Fine Art Images from the American Southwest

Month: June 2022

Virga Rain, Pastures, and Buddha, June 29, 2022

Greetings from the beautiful San Cristobal and Arroyo Hondo Valleys this week. We have virga skies and verdant pastures following this year’s early monsoon season.

The rain stopped briefly after raining straight for 48 hours. The sun came out for a moment before it began again. I hadn’t been out very much over the last two weeks. Drawn by the light, I grabbed my camera and headed out. I shot this first image of the virga rain from the driveway of our house.

Virga, San Cristobal
Virga over the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, San Cristobal.

Within a few minutes after the first image, I hopped in the car and drove south towards Taos, where I would have access to a turnout and views across the Taos Plateau and the walking rain. You won’t find much about walking rain online, but the rain here looks like it is out for a stroll as it passes across the plateau west of Taos.

Walking Rain, Taos Plateau
Walking rain across the Taos Plateau.

A little farther south is the beautiful Arroyo Hondo Valley. As I descended the hill and rounded the curve, this scene appeared. I stayed here for about fifteen minutes before heading home.

Arroyo Hondo pasture and cattle
Pastures in the Arroyo Hondo Valley.

Sometimes all it takes is a brief moment outside to clear my head, watch the storms pass, and nature putting on a beautiful show.

Arroyo Hondo pasture and cattle
A broader view of the verdant pastures in the village of Arroyo Hondo

Within an hour, it was raining again, a torrential downpour with hail hammering on the tin roof and skylights. Lightning and thunder pursued, giving our old dog the tremors. A cheese treat with a cracker cured it. We woke up this morning to clear skies and more rain in the forecast. I’m in no way complaining here about the moisture we need it. See how green the landscape is, compared to a week ago.

This week’s final image is of the garden Buddha surrounded by marigolds Pami planted. I made a double exposure, one of the buddha and the other to blur the marigolds. The garden is loving the rain. It reminds me of Wales. Except in Wales, it would be raining for three weeks.

Garden Budha with marigolds
Buddha statue features again in our garden in San Cristobal.

As always, thank you so much for looking. Stay well, and I’ll see you here next week. G

A Solstice Moment, Wonderful Rain, June 22, 2022

Greetings from a rain-soaked solstice and the first day of summer in Saan Cristobal, NM

A hike in Plaza Blanca is a great place to witness a solstice moment. This image is from a photo tour in 2018. The solstice this year found me asleep in bed. The clouds covered the sun, moon, and this week’s planetary alignments yesterday morning. I slept well all the same.

Summer solstice Plaza Blanca
Summer Solstice, Plaza Blanca, Abiquiu, NM

There is a 12,000 feet peak in those clouds. Those two ravens know it. It’s great to know that the mountain peaks are shrouded in rain, clouds, mist, and not the choking fire smoke we experienced over the last two months. Today it has been raining for five hours straight. It feels a lot like Wales, where I grew up. Although in Wales, it would have been raining for three weeks straight.

Two Ravens
Ravens, and the invisible mountain in the rain.

In the garden, the Apache Plume plant is bedraggled looking. However, the raindrops hang suspended like tiny jewels. Click here to see a picture of an apache plume plant growing from a rock in Plaza Blanca.

Apache Plume
Apache Plume.

Lastly, I wanted to add two bonus images from the High Raod to Taos. I often photograph throughout the day, well past the magic hours. The shadows in this image aren’t there any earlier. I find lots of subjects deserving almost any time of day.

Saint Francis Mission Church
Saint Francis Mission Church, Ranchos de Taos, NM

In this image of the big doors at the mission church San José de Gracia de Las Trampas, I lay on my back and took two photos. I stitched them together to create this different composition. Visiting places as often as I do, I like to inspire myself to find new and different angles. That’s the beauty of being able to make return trips to become familiar with the locations.

San Jose de Gracia de Las Trampas
Under the big doors at San José de Gracia de las Trampas, NM.

If you are inclined to travel this summer, join me here in northern New Mexico for a private one-on-one photography tour/workshop. I’ll look forward to seeing you.

As always thank you for looking. Enjoy the weather where you are. I’m going for a walk in the rain. G

High Road to Taos, New Mexico, June 15, 2022

Yesterday I went on a trip with friends on the High Road to Taos. It was a lovely relaxing day with no schedule or plans except to have fun and make images.

We began our day trip in Ranchos de Taos and photographed the iconic Saint Francis Church. It’s easy to lose track of time when photo opportunities abound. When we final regrouped, we headed south, winding our way through the Rio Grande Gorge to Dixon, picking up the High Road in Peñasco, traveling on to Las Trampas, Truchas, then back to Dixon for a late lunch at the Dixon Cooperative Market and Cafe.

Saint Francis Church on the High Road to Taos
Saint Francis Church, San Francisco de Asis.

South through the Rio Grande Gorge brought us to the town of Dixon, where we found these two benches waiting for us in more ways than one.

Benches in Dixon, NM
Benches in Dixon, NM.
Bench back, Dixon, NM
Bench back detail, Dixon, NM.

After an hour of wandering around Dixon, we headed to the Picuris Pueblo, (still closed to the public) and on to the church of San Jose de Gracia de Las Trampas in Las Trampas, the ‘place of traps.’

San Jose de Gracia de Loas Trampas
The church of San Jose de Gracia de Las Trampas, NM.

Truchas is a twenty-minute drive south on the High Road to Taos and abounds with fascinating and quirky visuals. Truchas was the setting for the movie of the John Nichols, book Milagro Beanfield War, filmed on location in the mid-1980s and directed by Robert Redford. Below is the Truchas Mission Church, Nuestra Señora del Sagrado Rosario.

Truchas Mission Church on the High Road to Taos
Truchas Mission Church, Nuestra Señora del Sagrado Rosario.

The following few images are also located in Truchas, a short walk from the mission church.

House with TV antenna, Truchas, NM
House with TV antenna, Truchas, NM.
Hobby Horse
Hobby Horse in the cool shade of a portal on the High Road to Taos.
Ford F100, Truchas
Ford F100 in Truchas, NM.
Mobile Home, with antenna, Truchas NM
Mobile home, with tv antenna, Truchas, NM.

Before we began our trip, we visited Floras Valley Store in San Cristobal, where my friends came to meet me. I just had to show this sight to them.

Floras Valley Store, San Cristobal, NM
Floras Valley Store, San Cristobal, NM.

We ended a fun day and said our farewells back in San Cristobal. I closed my day watching the “Strawberry Moon” rising over Taos Mountain.

Full "Strawberry Moon" with Taos Mountain
Full “Strawberry Moon” with Taos Mountain, NM.

As always, thank you for looking. G

Swallowtail Butterfly, Tree, Wired West, June 8, 2022

Greetings from San Cristobal, the swallowtail butterfly capital, this week. They seem to like the San Cristobal Valley.

Many thanks for checking in and asking how we are doing with covid. One of us is doing better than the other. I’m getting there. The symptoms are mostly fatigue. I’m feeling a lot better today. Onwards.

Technically known as a Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly, it is the western variety of Swallowtail. They have been hanging around since the blossoms opened in May. It’s beautiful to watch their playfulness and when they land on plants, get a photograph!

Swallowtail butterfly
In the garden, San Cristobal, NM.
Tiger Swallowtail butterfly
A swallowtail butterfly was hanging on a hanging plant.

This tree, highlighted against a dark, red wall, caught my eye in the morning light in Santa Fe. I’m sure it’s all leafed out by now. I must go on another walkabout in Santa Fe soon or another urban area.

Tree with red wall Santa Fe
Tree, with a red wall, Santa Fe, NM.

Years ago, I did a series of images that amounted to a small portfolio of pictures of how the west was wired up and divided. I called it “The Wired West.”
I found the image below recently. From a distance, I thought I’d seen a tumbleweed on the fence, not altogether unusual, but it turned out to be this jumble of wire stuffed down on top of the post. I surmised it was a leftover pile of baling wire from someone repairing the fence line. I added this image to the wired west folder.

Tumble wire on a fence
Tumble-wire, Taos, New Mexico.

As always, thank you for looking, and all the comments, and compliments on my work. G

Squirrel in the garden on a stone cross, June 01, 2022

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. Coming down from a case of covid, we haven’t been very far in the last week. From our chairs, looking out the living room window, we can watch the immediate world unfold a few feet away on the other side of the glass.

Our cheeky squirrel is back taunting the dogs and looking for birdseed. I removed the birdseed then it took to eating some of the plants instead. We enjoy watching his crazy antics on the fence and climbing on the old Celtic cross we have in the garden. We draw the line at the plants though, and let the dogs out. They can’t catch him but get a little exercise in the chase. The squirrel and our aged dogs seem to enjoy the whole game. I’m sure if the dogs caught up with it, it wouldn’t be pretty.

Here’s a picture from a few years ago when the critter was much younger. Not much has changed including its bold behavior.

Squirrel on a stone cross
Squirrel on a stone cross, San Cristobal, NM
Squirrel on a stone cross, San Cristobal, NM
Saying its prayers, San Cristobal, NM

Getting better and better each day. Things should be back to normal soon, as normal as normal can be.

As always thank you for looking and all the comments and compliments. G