Tag: Taos

Leaves And A Few Other Things

Geraint October 13, 2021 16 Comments

The light, it’s all about the light. Waiting until the sunlight lit up the road and the aspens ahead didn’t take very long but it did require a few moments until the sun emerged from the clouds. The moment and the picture happen, click!!!

highway 64, northern NM — Fall color and light on Highway 64, northern NM.

The following three images depict a local pond, a different way the leaves turn in one particular area, and a spontaneous composition on a log in the Carson National Forest a few days ago.

Aspen leaves on a mountain pond, in the Sangre de Cristos.

Aspen Leaves — Aspen leaves in the high country of northern New Mexico.

Aspen leaves on a log in the Carson National Forest.

One fallen aspen tree leads the eye through the standing trees to the copse beyond.

Aspen Tree Hopewell Lake — Aspen tree Hopewell Lake, New Mexico.

A nice hillside of aspens in various stages of fall. There are still a number of weeks of turning colors to come. Join me on a photo tour and I’ll share some of my favorite locations with you.

Aspens on the flanks of the Brazos Cliffs, New Mexico.

I frequently enjoy visiting this pond in the mountains between Taos and Angel Fire and this week we hit it with precision timing. The leaves were falling like rain on and around us. Here’s a video I shared on Facebook. Turn up the sound if you watch!

And… last but not least, spending as much time on the road as I do, the opportunities abound. In this case a Porcupine trucking across the road. I had to move fast. The porcupine was fast, but I was slightly faster and that’s how I got this picture of a sweet little creature.

As always, thank you for looking. G

A little bit of This and That, this week.

Geraint July 7, 2021 20 Comments

A little bit of this and a little bit of that, from Ranchos de Taos, Taos Ski Valley, Ghost Ranch, Colorado, and the deck in San Cristobal.

I made this image of the ubiquitous blue window and shutters with hollyhocks in Ranchos de Taos. Hollyhocks are in abundance all around Taos this summer including the grounds of the famous St. Francis Church across the street from this scene.

We made a hike to the waterfall and streams coursing through the Taos Ski Valley to check out the wildflowers. Not a very long hike either. This little grouping of columbine comes back every year in the same spot. You can probably find a similar image from a previous year on my website.

Columbine, waterfall, Taos Ski Valley — Columbine with a waterfall in Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico.

We stopped in Ghost Ranch last week and saw that bits and bobs of a movie set were still standing. They’d even moved a dead tree that had fallen down a few years ago elsewhere to the middle of the set. (Thank you Mark Collins for the inspiration). We opened the doors and went inside. The light streaming through the holes made it sort of magical in a way. Thanks to the movie makers also.

Movie set chapel, Ghost Ranch, NM — Movie set chapel window, Ghost Ranch, NM

Last week I spent three days working with a client from New York during his month-long cross-country road trip. One of the days was spent in Abiquiu and the Rio Chama Valley chasing storms, followed by a day in the Rio Grande Gorge and along the High Road to Taos. Our final day was spent crisscrossing the San Luis Valley photographing abandoned farmhouses, barns, and this old bridge.

Lobatos Bridge, Colorado — Lobatos Bridge over the Rio Grande in the San Luis, Colorado.

The week ended back at home with a nice visual from the deck.

Rainbow, San Cristobal, New Mexico — Rainbow over the Sangre de Cristo Mountains San Cristobal, New Mexico

As always, thanks for looking. G

Taos Mountain Clouds

Geraint March 24, 2021 6 Comments

One photo this week of Taos Mountain (Pueblo Peak) in black and white. I had a longer post planned but the hosting company server crashed this morning, until an hour ago. They emailed and were very gracious and apologized and let me know things were up and running. So, I hope you enjoy this image from this last week, this week.

Taos Mountain (Pueblo Peak) Taos New Mexico. — A view of Taos Mountain (Pueblo Peak) across El Prado (the Meadows) with late afternoon light and cattle.

Snow Day, Snow Week

Geraint February 17, 2021 20 Comments

I hope you are enjoying winter. I know some of our neighbor states are getting weather they don’t normally experience. Stay safe and warm where you are. Here are some images from a trip around the extended neighborhood this week.

The first image may look familiar to many people as I stop here often in Arroyo Hondo on the drive to and from home and Taos.

Red Willows and cottonwood tree — Red Willows, Cottonwood Tree.

The sun came out on the way home today and the landscape looked pristine. Here’s my favorite “stretch gate” and farm road.

Stretch gate, Hondo Mesa — Stretch Gate, Farm Road

A stretch gate in San Cristobal on my morning walk yesterday.

Stretch gate San Cristobal — Gate and Snow, San Cristobal

Martina’s Hall, formally Old Martinez Hall directly west of the Saint Francis church in Ranchos de Taos, has some nice lines accented by the snow.

Martina's Hall Ranchos de Taos — Martina’s Hall, Ranchos de Taos.

The beautiful mission church of San Francisco de Asis in Ranchos de Taos.

A view of the church in a location I’ve not shot before. The morning sunlight breaking through the clouds caught my eye from highway 68 which runs through Ranchos de Taos.

In San Cristobal this morning our garden Buddha wore his full snow blanket. The snow is still coming down as I write. We are warm and cozy with the wood stove filling the room with a golden glow as well as heat. From the sofa we can watch the snow falling all around the valley.

Thanks for looking and have a great week. G

Tipis, Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico

Geraint December 22, 2020 2 Comments

Tipis south of Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico. I headed here first last night for the conjunction but the elements didn’t align. So I headed to the church shortly afterward. That worked out fine and print sales were brisk today. I did shoot some images at the tipis before heading to the church. I added the antique aged distressed look to the shot. Keep looking up! The planets are still passing in the night. Well, not really, Saturn is just under half a billion miles further out into space than mighty Jupiter. Thanks for looking. G

GMC Truck, Overland Ranch, Taos, New Mexico

Geraint December 18, 2020 6 Comments

GMC Truck at the Overland Ranch compound, Taos, New Mexico. No truck is an island unto itself! This familiar location with a backdrop of Taos Mountain (Pueblo Peak), always inspires a photo. I made a quick stop in here as the snow receded, it left the truck looking like it was washed ashore and stranded. Thanks for looking. G

Plateau Road, Snowstorm, Low Cloud, Taos, New Mexico

Geraint December 13, 2020 4 Comments

Plateau road into the snowstorm and low cloud, Taos, New Mexico. This is how it looked yesterday afternoon when the storm moved in. Today we awoke to 3 to 12 inches of snow depending on the elevation, and deeper in the mountains which are missing in the cloud. Thanks for looking. G

Geraint Smith Photography