Colorado
Colorado's film office coordinates but does not permit; Colorado Parks and Wildlife requires permits for commercial photography in state parks, portraits included.
Guidance, not legal advice
Permit
Conditional
Issuer: Colorado Office of Film, Television and Media (OEDIT)
Cost: Varies by property and locality, see the film office
Colorado has no statewide film permit. The Office of Film, Television and Media inside OEDIT handles incentives and coordination, and twelve regional film commissions cover local permitting knowledge; actual permits come from cities, counties, and land agencies. The layer photographers hit most is Colorado Parks and Wildlife: commercial photography in state parks, explicitly including portrait businesses shooting seniors or families, requires a permit from the park before arrival, and organized activities may need a special activity agreement filed well in advance (CPW has cited 90 days for events). CPW has been consolidating its commercial and special use permits, so check current rules with the specific park. Federal land (BLM, USFS, NPS) permits separately.
Drone / airspace
Commercial drone work requires FAA Part 107
CPW restricts drone use in most state parks except designated areas; declare drones on any park permit. For Part 107 and state drone law, see Drone Authority.
Street / public space
Yes: you can photograph what is visible from public space in the US
Private property sets its own rules regardless of state law.
Practical notes
- The CPW portrait rule is the trap: a paid family session at a state park like Roxborough or Eldorado Canyon needs a permit even with one photographer and no crew.
- Maroon Bells is US Forest Service land and Garden of the Gods is a Colorado Springs city park; neither goes through the state, and both have their own commercial photo policies.
- Hanging Lake and other permit-entry locations layer access reservations on top of any photography permission.
Sources
Keep shooting
Knowing the rules is half the job. The craft side: