Fine Art Images from the American Southwest

Category: Photo of the Day

Nesting, Swainson’s Hawk, San Luis Valley

Nesting, Swainson’s Hawk, in the San Luis Valley, southern Colorado, from a few years ago now. I still head to this location but the nest and the tree are long gone. It feels much more remote than it used to without this tree. This was the only time I saw a hawk nesting here. I know that raptors abandon nests for the parasites to die off, only to return to it in another season. So it was wonderful when my friend Mark Collins and I spotted it occupied by this Swainson’s Hawk after a number of years. Stay safe and well in your nest. Thanks for looking. G

Nesting, Swainson's Hawk, San Luis Valley

Horses, Together, Apart, New Mexico

Horses, together, apart, at the Colorado state line in northern New Mexico. This has nothing to do with the social distancing that we’ve become so abruptly used to. This old pony with the dreadlocks stank to high heaven. His fellow companions in the pasture seemed to be aware of it too. Space is a beautiful thing. Thanks for looking. G

Horses, apart, together, New Mexico

Tree, Rio Grande Del Norte National Monument

Tree in the Rio Grande Del Norte National Monument an area within the Taos Plateau volcanic field. It is an exceptional area and perfect right now if you want to roam alone. From here you can see a hundred miles north to the snow capped peaks of the Rocky mountains in Colorado. If you prefer solitude to crowds this is the place to be. As you may have gathered distancing here is easy. Check out this link for more info on this area. Thanks for looking. G

Tree, Rio Grande Del Norte National Monument

Sunset Cloud, Taos Mountain

Sunset cloud, Taos Mountain. So, here’s the image that followed yesterday’s picture, ending that day. Had I thought about it I could have added them sequentially. But… I was diving in too deep when I should have been paddling around the edge of the pool. It’s a subtle image, I know, that is what I like about our mountain, it has many personas determined by the light, and as you know, we have the light here in New Mexico. Stay well, and I’ll see you tomorrow from somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Thanks for looking. G

Sunset Cloud, Taos Mountain

Taos Mountain, Sunset, Trees

Taos Mountain sunset, through the trees in El Prado, NM. Well.. it’s fun digging further into the archives only to find an image taken shortly after the image I just posted on April 10, two days ago. Stay tuned and I’ll post the final image from that evening shoot tomorrow. Thanks for looking. G

Taos Mountain, Sunset, Trees

Feather, Casa Rinconada, Chaco Canyon

Feather, Casa Rinconada, Chaco Canyon. When I caught sight of the feather it was tumbling along through the sage and other sundry brush around the great kiva at Casa Rinconada. In a lull in the wind, it settled on a sage bush. I picked it up and held it so the sun back lighted it. I made a few images, as it continued to flutter in the breeze, before casting it back in the air and the will of the wind. Thanks for looking. G

Feather, Casa Rinconada, Chaco Canyon.

Spring, Taos Mountain Light

Spring, Taos Mountain light, from the archives this month a few years ago. I’m taking this distancing seriously. I figured that this is enough distance to get in the whole mountain, plus a few extraneous snow capped peaks. I also don’t have to be physically out there! Thanks for looking. Stay well. G

Spring, Taos Mountain light

Cave View, New Mexico Back Country

Yesterday, Pami, myself and friends, Chris and Carla, made a trip to beyond, the back of beyond. We have future plans for more trips back, to the back of beyond. Much of the trip was spent driving Arroyo del Cobre, north of Abiquiu, NM. The arroyo narrowed considerably, until, what can marginally be called a road clambered out of it to a bench. After more sandy driving and choking dust we arrived at an artesian spring in a boggy meadow. Later, we visited an ancient petrified river bed and this shady ledge with a cave, probably dug many years ago by a prospector. There are camps and hunting grounds of indigenous peoples, strewn with artifacts, in this land of red rocks. These days, hundreds of bonsai junipers and tranquility abide. Chris said “we are geological time travelers”.  Thanks, Chris and Carla for being our guides. Thanks everyone for looking. G

Cave view, New Mexico back country

 

New Mexico True, back country

 

Artesian Spring

 

Petrified river bed

 

Petrified river bed

 

Bonsai Juniper

 

Raven, Approaching Storm, Taos Plateau

Raven, approaching storm, Taos Plateau. Busting out of here! Stopped to get a shot of the storm clouds building across the plateau when this raven blasted through the scene. Thanks for looking. G

Raven, Approaching Storm, Taos Plateau

Mountain Moon Rise, Vallecito Peak

Mountain moon rise, Vallecito Peak, and another view from last nights moon when it rose over the snow covered Sangre de Cristos. I’m familiar with this view and if you’ve followed my work you will probably recognize it too. Last night was more subtle than it sometimes is, but while we’re in this lock down situation I’ll take it. I don’t have to go very far for inspiration either, just a couple of miles down the road. Thanks for looking. G

Mountain moon rise, Vallecito Peak