Fine Art Images from the American Southwest

San Antonio Mountain Corral

san_antonio_mountain_corral_a7r_8577_8579-7661171

San Antonio Mountain, corral. We stopped at the old corral, buried in the drifting snow and slab ice along highway 285 in northern New Mexico. San Antonio (Bear Mountain) mountain is reputed to be the largest free standing mountain in the 48 states. Free standing, not part of any mountain chain. An extinct volcano, it rises prominently in the Taos Volcanic plateau field. From this location we can see many of the old volcanos scattered across the plateau. It was 13 degrees with a wind chill. Still, the sun was warm on our faces. Thanks for looking. Stay warm. G

San Antonio Mountain Corral

Stretch Gate, Colorado

stretch_gate_manassa_colorado_a7r_8684-5022932

Stretch gate, Manassa, Colorado. The barbed wire divided the sky into random shapes. This scene is on the highway just outside the hometown of boxer, Jack Dempsey. Jack grew up in a cabin in the town of Manassa. I was down on the ground in the snow covered field, making images of the golden barley stubble when I saw an opportunity to add another image to my rural stretch gate series. Shapes and negative spaces are the main attraction and these gates are infinitely unique.  Thanks for looking. G

Stretch Gate, Manassa, Colorado

Rough-Legged Hawk, Monte Vista Wild Life Refuge

rough_legged_hawk_san_luis_valley_9999-7996688

Rough-legged Hawk, yesterday at the Monte Vista Wild Life Refuge, southern Colorado. Was it ever cold yesterday. It didn’t seem to bother this raptor. Apparently it was also unperturbed by us. The bird sat on this post long after we left. It was a battle of wits. Once it lifted off and alighted on the next power pole, stretched it’s wings, settled back in, rotating it’s head, ignoring us just a few feet below in the snow. Thoroughly bored with us. We felt the vibe. Yesterdays count was a Golden Eagle, a Bald Eagle, and Swainson’s Hawk, a Northern Harrier, a Red-tailed Hawk, two of these Rough-legged Hawk beauties and a Coyote. Later on the drive home a large flock of Canada Geese, heading south, wheeled over the highway and head east towards the mountains. Despite the cold it was a gorgeous sunny day. I love my job. Join me on a winter photo tour! As always thanks for looking. G

Rough-Legged Hawk, Monte Vista Wild Life Refuge

Catholic Church, San Luis, Colorado, Built 1886

san_luis_church_9410-4681934

Catholic Church in the oldest town of San Luis, Colorado. The church has a date of 1886. Compared to a European time frame, not that old. There are folks here in the valley who know, in recent history, their descendent’s that built this church. There’s something about the history of the west that draws me more and more to this place. Thanks for looking. G

Church, San Luis, Colorado, 1886

Classic Auto, Fort Garland Colorado

fort_garland_classic_auto_a7r_7284-9753529

Classic Auto, Highway 160, Fort Garland, Colorado. Ok … my good friend makes a best assessment, a 1939 something. I’ve looked online for some ideas alas, to no avail, so I’m open to any and all suggestions. I made this shot from the highway as I drove past so didn’t stop to ask. I thought it would be an easy task to find out through the internet. I’ll be there again next week should there still be a question. Thanks for looking. G

Classic Auto, Fort Garland Colorado

Cottonwood Shadows, Taos Mountain

taos_mountain_shadows_9786_9788-5097160

Cottonwood shadows, Taos Mountain, from El Prado, NM. Another stop on the way home from the grocery store in Taos. These fields, whether winter, spring, summer, or fall, isolate and enhance our beautiful Taos Mountain. Taking time out to watch the shadows lengthen and reach out towards the mountains, draw me closer to the source of energy we sense in the valley. Thanks for looking. G

Shadows With Taos Mountain

Super Wolf Moon Eclipse, San Cristobal

luna_eclipse_san_cristobal_a7r_8453-7413673

Super Wolf Moon eclipse, in the crystal clear skies San Cristobal, New Mexico yesterday evening. The event of the year so far. I used this opportunity to check out the new sony lens on the night sky. I spent the whole evening out under the stars observing and photographing eclipse. When totality happened the stars became ever so present. It was stunning. I hope everyone was able to see this event. Thanks for looking. G

Super Wolf Moon Eclipse, San Cristobal