Fine Art Images from the American Southwest

Out The Window This Week. 01-01-2025

Lucero Peak, El Prado, NM

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week “out the window”, the dining room, kitchen, and car window.

It’s cold outside, and because the view is there, and the indoor warmth kept me from venturing out, I thought, why not post the picture out the window, opportunity?

The first shot is from the kitchen window. When I open the window pane initially, a cold rush of air follows but I’m fast, and boom it’s done. This is our direct view when doing the dishes.

Columbine Hondo Wilderness, Out the window
Columbine Hondo Wilderness, out the kitchen window.

Then there’s the waxing moon rising out of the dining room window. Some months, it rises directly over the peak seen in the previous image. The full moon puts on quite a show from our vantage point in San Cristobal. The upside is that it’s like daylight in the house, so no nightlights are needed. The downside is that sleep can be elusive on such a night when it slaps you in the face shining through the transom windows and skylights.

Waxing moon, San Cristobal
Waxing moon, San Cristobal.

On a drive to town two days ago I had to pull over fast for this shot of Lucero Peak, peaking through the clouds anchored by the cottonwood trees in the meadows, (El Prado). I shot it out the car window. I had time to pull over and wind down the window before it was gone. So fleeting like most things in life. You have to grab the opportunities when they arise.

Lucero Peak, El Prado, NM out the window of the car
Lucero Peak, El Prado, NM

And back home that evening out the dining room window as the sunset on my neighbor’s tree, with the mountains of the Columbine Hondo Wilderness in the clouds.

Out the window, my neighbors tree at sunset
Out the window, my neighbor’s tree at sunset.

Here are the phases of the moon calendar I use. Sometimes I need to refer to it but mostly it’s on my phone occupying space on my screen along with some night sky apps.

As always. Thanks for looking and all the kind words, comments, and compliments. Our family is healthy and warm. I wish the same for all. G

The Low Road To Taos, Dixon, NM. 01-08-2024

Low road to Taos

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week, a scene along the Low Road to Taos was shot last week in the shade of the canyon walls on a warm winter day in New Mexico. If there’s a high road to Taos, there must be a low road.

There is, and it runs along the Rio Grande in the Gorge from Santa Fe to Taos.

Low road to Taos
Currently on the low road to Taos

Here’s a historical photograph taken in the same location.

I made a quick stop in Dixon on a half-day High Road to Taos photo tour, which included a return trip through the Rio Grande Gorge.

Dixon cross/shrine
Roadside cross/shrine, Dixon, NM.

Here’s a picture taken in 2006, the same cross but someone flipped it around in this photo. My goodness time flies. 18 years went by fast.

Driving approximately six miles further north on the low road to Taos we rise out of the canyon and encounter the majestic view of the Rio Grande Gorge.

I shot the view below in the winter of 2014. I have many more images from this iconic location always in a different light.

Rio Grande gorge overlook
Rio Grande Gorge Overlook.

… and in a freshly fallen snow in 2014.

Rio Grande gorge overlook in fresh snow
Rio Grande Gorge in fresh snow.

Lastly, something to warm the heart and soul, is a flashback to an image from Christmas 1985 at the Taos Pueblo Bonfires held on Christmas Eve.

Taos Pueblo xmas eve bonfires
Taos Pueblo Bonfires held on Christmas Eve.

As always. Thank you for looking. To all my friends in southern California, stay safe, our thoughts are with you. And to everyone. Be well. G

Happy New Year, 01-01-2025

Sunset, Happy new year

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. A very Happy New Year from our family to yours.

This week a sunset to see out the old year and a Red-tailed Hawk to usher in the new year.

Sunset, Happy new year
Sunset, to say farewell to the old year.

… and a Red-tailed Hawk to herald the new year, albeit a little bedraggled and battered but still with enough life left to do the things necessary to live life and do what hawks do.

Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk

As always thank you for looking. Happy New Year. I appreciate all the support, kindness, comments, and compliments over the past year and beyond. G

The Red-tailed Hawk is one of my animal totems, and I am uplifted every time one appears. What is your animal totem? Please leave a comment if so inclined.

Below is a poem by the Poet Laureate, Ted Hughes, a favorite of mine.

I sit in the top of the wood, my eyes closed.
Inaction, no falsifying dream
Between my hooked head and hooked feet:
Or in sleep rehearse perfect kills and eat.

The convenience of the high trees!
The air’s buoyancy and the sun’s ray
Are of advantage to me;
And the earth’s face upward for my inspection.

My feet are locked upon the rough bark.
It took the whole of Creation
To produce my foot, my each feather:
Now I hold Creation in my foot

Or fly up, and revolve it all slowly –
I kill where I please because it is all mine.
There is no sophistry in my body:
My manners are tearing off heads –

The allotment of death.
For the one path of my flight is direct
Through the bones of the living.
No arguments assert my right:

The sun is behind me.
Nothing has changed since I began.
My eye has permitted no change.
I am going to keep things like this.

 — Ted Hughes

Taos Pueblo, Las Trampas, Mountains. 12-25-2024

Taos Pueblo winter

Greetings from San Cristobal, New Mexico. This week, three scenes: one each from Taos Pueblo, Las Trampas Church, and the wintery peaks of Truchas and the Pecos Wilderness.

I shot this image of Taos Pueblo many years ago. I think it was shot on Kodachrome 64 and scanned. I like it for the feeling and remember how cold it was when I look at it now.

Taos Pueblo winter
Taos Pueblo in winter finery and drifting snow.

Christmas on the High Road at La Iglesia de San José de Gracia de Las Trampas with a nearly, not quite full moon rising.

La iglesia de San José de Gracia de Las Trampas
Moonrise at the La iglesia de San José de Gracia de Las Trampas.

And lastly, the snow-covered Truchas Peaks. A view from south of Taos on an evening hike many moons ago.

Truchas Peaks
Truchas Peaks.

As always, Thank you for looking. I hope everyone has a good holiday season. Thank you for your constant and continued support, and I’ll see you next year. G

El Salto, The Rocks. 12-18-2024

Mountain Light, El Prado

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week, the El Salto rocks are a familiar view for those familiar with Taos and El Prado (the meadows), where most, if not all, of these shots were taken.

This is another location I’ve photographed many times in different weather and seasons. You could call it my version of Monet’s “Haystacks.” I’ve done a similar series on the Arroyo Hondo Cottonwood and Willows. I hope you enjoy this view of El Salto (the Jump or Leap).

Mountain Light, El Prado
Mountain Light, El Prado.
El Salto rocks Taos NM
El Salto rocks Taos NM
Mountain light
Mountain light.
Mountain light
Mountain light with first snow.
Sangre de Cristos
Sangre de Cristos, the blood red light.
Mountain Light, El Prado
Mountain Light, and cattle, El Prado, NM
Mountain Light and clouds, El Prado
Mountain Light and clouds, El Prado.
Through the meadows to the mountains
Through the meadows to the mountains.
The Rocks
The Rocks and Snow.
The Rocks
The Rocks.
Rain falling
Summer storm on the mountains.
Winter sunset light
Winter sunset on the rocks.
El Prado
Across the meadows (El Prado).

I scanned this last image from a Kodakchrome 64 slide from one of my trips here in the 1980″s

Last light on the mountains
Last light on the mountains.

I hope you enjoyed the visit. If you’re interested in reading the article for which the Rio Chama image in my post last week was commisioned to illustrate the story, click here.

Have a great week and happy holidays. G

Something Warm, Old, And Cold. 12-11-2024

Warm light on a cold morning, Bosque bel Apache NWR

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week something warm, old, and cold. It’s as simple as that. I apologize for a short post this week. I’ve been busy shipping and delivering copies of my books, including archival paper prints, large archival canvas prints, and stock images. I still have a few signed copies of my book from this latest shipment, that can reach you by the holidays if ordered this week. They are also available from the Museum of New Mexico Press.

Something warm… although it was a cold morning when I made this image in the Bosque del Apache NWR.

Warm light on a cold morning, Bosque del Apache NWR, New Mexico.
Warm light on a cold morning, Bosque del Apache NWR, New Mexico.

Something old … not quite dead. The photo was taken of one of Pami’s floral arrangements shot a couple of years ago. I added the aged photo technique using a phone app and Photoshop.

sunflower in the throes of decay
Sunflower in the throes of decay.

Something cold … and also old … is one of the first pictures I shot on my first DSLR in March 2004, a Canon Rebel, 6 Mega-Pixel, prior to that I was still scanning 35mm slide film and black and white negatives and shooting digital on a 3.3 Mega-Pixel Nikon Coolpix.

El Prado snow fields
El Prado snow fields and horses.

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

Rio Chama, Orilla Verde. 12-04-2024

Rio Chama NM

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week, the Rio Chama and the Orilla Verde in the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument.

Sometimes I come across a photo I’d forgotten about but the moment I see it I instantly recall every detail, the environment surrounding me, the feeling and gratification of the moment. It also took me back remembering the many trips I’ve made to this area.

The picture was recently acquired to illustrate an “Outstanding National Resource Water (ONRW)“. I hope you like it, and can feel the moment?

Rio Chama NM
Rio Chama NM.

While looking for the above photo of the Rio Chama, I came across the following images in a sub-folder, all shot in the Orilla Verde Recreation Area of the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument.

Bald eagle, Ponderosa tree orilla verde
Bald eagle in a ponderosa pine tree.
close up of Bald eagle, Ponderosa tree orilla verde
Close up.

The squirrel was tempting providence …

Squirrel in the Orilla Verde NM
Squirrel in the Orilla Verde.

And the hunter …

Red -tailed Hawk lifting off in the Orilla Verde NM
Red – tailed Hawk lifting off in the Orilla Verde NM.

More occupants of the canyon …

Bighorn sheep, Orilla Verde, NM
Bighorn sheep navigating the canyon rocks.

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

Snow Geese, And Two Turkeys. 11-27-2024

Snow geese, Bosque del Apache, NWR, New Mexico

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week a bunch of snow geese and a couple of turkeys shot in the Bosque del Apache around this time of year almost twenty years ago.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Snow geese, Bosque del Apache, NWR, New Mexico
Snow geese, Bosque del Apache, NWR, New Mexico

Formation flying is a thing.

Formation flying, Bosque del Apache, NWR, New Mexico
Formation.
Formation flying
Formation flying.

And stealth formation at the Bosque del Apache NWR, NM

Formation flying, stealth
Formation flying, stealth mode.

Two wild turkeys, and if you’d like to see more birds check out this post from last year.

Wild Turkeys
Wild Turkeys.

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

Leaves, Lots Of Them. 11-20-2024

Pond Leaves

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week, Leaves. There are so many. They make for fun photo opportunities and good earth.

Pond Leaves
Leaves floating on a pond.
Forest with raindrops
In the forest.
Garden San Cristobal
In the garden, San Cristobal.
Aspen Leaves
In the Aspen Grove.
Snow fall on maple
Snow on ornate maple.
Ice pond
Cottonwood on ice.

and on water in the rain.

Lastly a composite image, between seasons on Upper Ranchitos Road in Taos.

Mirror Image,Upper Ranchitos road
Between Seasons or when Seasons Collide.

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

Winter Weather, Snow, Book Covers. 11-13-24

Ranchos de Taos winter pond

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week, some scenes of winter weather, two new book covers, and snow. It’s been a cold week, but it’s warming up again. The heaters are cleaned and running, and the sun is shining. I hope it’s beautiful where you are.

Winter weather, Ranchos de Taos  pond
Winter weather, Ranchos Valley.

Last week we took a drive during the snowfall here. Little did we know that the 12 to 15 inches we received in San Cristobal amounted to about an inch in downtown Taos as you can see from the image of the little chapel on La Loma Plaza in Taos. We have been fortunate to get hit by lots of moisture this year in our village north of Taos.

Snow, La Loma Plaza Chapel Taos
Snow, La Loma Plaza Chapel Taos.

St Clare’s statue was huddled under a cloak of snow before it slid off.

Saint Clare, Saint Francis church, Ranchos de Taos
Saint Clare’s statue at the Saint Francis church, Ranchos de Taos.

Sunflower seed pods wearing snow cap crowns.

Sunflower pods in winter weather
Sunflower seed pods.

The following are two of my images used on the covers of recently published books. I’m honored to share these publications with you.

Ranchitos road Taos, mirror image
Ranchitos Road, Taos, mirror image.

Lise Goett’s book of poetry, “The Radiant”

Lisa Goett's book cover "The Radiant"
Lise Goett’s book cover “The Radiant”

The second cover is from J.M. Mitchell’s Novel “Migrations of Butterflies and Lies”, Check it out here on Amazon

Ghost Ranch NM
J.M. Mitchell’s Novel “Migrations of Butterflies and Lies”

And the cover…

J.M. Mitchell's book cover Migrations of Butterflies and Lies
Book Cover.

You can also purchase a copy of J.M. Mitchell’s book “Migrations of Butterflies and Lies.” at Barnes and Noble.

If you are writing a book and would like to use an image of mine on the cover or inside, please get in touch. All proceeds go to a local Taos non-profit for kids.

And finally an autumn leaf on a winter pond.

Leaf floating on a pond
Leaf floating on a pond.

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