools, everything, and it was like a really fun moment to watch them interact. But anyway, when it was all done, bexley, my three-year-old she usually has me hold her hand on the steps. So the next morning we get out to the porch and she turns around and she has the biggest attitude ever and she turns around. She goes mommy, I don't need your help anymore because we have railing. And I was like, okay, look, we have this railing and it's like the highlight of her day. And now, every single time we come home, she tells me mommy, we have railing now perfect, that's a beautiful name.

Cicily: 1:59

I love that name. Thank you, you started out outnfitting. Can you tell me a little bit about that?

Guest: 2:07

Yes, so my pretty much my entire family. They are all outfitters here in Meeker. So we kind of have this joke of like we own the mountain that we outfit on the Flat Tiles Wilderness because we're all up there. So as a teenager I always helped my aunt Sable Mountain Outfitters and I would do pack trips and stay up on the mountain with her and things like that. But after I got done playing college basketball I decided to work for my aunt and um, I was like full-time for two years. Every single day I'm up on the mountain. We packed in summer camps, fishermen, families, and then it would switch in the hunting season and then when you do um hunters and um pack all their gear in and then pack their elk out once they harvested and all that. But yeah, so family of outfitters. I've been doing it since I was 15-ish. And then now my family just purchased, six years ago now, trappers like lodge and we do the same thing up there.

Cicily: 3:19

So is that outside of Meeker proper?

Guest: 3:24

Yes, so trappers were considered meekers still, but we are 50 miles like um southeast ish uh in like we're right next to the flat tops wilderness and we're in the white river national forest so awesome elk herds and are you guys able to kind of keep dibs on herd movements throughout the year?

Guest: 3:49

I mean we, because it's public, you know we we just see them when we're riding and we see them all the time, which is so cool. You know, this last year, last couple of years, has actually been a little hard on the elk herds, um, just because of the winter kill and other things like that, so we're able to monitor them and help our hunters out when it comes to time to for hunting season and harvesting and just tracking them. But I will say that it's been hard with the winter kill. And then, you know, the Colorado wolf reintroduction is another big thing that we're gonna see how that affects our life, um, the elk herd, the population, there's so many factors in there.

Cicily: 4:34

But yeah, you guys are. Are you guys running horses, or are they donkeys or mules?

Guest: 4:42

so we have, um, my family, we have 50 horses and mules. It's kind of like a toss up, yeah. So we have all those guys, um, and we prefer to do the horses just because most of them ride and pack and our mules mostly just pack. And so having horses that are, you know, can do both, is more cost effective for us, um, but on the other hand, um, my aunt was stable mountain outfitter. She has close to a hundred horses and mules. So, yep, that's how we do everything, cause in the wilderness you can't have anything motorized, um, or technically, you're not even supposed to have a cell phone up there, because they're preserving natural life. And so we pack everything in on horses or mules and our clients, they either can ride or they can hike in, it's either one.

Cicily: 5:39

And are clients able to book with you photography for those trips?

Guest: 5:44

Minds, able to book with you photography for those trips. Yes, so part of what I do is I'm in a like a Western lifestyle or like an adventure photographer. I've documented so many hunts for people and I'll write up and stay at camp and document their entire experience, and it's really fun and document their entire experience and it's really fun. And then, not only that I do lots of family shoots up at Trappers, trappers Lake, at our cabins, because we have cabins too and it's a very special place for a lot of people who have been visiting for the last 50 years. So I do that. And then sunset rides too, we'll take.

Guest: 6:24

I've done a lot of engagement sessions and it's like so magical. We get up there and we're at the lake. And one of them it was just supposed to be like a couple and then he proposed and it was so cool, but yes, I get to do all all of that capturing of life and like the romantic moments, cause there's so much romance between just riding horses, being up on the mountain, and then there is a romance behind the outfitting, you know, and harvesting an elk, the way that people do on the wilderness, because it is, it's truly like going back in time. It's not. You're not in a side by side, you're not chasing the herd, you are literally. You're gonna have to go stalk or sit and wait and you have to watch the patterns, you know. So it's like very romantic. As far as traveling back in time, you know people are cooking their food on the fire, staying in wall tents. It's awesome.

Cicily: 7:28

What are some misconceptions that you have to deal with?

Guest: 7:34

A lot of it is people think that we are like overrunning or not preserving the wilderness or taking advantage of the elk herd that's up there. So we have to. We battled that a lot and it's through education. So we are advocates for the wilderness and the wilderness act and just nature, and so when we do invite people to come, stay with us or, um, use our services for packing it's, it's not just we're sending them up there and we're like, okay, lots of people in the wilderness, it's our opportunity to educate. Okay, so the wilderness is, um, no, motorized nothing. Um with a wheel, like this is is the wilderness.

Guest: 8:26

So we battled that a lot because, like I said, people think that we're just trying to get everybody up there. But it's an opportunity for us to educate. And then with the elk, it's the same thing. We want to educate. We want good ethical hunters and we it's the same thing. We want to educate. We want good ethical hunters and we it's almost kind of like an interview process for us up here, um, just making sure it's the right people and you're going to get, most of the time, the right people, just because of how challenging the hunt is, um, and it's truly a hunt, and it's not trophy hunting, it's purely harvesting and herd management. So, touching back a little bit on our poor elk herd, the population, the Outfitters Association met and they are limiting tags, and so that's another thing that we bottle too is people think that we're just out here to decimate the herd, and that's not at all Like. We want it to be a healthy, managed herd.

Cicily: 9:32

Yeah, so you are very much so contributing, educating, preserving, and all of the weight of those words trappers.

Guest: 9:59

That's what I do through my photography. I'm here to educate the rest of the world on our life and how wholesome and wonderful it is. It's amazing.

Cicily: 10:05

What were some of the most influential lessons from outfitting?

Guest: 10:11

Oh my gosh. So just the slow and stillness that's in outfitting. So when I came back and I started working for my aunt full time, you know it was, it was every day, up at five or four, thirty, you know, and not getting back to the barn until seven, eight it was. It was a lot, but a lot of it was out of cell coverage and so it was just. It took me back and made me realize and really hone in on the important things of life and enjoying all the little things. So I will never forget one moment.

Guest: 10:55

We packed into camp and we were hosting um, a young group of boys, and I'm out with the horses and there's this big park right before Marveen Lake and we turn the horses out so they can graze and somebody has to sit there and watch them make sure they don't go back down the trail. So I'm sitting there and I'm just looking at all the beauty and I'm like, oh my gosh, this. I can't get any closer to God than in this moment and my heart like I, it was the craziest thing. I just felt like this release when I was up there and it was like I was safe. I felt so in touch with my spiritual side and I was like it doesn't get any better.

Guest: 11:44

And at that moment that was so pivotal for my life because I went from this crazy culture from college basketball like fast pace, everybody's competing and everybody's out to get you and you're trying to take the next spot. You know it's. It's like that when you play at that next level. And then I came into this like super slow, like nobody's out to get you, like life is so good You're, you're just so slow, and it it literally saved my life, it changed my life that summer and that was the pivotal moment and I was like I can never go back to any other lifestyle than this lifestyle. This is where I belong and it's the closest thing and it gives me all of the faith. It encouraged me to strengthen my faith with God and kept me I don't know together. It's, it was just a great experience.

Cicily: 12:42

That's a good word, because people are wrapped up in the fast paced living in the competition and corporate worlds. Same thing can be said there, right? Is there anything, practically speaking, that helps to keep your life in that kind of simple state of living?

Guest: 13:03

Just like slowing down and romanticizing every single moment. You know, turning from that fast paced living, I realized there's so much romance, and even washing dishes, Like I remind myself that all the time like, oh my gosh, I'm so blessed that I get to wash these dishes, I'm so blessed that I have running water, I'm so blessed that I have two beautiful daughters that I get to take care of and nurture and feed and influence. And you know, and it's that's what keeps me in check is romanticizing all of it. And then you really, you really get to see how blessed you are when you start romanticizing it.

Cicily: 13:53

Yeah, absolutely. And is there anything about motherhood that has kept you in that? Because it can be chaos right in that way of living just a little bit slower yeah.

Guest: 14:09

So, um, when I wasn't expecting to get pregnant, um, with my especially or my second, and they were kind of weird fluke deals, and so, anyway, just with the girls, and I do the same thing like cause.

Guest: 14:33

Sometimes there is chaos and they're running around but like crazy and screaming and part of me wants to be like just stop, like oh my gosh, I'm so overwhelmed. But then in that moment, instead of like turning to like my overwhelmed self, I turned to like the romanticizing self and I'm like, oh my gosh, look at how much fun they're having running around like crazy and just like almost putting myself in their shoes and being like, oh my gosh, there's so much joy. You know, nobody's hurt, nobody's like doing anything dangerous, they're just so joyful. We forget mothers, especially when we're with our babies all the time. We like want them to just sit, but I think just romanticizing their feelings is really important in order to kind of slow down and enjoy the chaos, like for me, I embrace it, I'm just like it's chaos and it's so awesome because they're having the time of their life.

Cicily: 15:39

So, and it's such a short season they will be chaos and then they will be seated adults before you know it.

Guest: 15:47

Yes, yes, exactly. So that kind of goes back to my funny story with Bexley at the beginning, just the day before she wants mommy, hold my hand, mommy, I can't go down the stairs without you. And then we get the railing and now she doesn't want me to help her. And so you know those moments of maybe where I'm frustrated, like, ah, just walk down the stairs, like you don't need my hand to hold you. And then now she doesn't want my hand and it's like hold you.

Cicily: 16:19

And then now she doesn't want my hand and it's like should have romanticized that moment a little bit more like my baby needed me and then it goes by so fast and that chapter is already passed. Yep, in the chaos. I know I'm sorry. I was like should I say this? Um, in the hard moments, are there any bible verses that you lean on?

Guest: 16:46

Yes, thessalonians, it's 515 to 22. This one I keep really close to my heart at all times, because I try to do good to each other and to all people. Always be joyful, never stop praying, be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good, stay away from every kind of evil. So that is like I said every part of my life, like I go back to that verse, because you're not going to get anywhere paying back evil with evil. And always be good. That's, that's the biggest thing. Always be good and be good to everybody and be good to everything. And never stop praying. That's my thing. I probably pray 20 times a day or more, every single day, and it's about everything. I'm so grateful for my life that I was blessed with so.

Cicily: 18:10

Does that help you to decide on the next step and guide you to the next step and make decisions?

Guest: 18:18

Yes, absolutely. So I follow what I call my um, my golden rules, my four golden rules, my golden rules, my four golden rules, and whenever I'm making decisions I talk about sticking to those so I don't get decision fatigue, because humans, we don't have the capacity to make all the decisions that maybe we have to make, and so if we have a list of really quick what to go through, then it helps us. So my number one is does this benefit or produce a better life for my daughters and myself? That's my number one whenever I'm making a decision. And then number two does it bring joy or happiness to our life? And you know, not everything's going to bring joy and happiness, but I mean it's a good thing to think about, like, even when it comes down to like what you're doing that day. I think you should always have something that brings you joy and happiness. And then, benefiting our health that's my number three Does this benefit our health?

Guest: 19:23

And then, does it provide a memorable experience in a positive environment? And then, does it provide a memorable experience in a positive environment? So that's down to even cooking in the kitchen. I invite my girls to cook with me because those are memorable moments. There might be a huge disaster afterwards, but it's okay and I just it's those romantic moments, I don't know, and I just it's those romantic moments, I don't know, and then doing the good and being good by everybody, and not like paying back with evil, that also does so, like maybe somebody's super mean to me I have this on a weekly basis Somebody trying to come at me with something and I just go back to that verse and I'm like, okay, don't, don't return evil to evil. So be good to all everybody.

Cicily: 20:13

So good. Trust God's justice. That's not our responsibility. It's a good one. Yes, yes. So practically speaking, if someone wants to book a getaway with you guys, do they need to make a draw for an elk tag in that area, and then can they stay with you? And then how do they book photography?

Guest: 20:38

Okay. So for trappers, we are open in June to October, so anybody could come join us between those months, um, and either stay at summer camp um we'll pack you in or at one of our cabins. We also have a restaurant on site, so very family friendly um. You can book that those kind of services online at our website. Um, now, as far as hunting, because of the limited tags, um, somebody would have to put in for a draw and so that's already happened now, but you could still apply for second draw. It's kind of like a leftover and it's all lottery.

Guest: 21:17

Well, you have to have preference points in order to draw some of the units in our area. So I could go into detail a lot more if somebody was interested, or I can direct them to Alan. He's my stepdad and he does all the outfitting and he's awesome. But that would be my recommendation Go to our website, look through all of the things that we have to offer and then you can reserve or reach out, depending on which service that you want, and then photography, on what service that you want, and then photography. People can text me, email me, dm me on Instagram, facebook, any platform. Just reach out. I'm happy to. You know. Talk about what you're needing as far as your photography service. If you I do events, I do weddings. I do events, I do weddings, engagements, family documenting life, ranch life, everything. So just reach out and I can probably help it out, tell your own story.

Cicily: 22:16

In the Western slope of Colorado, it is as romantic as it seems, thanks to you. Thank you so much for joining me, kacen. I really appreciate your time.

Guest: 22:28

Yes, thank you for having me. What a fun little session we've had and it's been great to get to know you and find a connection. You know small town life and I just think it's amazing what you're doing here and inviting women on here to help other women through seasons, because it's, you know, it's hard, and if we can all stick together and help talk each other through, then you're doing a great thing. Thank you.