Geraint Smith Photography

Fine Art Images from the American Southwest

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Month: March 2025

On the Road, Colorado. 03-25-2025

Geraint March 26, 2025 6 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week, random images on the road in the San Luis Valley, Colorado, with my good friend, John. It was a beautiful day to be “out there” despite the wind, a little dust, and my allergies. I’m feeling better today as I’m indoors to avoid unnecessary pollen.

We went looking for these characters but only found where they’d been! We did find a few other places and creatures that made our day. The shot below is from a few years ago. I wanted to share our expectations.

Wild Horses on the road in Colorado
Wild Horses on the road in Colorado.

At the old Lobatos Bridge, a road crew was inspecting the infrastructure with restricted traffic, so we walked across and stopped for a couple of shots looking north.

Blanca peak, Colorado with the Rio Grande
Blanca Peak, Colorado, and the Rio Grande.

The San Luis Valley is well known for its potatoes, and the area is scattered with abandoned bunkers attached to long abandoned farms in favor of large agri-businesses. All the more fun for us.

Potato Bunker Shadows
Potato Bunker Shadows.

With the sod roof missing the midday shadows are abundant.

Potato Bunker Shadows
Bunker shadows and an old tire.

Potato Bunker Shadows
Outside looking in.

Raptor, red tailed hawk.
A Red-tailed Hawk, I think.

… and a Western Meadow Lark singing to its heart’s content as they do.

Western Meadow Lark
Western Meadow Lark.

… and, in my opinion, the most inaptly named bird, the “Killdeer”

Killdeer at the stabilization reservoir
Killdeer at the stabilization reservoir.

Lastly, a quick stop to visit the Old San Acasio mission church. John got a tour of the history and miracles of the site. I found this painted picture on glass with some flies.

Window painting at the Old San Acacio Church, Colorado
Window painting at the Old San Acacio Church, Colorado.

A great day out. Thanks for joining me, John.

As always, thanks for looking. Have a great week. G

The Nature of March. 03-19-2025

Geraint March 19, 2025 No Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week’s images depict the nature of March.
The wind-swept madness of March came in like a lamb, and never mind the analogy of a lion, it morphed into a rhinoceros in an English tearoom. Haboob-like dust storms occurred earlier in the month, and again yesterday, they delayed flights and closed interstates with winds fanning the flames of wildfires.

The pictures of the Lunar Eclipse I’d planned to post this week didn’t occur due to the crazy March weather here. Thick clouds, freezing rain, and snow made sure of that.

That said, here are some images of the gentler side of March.

Spring Weather, Taos, NM
Spring Weather, Taos, NM
Chama River Road Cliffs and Windmill.
Chama River Road, NM
Arroyo Hondo Cottonwood Red Willows
Arroyo Hondo, NM
Arroyo Seco Puddle Relections
Bighorn Sheep, NM
Bighorn Sheep, NM
Bighorn Sheep, NM
Bighorn Sheep, NM
Bighorn Sheep, NM
Coyote, Rio Pueblo, NM
Coyote, Rio Pueblo, NM
Great Sand Dunes National Park, CO
Great Sand Dunes NP, CO
Great Sand Dunes National Park, CO
Great Sand Dunes NP, CO
Enchanted Circle Drive, NM
Enchanted Circle Drive, NM
Ghost Ranch, NM
Ghost Ranch, NM
Ghost Ranch, NM
Ghost Ranch, NM
Great Sand Dunes National Park, CO
Great Sand Dunes NP, CO
Monument Valley March, 2022
Monument Valley March, 2022
Sandhill Cranes with Canada Geese, Monte Vista NWR, CO
Monte Vista NWR, CO.
Moonrise, Vallecito Peak.
Moonrise, Vallecito Peak.
Latir Peaks Sunset
Latir Peaks Sunset
Taos Mountain storm
Taos Mountain Storm.
Raven
Raven, CO
Red Barn, snow San Luis Valley, CO
Red Barn, snow San Luis Valley, CO
Rio Chama Abiquiu, NM
Rio Chama Abiquiu, NM
Rio Grande near San Luis, CO
Rio Grande near San Luis, CO
Roadside Puddle Reflections
Roadside Puddle Reflections
Sandhill Cranes, Monte Vista, CO
Sandhill Cranes, Monte Vista, CO
Sandhill Cranes, Monte Vista
Sandhill Cranes, Monte Vista
Sangre de Cristos Moonrise
Sangre de Cristos Moonrise
San Luis Valley, sheep drive
San Luis Valley
Shiprock, March 2017
Shiprock, NM
Spider Rock, Canyon de Chelly, AZ
Spider Rock, Canyon de Chelly, AZ
Sun Star, Chaco Canyon
Sun Star, Chaco Canyon, NM
Sunset Clouds, San Cristobal, NM
Sunset Clouds, San Cristobal, NM
Pueblo Peak, Taos Mountain
Pueblo Peak, Taos Mountain
Taos Mountain Clouds,
Taos Mountain Clouds,
Last Years Cornfield, Taos, NM
Last Years Cornfield, Taos, NM
Ute Mountain, NM
Ute Mountain, NM
Aspens, Tres Ritos, NM
Aspens, Tres Ritos, NM
Zapata Falls Ice Cave, CO
Zapata Falls Ice Cave, CO

Here’s another short PDF I created in March a few years ago, with images from the San Luis Valley.

As always, thanks for looking. Have a great week. G

Exciting, March 2025 Lunar Eclipse. 03-12-2025.

Geraint March 11, 2025 2 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week a glimpse of the upcoming Lunar Eclipse. “The Moon will pass into Earth’s shadow and appear to turn red on the night of March 13 or early in the morning on March 14, depending on the time zone. Here’s what you need to know about the total lunar eclipse.” NASA

I’ve seen all of the lunar eclipses since the first one I photographed in 2008 from the old gas station in Tres Piedras. That picture wound up on the BBC worldwide as it wasn’t visible from many locations or because of cloud cover. A couple of others I have gone out to photograph have been stymied by cloud cover. Below is one lunar eclipse on a crystal clear evening I shot in January 2019.

Lunar eclipse
Lunar eclipse from San Cristobal, January 2019

And closer in. I love how the stars are visible all around.

Lunar eclipse close up
Up Close.

A shot from May 2022.

May 2022
Another year another place.

Here’s more from NASA

I hope you get out there and that the sky is clear where you are.

As always, thanks for looking and all the support and friendship. Have a great week. G

Mountain Clouds, Storm Clearing. 03-05-2025

Geraint March 5, 2025 6 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week, mountain clouds and the clearing storm over the peaks of the Columbine-Hondo Wilderness.

“You do not need to leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and listen. Do not even listen, simply wait, be quiet, still, and solitary. The world will freely offer itself to you to be unmasked, it has no choice, it will roll in ecstasy at your feet.”
Franz Kafka

In the picture below I was looking east out of the kitchen window yesterday morning as the clouds cleared revealing the foothills of the Columbine Hondo Wilderness. The lens hood directly masked the sun and the field of view was so bright that I didn’t see the sundog/rainbow in the shot until I downloaded the image.

Mountain clouds and clearing storm, San Cristobal, NM
Mountain clouds and clearing storm, San Cristobal, NM

I like surprises and I’d barely left the room… ok, I went out to the garden. I had to go further afield for this shot.

Close-up of sundog/rainbow with mountain clouds
Close-up of sundog/rainbow, over the Columbine Hondo Wilderness.

As I panned the camera to the left and in a northeasterly direction the winds became stronger and began whipping up the clouds and fresh snow that fell overnight.

Blowing snow and clouds lifting
Blowing snow and clouds lifting.

A closer crop.

Snow on the peaks
Snow on the peaks.

The sun lighting up the trees on the ridge with the blowing snow created a fiery scene in the close-up shot below.

Winter weather and wind
Winter weather, wind, and light.

And a little bird (Starling) watching with me.

Starling, San Cristobal.
Starling, San Cristobal.

And sunset that evening on my neighbor’s tree and those same mountain peaks.

Sunset from the garden.
Sunset from the garden.

As always, thanks for looking. Have a great week where you are. G