An American goldfinch is examined by Cristin Salaz during a bird branding project at Oxbow Park & Preserve. “The connection between humans and wildlife is fragile at best, and this photograph seems to express the joy and the wonder of this connection,” Stanley says.
An American goldfinch is examined by Cristin Salaz during a bird branding project at Oxbow Park & Preserve. “The connection between humans and wildlife is fragile at best, and this photograph seems to express the joy and the wonder of this connection,” Stanley says.Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald

Their work captures human triumphs and struggles, the majesty of our landscape and the occasional oddity.

Of the thousands of photographs they took in 2016, they share a selection of those they found memorable and say why the images were special to them.