Fine Art Images from the American Southwest

Month: April 2020

Spring, Taos Mountain Light

Spring, Taos Mountain light, from the archives this month a few years ago. I’m taking this distancing seriously. I figured that this is enough distance to get in the whole mountain, plus a few extraneous snow capped peaks. I also don’t have to be physically out there! Thanks for looking. Stay well. G

Spring, Taos Mountain light

Cave View, New Mexico Back Country

Yesterday, Pami, myself and friends, Chris and Carla, made a trip to beyond, the back of beyond. We have future plans for more trips back, to the back of beyond. Much of the trip was spent driving Arroyo del Cobre, north of Abiquiu, NM. The arroyo narrowed considerably, until, what can marginally be called a road clambered out of it to a bench. After more sandy driving and choking dust we arrived at an artesian spring in a boggy meadow. Later, we visited an ancient petrified river bed and this shady ledge with a cave, probably dug many years ago by a prospector. There are camps and hunting grounds of indigenous peoples, strewn with artifacts, in this land of red rocks. These days, hundreds of bonsai junipers and tranquility abide. Chris said “we are geological time travelers”.  Thanks, Chris and Carla for being our guides. Thanks everyone for looking. G

Cave view, New Mexico back country

 

New Mexico True, back country

 

Artesian Spring

 

Petrified river bed

 

Petrified river bed

 

Bonsai Juniper

 

Raven, Approaching Storm, Taos Plateau

Raven, approaching storm, Taos Plateau. Busting out of here! Stopped to get a shot of the storm clouds building across the plateau when this raven blasted through the scene. Thanks for looking. G

Raven, Approaching Storm, Taos Plateau

Mountain Moon Rise, Vallecito Peak

Mountain moon rise, Vallecito Peak, and another view from last nights moon when it rose over the snow covered Sangre de Cristos. I’m familiar with this view and if you’ve followed my work you will probably recognize it too. Last night was more subtle than it sometimes is, but while we’re in this lock down situation I’ll take it. I don’t have to go very far for inspiration either, just a couple of miles down the road. Thanks for looking. G

Mountain moon rise, Vallecito Peak

Sunflower Pods, Moon Rise

Sunflower pods, Moon rise, from the meadow. I just got back in and decided this image from earlier this evening, when the moon first rose over the mountains, would make a good post. The colors were pretty cool and the moon was bright when it cleared the hazy clouds. It’s a composite exposure. I shot last years sunflowers in focus in the first image and racked focus to the moon in the second. Same exposure in both images. Combined them in Photoshop®. Thanks for looking and happy moon watching. G

Sunflower pods, Moon rise, from the meadow.

Visit Taos, New Mexico Later, Please

Visit Taos, New Mexico… later, please. I posted a similar picture with these words on Facebook. They struck a cord and got shared many times over. We are a small community and things spread fast. We are taking things seriously and following CDC guidelines. We will welcome you back with open arms when things are better. The situation is here is serious right now, with the highest per capita cases for a county in New Mexico. Our state is also in lock down with 14 day quarantine orders and Taos has a curfew in place. Nothing is open, there’s no where to stay anyway. For those still wanting to flee the craziness in surrounding states please help by staying home, that way our efforts here won’t be in vain. Thanks for indulging me a moment to share this. Thanks for loving Taos. We love you, I love you. Geraint

Visit Taos, New Mexico Later, Please

Top Of The World, Rio Grande Del Norte, National Monument

Top of the World, Rio Grande Del Norte, National Monument. This day 04-04-16, four years ago. I’d just bought my fifth Toyota 4 Runner, (I love 4 Runners), so Pami and I took it for a days drive through the National Monument. During the 100+ miles we covered, some roads were passable, others heavily rutted with mud. We did make it up this hill with no problems and have done so many times since. It has great views in all directions, especially the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the north and east. I know it’s not exactly the top of the world, but it feels like it and incidentally, you can see “The Top Of The World Farm” on the New Mexico, Colorado state line from here. When things get back to normal, join me on a photo tour in the Rio Grande del Norte, and I’ll show you around this area. Thanks for looking. G

Top Of The World, Rio Grande Del Norte, National Monument

American Kestrel, Arroyo Hondo, New Mexico

American Kestrel, Arroyo Hondo, New Mexico. This beautiful creature embodies spirit. Fear? none of it, I’m sure. I’ve watched and photographed these birds for a couple of decades. I wish to return as a kestrel. Perhaps I already am, and Geraint is a figment of my imagination. Thanks for looking. Be tenacious, stay well and be safe. Thanks for looking. G

American Kestrel, Arroyo Hondo, New Mexico.

Petroglyphs, Rio Grande Del Norte, National Monument

Petroglyphs on a story rock panel, Rio Grande Del Norte National Monument. There are many more “peckings” on this rock, located alongside the great river in the Wild Rivers Recreation Area. This image shows Mule Deer and Bighorn Sheep. Below the first image is a photo of a Bighorn Sheep, also photographed in the gorge. The indigenous peoples would have documented the wildlife in the area and this rock has an array of footprints pecked onto it also. When things get back to normal I encourage you to make a trip here. Thanks for looking. G

Petroglyphs on a story rock panel in the Rio Grande Del Norte National Monument.

Bighorn sheep ram on a rock panel in the Rio Grande Del Norte National Monument.

Canada Geese, Rio Grande, Pilar, NM

Canada Geese, setting up a nesting spot on an island in the middle of the Rio Grande, Pilar, NM. They’ll be hatching a brood of goslings soon. A beautiful day in a beautiful location and a lovely spot to raise a family. Thanks for looking. G

Canada Geese, Rio Grande, Pilar, NM