Fine Art Images from the American Southwest

Tag: Eclipse

Solar Eclipse, Aspens, Autumn Continues. 10-18-2023.

Greetings from San Cristobal in northern New Mexico. This week, the solar eclipse from the deck. Our perspective at this latitude gave us 80% coverage. We could have gone to Albuquerque for totality but decided to put our feet up, play with the dog, shoot a few pictures, and save on a tank of gas. The photos below were shot using a tripod with a Sony camera and lens. I purchased a couple of pairs of eclipse glasses that worked very well. They’ll come in handy for the total eclipse next April. I hope you saw the solar eclipse where you are.

Solar eclipse, October 14, 2023, San Cristobal, NM
Solar eclipse, October 14, 2023, San Cristobal, NM.

In the image below, I opened up the exposure to get the clouds that were surrounding the event. There is some refraction from the use of two neutral density filters but you get the idea.

October 14, 2023 solar eclipse. San Cristobal, NM
October 14, 2023, solar eclipse. San Cristobal, NM.

The aspen groves continued to delight with colors at their peak in many areas. There is still a lot more peaking to come. I’ll be on a five-day photo tour during the coming week. It’s safe to say I’ll probably post more images.

Aspens sun star, New Mexico
Aspens and a sun star, Hopewell Lake, New Mexico.
Aspens near Hopewell Lake, NM
Off the beaten path near Hopewell Lake, NM.

No trip in the area is complete without a stop at the Red Barn. It was a beautiful sunny day in the San Luis Valley, however, the barn looked a little forlorn later in the day under the brooding sky. I plan to keep documenting it until…

Red Barn, San Luis Valley, Colorado
Red Barn, San Luis Valley, Colorado.

On the climb up the Cumbres Pass, the road crosses over the state line from New Mexico into Colorado. The picture below looked much more appealing in black and white during the midday sun. The type of clouds in the picture looked like this all day long. The Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railway also crosses the pass. If we are lucky, we sometimes meet the train there.

Black and white near the Cumbres Pass, New Mexico
Black and white near the Cumbres Pass, New Mexico.

We visit the location below numerous times throughout the year. Fall is my favorite.

Aspen grove and sky, Colorado
Aspen grove and sky, Colorado.

As always thank you for looking. Have a great week. G

Full Moon, Eclipse, Fajada Butte, Chaco Canyon

The moon was nearly full when it rose over the Columbine-Hondo Wilderness in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. I’m a proponent of as little travel as possible when the presentation is before me. Dewitt Jones said, “The banquet is spread constantly, with no thought of whether anyone will attend. If I were receptive enough, perhaps I would see it in everything. But I’m not, so photography is one of the tools I use to help me concentrate, to help me see deeply, to block out all that is extraneous and see that which is essential.” I shot the moon rise last night and the following two images looking out from our deck early this morning. The potential for a vibrant eclipse diminished through the night as clouds moved in. Around 3 am the moon vanished altogether. At 4:30 am, my alarm went off. There was a faint moon with clouds surrounding it. I nodded off. By 4:55 am I was dressed and standing outside with the camera set up. I surmised that the moon would perhaps emerge from and disappear behind intermittent banks of clouds. It did as I thought but not with the resounding determination I’d hoped for. It seemed to pulse faintly as it set and then it was gone. At 5:45 I was back in bed. I woke up at 7:15 am with a feeling that I had traveled miles. In effect, at that moment I had hitched a ride with the moon. I think I’ll also need a nap later.

Full moon rise over the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, NM
Nearly full moon rising over the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, NM

Lunar eclipse, NM
Lunar eclipse, this morning from San Cristobal, NM

Full moon Lunar eclipse, setting this morning over the Taos Plateau
Full moon, Lunar eclipse, setting this morning over the Taos Plateau.

Below is a new print I’m working on. It’s a very large panorama of the sacred Fajada Butte in Chaco Culture National Historical Park. I’ll have this image ready for purchase on my fine art prints landscape page this weekend.

Fajada Butte Chaco Canyon
Fajada Butte, Chaco Canyon, Chaco Culture National Historical Park

As always thanks for looking. G

Super Wolf Moon Eclipse, San Cristobal

Super Wolf Moon eclipse, in the crystal clear skies San Cristobal, New Mexico yesterday evening. The event of the year so far. I used this opportunity to check out the new sony lens on the night sky. I spent the whole evening out under the stars observing and photographing eclipse. When totality happened the stars became ever so present. It was stunning. I hope everyone was able to see this event. Thanks for looking. G

Super Wolf Moon Eclipse, San Cristobal

Perigee, Blue Moon, Eclipse

Perigee, Blue Moon, Eclipse. The view from Arroyo Hondo, across the Volcanic Plateau in northern New Mexico this morning. I know the plateau is void in this image but as the sky lightened slightly the faint outline of extinct and dormant volcanoes added to the continuum of this ancient happening. Thanks for looking. G

Perigee, Blue Moon, Eclipse