Fine Art Images from the American Southwest

Three Peaks Sunset Crescent Moon

three_peaks_crescent_moon_7493-4692985

Three Peaks Sunset Crescent Moon. Tonight I drove to the turnout to watch the crescent moon set. The orange layer is the fire smoke pollution happening in the area. Above that, the sky is pretty crystal clear and the crescent moon stands out in all it’s glory along with earthshine and a planet. I’m at a loss as to which planet. Any ideas? At this time of year, with predominantly clear skies overhead, living in the high desert is a magical earthly experience. Thanks for looking. G

Three Peaks Sunset Crescent Moon

Sandhill Cranes Sunset In The Marshes

sandhill_cranes_sunset_6020_6021-5655930

Sandhill Cranes sunset in the marshes at the Bosque del Apache. There are so many photo ops one encounters in this magnificent National Wildlife Refuge in the Rio Grande Valley southeast of Socorro, New Mexico. Today I chose this one which pleases me very much. In this case it depicts an evening sunset across the marshes with the silhouettes of the Sandhill Crane settling in for the evening. Thanks for looking. G

Sandhill cranes sunset in the marshes

Great Blue Heron, Bosque del Apache

great_blue_heron_bosque_del_apache_4740_4744-1903020

Great Blue Heron,fishing in the irrigation channels at the Bosque del Apache, San Antonio, NM. I feel like I know this bird personally. Each time we visit the “Bosque” I am sure we are seeing the same bird, in the same location, as on previous visits. Well anyway if it isn’t the same bird, I like to pretend it is. Funny thing though… I feel it knows me! Thanks for looking. G

Great Blue Heron, Bosque del Apache fishing

Juvenile Bald Eagle And Grackle

juvenile_bald_eagle_grackle_5924_5926-4822374

Juvenile Bald Eagle and Grackle. Here we are in the Bosque del Apache, in the middle of December, south of Socorro, NM where the temps are in the fifties, with a chilling wind that makes our fingers hurt, but we are quite content to stand and watch this scene of the young bald and the grackle ignore each other. The grackle minded it’s own business and the eagle paid attention to everything but the grackle such as geese and hawks and cranes. Thanks for looking. G

Juvenile Bald Eagle And Grackle

Catalpa Tree, Santuario de Chimayo, New Mexico

catalpa_tree_pods_9109-9663413

Catalpa tree, Santuario de Chimayo, New Mexico. This is a young catalpa tree at the Santuario in Chimayo. I have always loved catalpa trees. The leaves are shaped like hearts. It is also known as “cigar tree” for it’s cigar-shaped, cylindrical seed pods.

Here is what Wikipedia has to say: It is a relative of the New Mexico Locust (Robinia neomexicana) and other locust varieties also known to be great bee trees. All are in the pea family, so they fix nitrogen and build soils. Catalpa trees have very large leaves and have the potential to be large shade trees.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalpa

Thanks for looking. G

Catalpa Tree, Santuario de Chimayo, New Mexico

Ice Patterns On A Parking Lot Puddle

ice_patterns_9387-3878276

Ice patterns on a parking lot puddle. It appears I don’t have to look far to find natures patterns at their best. Looking down by my feet near the much photographed Saint Francis Church I found this ice formation. Looking up is good, the adobe church structure is magnificent. I’ve made many images of the building at all times of the day and year. On this day I came away with this favorite. Thanks for looking. G

Ice patterns in a puddle

Bus Bench And Wall, Farmington, NM

bench_farmington_nm_square_9608-1124727

Bus bench and wall, Farmington, NM. I know there is a bus service in Farmington and I know there are a number of these benches around with matching trash cans. I didn’t see a bus stop sign here, so I figured the bench was ‘the’ sign. It got my attention and I liked all the linear visuals going on. Thanks for looking. G

Bus bench and building Farmington New Mexico

Another bench under different circumstances. Something we’d like to see a lot more of around here in northern New Mexico very soon!

https://geraintsmith.com/potd/pages/archive/december_07/dec_29_07.html

Cerrito Blanco, Abiquiu, New Mexico

rio_chama_butte_abiquiu_nm_9295_9298-6052739

Cerrito Blanco, Abiquiu, New Mexico. A favorite spot on a photo tour in Georgia O’Keeffe country along the Rio Chama in Abiquiu. One of the stops at the end of the day on a trip there last week. The river was full and reflecting the grey-blue colors of the winter sky as it weaved it’s way past fields and embankments lined with red willow. Thanks for looking. G

Cerrito Blanco, Abiquiu, New Mexico