Welcome to
Mountain Thyme Photography
As a Colorado Native, I have enjoyed the beauty, depth, and connection that the Outdoors has to offer all of us. For the last 15 years, I have been capturing Nature in all her glory, creating lasting memories of the stunning beauty that surrounds us. I have curated this page to showcase my love for nature- not just in Colorado, but from everywhere I've ever travelled.
I've spent my life living on Mountain Time- moving at the pace of nature, and taking advantage of the moment by always having my camera close. As a botanist and plant lover, I figured it was thyme to combine my obsession with nature and my relaxed mountain lifestyle into a name that fits me and my business.
Please enjoy the moments that I've been lucky enough to capture while living on Mountain Thyme. I am so happy to finally share it with you all.
"I began to appreciate my mountain roots"
I got my first DSLR camera for Christmas when I was 18. I had just started college, and was loving the culture shock from moving from a small CO mountain town to a thriving metropolis.
City life changed me. I began to appreciate my mountain roots and my upbringing in the Gore Range of CO. I was so eager to get out of a small mountain town and move to the city, but ironically, when I got there, I took every opportunity to leave the concrete jungle and return to nature.
I started bringing my camera everywhere, as my love for nature deepened. Skiing, rock climbing, hiking, camping, backpacking, walking the dog, you name it. The photos got better and better as my passion for the outdoors grew. I ended up graduating in 2013 with a degree in Forest Biology and Natural Resources management. As my knowledge and passion for the outdoors grew, my subject matter changed from broadscale landscapes to the intricate details of individual lives: lives of trees, plants, birds, wildlife, insects, reptiles, and amphibians. I hope to share my love for the earth and all its unique forms of life and resilience here.
I got a camera for Christmas in 2009, and I've been a photographer ever since.
Shifting my vision
In 2023, I married the love of my life in the most beautiful place on earth. Working with a wedding photographer was an experience I had never had before, but it left me inspired. What if I could bring my passion, my eye for beauty in nature, and combine it with my love for people?
In 2024, I started Mountain Thyme Photography to do just that- showcase all of the amazing moments and memories I've had in nature, and explore a new path for my art through photographing people. Little did I know that photographing people would become some of the most fulfilling work I've ever done!
As I begin to wrap up 2025 I realize that what started as a dream has turned into a flourishing and successful business before my eyes. From Senior Portraits to Weddings, surprise Proposals and Engagements, Newborns and Maternity shoots, Events to Headshots, I've really enjoyed the depth and variety that comes with photographing people.
Specializing in true to color photos that feel like you, I invite you to check out my portfolio and get in touch if you think I'd be a good fit! I promise to bring contagious joy and fun to your shoot, helping you to relax and be yourselves in front of the lens.
I can't wait to meet you!
Lara Barnes
Hi! I'm Lara, thanks for visiting my website! I have lived a life full of passion- from music, to photography, to botany and science, to skiing and enjoying the outdoors I am proud to call CO my home. I am an educator and photographer based in Basalt, CO and I love traveling around the state to document your life's brightest moments.
Get in touch and lets work together!
