Brittany Phelan was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Her love for the west started when she watched the 2002 animated movie, Spirit Stallion of the Cimarron. From then on she dreamed of living in the mountains, surrounded by horses. Brittany was nine years old when her family moved to Texas; she was very angry to discover that not everyone rode horses to school, as she had expected. When it was time for college she attended Colorado State University, earning degrees in Biology and Equine Science. This is where she discovered her love for the outdoors and photography. Her photography mainly featured her dog out in nature on their adventures together in the Colorado mountains.

While pursuing a Master of Science degree in Ecology at Western Colorado University, Brittany hiked the Colorado Trail with her dog. After receiving her master’s degree, she and her dog hiked the Continental Divide Trail. During her continental trek, Brittany fell in love with the landscape of southwestern Montana. From the fragrant sagebrush to the sprawling skies, the promise of adventure and deep history drew her to Bannack State Park.

Brittany captures the essence of the old mining town in hopes that it brings others back to the feelings of ambition, hard work, and camaraderie that are characteristic of the small community. She has been the Assistant Manager at Bannack State Park for two years. She lives full time in the ghost town, spending her free time photographing the old buildings in the park. She manages the park’s social media and designs most of the posters for park events.

Brittany’s art has been featured on 2024 Bannack Days and Bannack Ghost Walk posters. Being at the park year round, she has the opportunity to capture the town in any season, and practice her night photography. She uses her photos to express her love for the environment and to inspire others to get out and explore. She credits her dog, Copper, not only for being an amazing model but for giving her the confidence to branch out and practice her photography.

Brittany’s online portfolio copperphotography.myportfolio.com features her photos, as well as videos from her travels and hikes. She hopes to continue to pursue her passion for photography and art while she’s living in the beautiful state of Montana.