Month: April 2024

Spring Has Sprung Around Taos. 04-24-2024

Geraint April 24, 2024 1 Comment

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week spring has sprung in the neighborhood. It seems overly eager to arrive this year.

Spring has sprung but Here’s a post from two years ago when it took just a little longer to arrive. Spring has a will of its own like an impetuous child.

I’m calling this creature, in the photo below, a Painted Lady butterfly although it could be some sort of moth. They are abundant in the garden right now.

Spring has sprung, San Cristobal — Spring has sprung in the garden, San Cristobal, NM.

Blossoms burst onto the scene a few days ago.

In El Prado on the norhtside of Taos

On numerous streets throughout the Taos Valley.

Plum and crab apple blossoms, downtown Taos.

An Orchard in Taos

Gate and blossoms at the Couse-Sharp Historic Site on Kit Carson Road, downtown Taos.

Gate and blossoms Kit Carson Road, Taos — Gate and Blossoms Kit Carson Road, Taos.

Cattle Egret and Spring blossoms at the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge rest area parking lot.

Spring has sprung and the moon rises.

The moon rising taken out the kitchen window.

The image below was shot in mid-April 2007. It’s one of my favorite captures and collectible prints of Taos Cottonwoods. When I made this panoramic image, I stood in awe of what the chemistry of nature can accomplish. D.H. Lawrence’s words summed up the moment perfectly for me, albeit my picture is of the “fierce” evening light.

‘But the moment I saw the brilliant, proud morning shine up over the deserts of Santa Fe, something stood still in my soul, and I started to attend. There was a certain magnificence in the high-up day, a certain eagle-like royalty, so different from the equally pure, equally pristine and lovely morning of Australia, which is so soft, so utterly pure in its softness, and betrayed by green parrot flying. But in the lovely morning of Australia, one went into a dream. In the magnificent fierce morning of New Mexico, one sprang awake, a new part of the soul woke up suddenly, and the old world gave way to a new.” D.H. Lawrence.

High desert light. — Taos Pueblo Peak and Cottonwoods in the high desert light of Spring.

If you want to join me here in New Mexico, I’m booking dates from now through the rest of the year and beyond. I look forward to introducing you to some of my favorite locations in this area.

As always, thank you for looking. I hope you enjoyed your visit. Have a great week. G

April 17 From The Archives. 04-17-2024

Geraint April 17, 2024 18 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week features the day of April 17th from ten years of my archives.

I hope everyone had a good week. April has been beautiful in northern New Mexico,,, so far. I know I said I wouldn’t say anymore regarding my feet but I’m averaging 2-3 miles a day and getting 4-6 mile hikes in. I’m so happy with my two new feet.

Over the last month, my friend, David, and I have been hiking stretches of the road through the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument that traverses the gorge rim and skirts around the base of Ute Mountain. We have hiked a different section each week with the mountain always present, beckoning. All being well, this summer will culminate in an accent of Ute Mountain.

Back to the present that began in the past, here are pictures from April 17th taken from my photo of the day archive from 2006 to 2016.

Beginning in 2016 and working back to 2006. This day we had snow and I made this image. It makes a b eautiful print. A couple of hours after taking this photo, the snow was all gone.

Willow tree, Arroyo Seco, April 2016 — Willow tree lane, Arroyo Seco, April 2016.

A roadside Descanso, San Ildefonso, 2015. The internet says “Descansos are deeply rooted in Southwestern Hispanic culture. The word means “resting place” and is believed to refer to the days when coffins were transported by horse and cart or carried by hand over many miles for burial in a camposanto.”

Roadside marker, San Ildefonso, NM — Roadside Descanso, San Ildefonso, NM.

Some vistas around Taos have since been transformed… developed. 2014

Here’s a shot of mine and Pami’s shadow in Arroyo Hondo on the drive home from Taos back in 2013.

Here’s a former living plant that grew out of a crack in a rock in the Orilla Verde Recreation Area of the now Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, 2012.

Rock plant, Orilla Verde, NM — Rock brush, Orilla Verde, NM, 2012.

A ubiquitous Taos Raven. They are known to perch in ones or twos. This raven was probably calling for or waiting on its better half. 2011

I’m still searching for the original high resolution file of this picture of Garetto Rivas, so I’ve added a higher resolution second image from the same day below this one. I’ve forgotten the name of his gorgeous blond horse. The second horse in tow and in training is named “Beauty”.

Garetto Rivas, Taos Cowboy — Garetto Rivas, a Taos Cowboy, 2010.

The image below was scanned from a Kodachrome 64, transparency shot in the mid 1990’s and published on my website’s photo of the day archive on April 17, 2009.

Indian paintbrush 2009 — Indian paintbrush, 2009.

Just around the corner from my former gallery in Arroyo Seco was a yoga studio festooned in Tibetan prayer flags. I recall shooting this one out of my car window in 2008.

Prayer flags in Arroyo Seco, NM, 2008 — Prayer flags in Arroyo Seco, NM. 2008.

I shot the image below in 1990 and published it on my website in 2007. It has since been published in a couple of local magazines.

Saint Francis church reflecting in my 1958 Volkswagen Beetle wing mirror, 2007.

On April 17, 2006 I paid a visit to the National Cemetery in Santa Fe NM. It’s the only time I’ve been there. Since then I usually post this image on social media on Memorial Day.

The National Cemetery, Santa Fe NM. 2006 — The National Cemetery in Santa Fe, NM. 2006

As always, thank you for looking. I hope you enjoyed the trip down memory lane. You can see more from my photo of the day archive here.

Have a great week. G

Photo Tour, New Mexico, Colorado. 04-10-2024

Geraint April 10, 2024 6 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal and beyond. This week a two-day photo tour around northern New Mexico and southern Colorado. Nature and the elements gave up some wonderful photo opportunities, beginning with Taos Mountain and the iconic grove of cottonwoods.

Photo tour, Taos mountain cottonwoods, El Prado, NM — On a photo tour of Taos and northern New Mexico.

The next stop on the photo tour was in Questa at an old house off the highway set back amongst some trees. I checked with a friend who said he would try and find me some information on this charming building and quiet setting.

House, Questa, NM — House in Questa, NM.

Following a couple of stops en route, to photograph some wild horses, we wound up at this lake in the San Luis Valley. Moody and brooding skies were the order of the day.

Lake tree, San Luis Valley, Colorado — Lake Tree, San Luis Valley, Colorado.

Speaking of the skies. Highway 142 crosses the Rio Grande in Colorado between the old town of San Luis and Heading west to Manassa home of Jack Dempsey, the “Manassa Mauler”.

Sky over Highway 142, Colorado. — The sky over Highway 142, Colorado.

Continuing the photo tour, there is also a stark view of a very subdued Rio Grande from the road bridge as it crosses the river.

Rio Grande, San Luis Valley Colorado — The Rio Grande from Highway 142, Colorado.

I came across some of last year’s milkweed pods enduring against the elements. Did I mention the frigid cold winds? My guests were admirably brave, and filled with enthusiasm for whatever conditions confronted us.

Milkweed plants are a favorite subject of mine. Consider this image.

On the second day, we encountered a troupe of young Bighorn Sheep in the Orilla Verde area of the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument walking on the road ahead of us.

Bighorn sheep Orilla Verde, NM — Bighorn Sheep Orilla Verde, NM.

We parked the car and followed uphill and enjoyed watching and photographing them in their prime, natural environment. I can’t help but think that the one in the middle is telling them to “gather round” and show us their best side!

Bighorn sheep gathering Orilla Verde, NM — Bighorn Sheep gathering Orilla Verde, NM.

There were many more picture opportunities. I had to stop at some point. If you are planning to be in the area this year, join me on a photo tour/workshop and I’ll show you around.

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

Zapata Falls, Colorado, Wild Horses. 04-03-2024

Geraint April 3, 2024 18 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week the Zapata Falls in winter with a lot of ice. I heard someone was ice-climbing in here a week ago, and some wild horses on the road home. I love it out here.

As you can see from the lack of photos, I didn’t make it to Chaco. I’ve camped at high altitudes in winter and never feared the cold or snow, however, I preferred to cancel this time and make a couple of local trips.

The Zapata Fall s freeze heavily in winter, which makes for a slot canyon/ice cave experience. You’ll need microspikes if you go in winter or check out the falls in summer wearing your boat shoes! I was here two years ago with my friend, John, and his dog, Kiki. A dog in the shot gave scale to the place. Kiki is also on notecards at Cids, a local store.

Zapata Falls in winter — Zapata Falls, Colorado.

As you can see in the entrance there is a dog who happily showed up to give the scene scale. Grateful for fortuitous moments.

Entrance and exit to the falls — Entrance and exit to the Zapata Falls with a dog for scale.

After checking out the ice falls we stopped in at the Great Sand Dunes National Park, but the wind was blowing sand and it didn’t look like this, so we left and went home to our dog and a warm fire.

On the way home, we spotted several bands of the somewhat elusive wild horses. Only one band was conveniently placed with the Blanca Massif as a background. This band remained static against the ferocious west wind gusts that carried my hat out into the sage brush.

We also visited two of my favorite locations in the San Luis Valley, the old homestead, and the red barn. I’ve added two images from previous shoots. The buildings are a litle more decrepit, with bits missing, but still enduring.

San Luis Valley homestead — Old abandoned homestead and a fence ghost, San Luis Valley, Colorado.

Red Barn San Luis Valley — Red Barn in black and white, San Luis Valley, Colorado.

It’s Milky Way season. Here’s one from San Cristobal a few years ago. I’ll be out watching again from the deck this season.

As always, thank you for looking. Have a greta week. G

Geraint Smith Photography

Month: April 2024

Spring Has Sprung Around Taos. 04-24-2024

April 17 From The Archives. 04-17-2024

Photo Tour, New Mexico, Colorado. 04-10-2024

Zapata Falls, Colorado, Wild Horses. 04-03-2024