Greetings from San Cristobal. This week, mountain snow in the highcountry of New Mexico. Snow fell on the mountain peaks, accompanied by soft winter light. It was enough to find the clouds lifting and a single moment of this pink light on the mountains. Sometimes all it takes to make my day is a simple “ah!” moment like this. The same magenta glow infused the landscape and air around me.
In this area, the Rockies are called the Sangre de Cristos. This wasn’t quite a full-on Sangre sunset color but rather more of a rosé blush. Click here to see what I’m referring to.
Mountain Snow, Taos NM
Here is a close-up of my favorite mountain in this range of peaks, Vallecito Mountain. After a brief moment of this light, it was gone. Then home to Pami, a nice single malt, and a warm fire. Some days it just doesn’t get any better.
Fresh snowfall on Vallecito Mountain, Taos New Mexico.
Flashback. An image I shot on a Saturday morning at the Taos farmer’s market in August 2008. Enjoy.
A little shopper at Taos farmer’s market.
As always, thank you for looking, and for all the comments, and compliments. G
Greetings from San Cristobal Valley. Winter is beginning to settle in, with temperatures dropping to single digits and a decent amount of snow. Not at all the amount we are used to, but we’ll take it.
Last week, on my way home, I just had to pull over to watch the shadows move through our valley. Ten years ago, I shot this same scene. It became the centerpiece in our galley and home and has been a best seller since then. I don’t think I could ever top it though I keep trying. As you can see, the foreground is overgrown, with the meadow obscured.
That cottonwood and willows in Arroyo Hondo, I can’t seem to pass this spot without making an image.
Arroyo Hondo cottonwood and willows.
Early one morning this week I went south to the adobe mission church of Saint Francis in Ranchos de Taos. This iconic buildingalways looks good with accents of snow and a dramatic sky. One important feature of this image… I arrived in time to get a photo before the parking area filled with cars.
Saint Francis church, Ranchos de Taos, NM.
Below is an image from December 2010 on the road that connects the villages of Arroyo Hondo and Arroyo Seco. When I had my gallery in Arroyo Seco I drove this route most days. It’s a sweet country road with close-up views of the surrounding mountains. It is an especially beautiful, and magical drive when the hoar frost covers the trees and landscape.
Arroyo Hondo, Arroyo Seco Road, New Mexico
If you plan to visit New Mexico this year and have a desire to improve your photographic skills, and see locations off the beaten track, look me up and consider a photography tour/workshop. I’ll look forward to meeting and working with you in some of my favorite places in the area.
Last week, on January 5, 2023, was the 99 percent full wolf moon. I spent a fabulous full-day photo tour with Richard. When we departed Taos, we had high expectations of catching the January “wolf moon” rising over the peaks of the Sangre de Cristo mountains in southern Colorado. We did not expect the vast cloud cover that occurred midday.
As is often the case in the west, the weather changes rapidly and dramatically. There is a saying, ‘if you don’t like the weather wait five minutes”. On this day, following six hours of intermittent cloud cover everywhere except the mountains, where the sky remained full of clouds, they finally dissipated to reveal the Sangres in all their glory! Click on images to enlarge.
Wolf Moon rising over the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Colorado.
In the images below, you can see what the rest of the day brought for us. The first is the Rio Grande looking north upstream to Blanca Peak.
Ice on the Rio Grande with the Blanca Peak Massif.
Standing on the Lobatos Bridge bridge to get this image, we could hear the ice cracking around the bridge pillars and along the cliffs. Some of the sounds were like thunderclaps deep down below. Other sounds were like the far of moaning of a person in pain.
I’m not usually one to show both versions of a shot, but I like both equally for different reasons. The black-and-white image has a more dramatic impact. The color of the grasses sprouting up amongst the volcanic rocks in the second version is pleasing and captures the softness of nature and light I experienced there.
Lobatos bridge in black and white.
Lobatos bridge with Blanca Peak and the Rio Grande.
Rio Grande Ice, Colorado
Below, the cactus thrives in this lava rock environment.
Cactus, lava rocks Rio Grande, Colorado.
General Store, San Luis, Colorado.
I first saw the Eastdale post office many years ago when the plaque with the zip code and roof was intact. Alas, things change, and vandals continue to pilfer whatever and from wherever they can.
Eastdale, Colorado US Post Office.
A few days earlier in San Cristobal, the waxing moon rose, followed by the sunset on our local peaks in the Columbine Hondo Wilderness.
Moon rise, from San Cristobal, NM.
Sunset, the last light on the mountains from San Cristobal, NM.
Greetings to all my friends in California. Stay safe!
Greetings from San Cristobal. I had a lovely time shooting in the San Luis Valley, Colorado, which always makes me smile, followed by some random images around the area this holiday season. You may recognize this scene. I visit it often on photo tours and workshops in southern Colorado.
Blanca Peak with wild horses in the San Luis Valley, Colorado.
Wild Horses and crows.
Corraled by the creek, and then the escape. I opened the car door to get out, and the horses, surprised, jumped the fence. I missed that! The payoff came in the following two images.
One mild morning last week, my son Dylan and I walked through the Fred Baca Park Wetlands and Rio Fernando Park. There wasn’t a lot going on, which was very nice. I did take a camera and caught a shot of a Townsend’s Solitaire being solitary in a bare tree. A peaceful walk surrounded the muted colors of winter.
Seeing out the New Year, we were watching a sunset cloud from the deck.
Sunset Cloud over Taos Mountain, from San Cristobal.
Lastly, a flashback to Spring 1987, on a trip I made with four friends, Martin, Frank, Ken, and Dave. Frank and I got set up each morning and evening at our primitive campsite to capture the sunrise, or in this instance, waiting on the sunset. I took this shot of our two Rollei’s, Franks Deerdorf, and my Nikon F3.
Cameras set up at the Mittens, Monument Valley.
As always, Thank you for looking. Happy New Year. G
