Category: Photo of the Week

New Mexico, First Impressions. 01-28-2025

Geraint January 28, 2026 1 Comment

Greetings from New Mexico. This week, I’m continuing with images from my New Mexico, First Impressions series.

I hope you enjoy traveling back in time with me. While some things have changed, dirt roads have been paved, some buildings have been replaced with box stores, and open fields and wetlands have given way to neighborhood apartment blocks—many iconic locations remain. For that, I am grateful.

San Lorenzo Mission Church, Picuris. This original structure was replicated in the early 1990‘s.

San Lorenzo, Picuris Pueblo, New Mexico. — San Lorenzo Mission Church, Picuris.

Abiquiu Morada, Thanksgiving, 1984.

Abiquiu Morada, late summer, 1985.

Chile ristras, Chimayo, NM

A chile ristra is a string (or braid) of whole chile pods—traditionally New Mexico red chiles—tied together and hung up to dry. You’ll see them draped over doorways, portals, porch beams, or kitchen walls all across New Mexico. They’re food, folk art, and regional identity all rolled into one.

Koshare doll/artwork/sculpture in the window of a Santa Fe Art Gallery, 1984.

Koshare doll in a Santa Fe Art Gallery — Koshare doll.

Taos Pueblo snowfall, thanksgiving, 1984.

San Geronimo Church, Taos Pueblo, 1985

Taos Pueblo blowing snow, 1987

And one this week taken from the kitchen window. I love the view we have and feel very fortunate.

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

Galisteo, NM, Flashback, 1986. 01-21-2026

Geraint January 21, 2026 1 Comment

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week, a flashback to the village of Galisteo shot on 4×5 film, 1986, the Rio Grande Gorge, and a quick cellphone shot of the northern lights from our village.

House and fence shot on 4×5 film, Galisteo, NM 1986.

Gateway, with bell, Galisteo, 1986.

Taos mountains and gorge rocks — Taos Mountains and Rio Grande Gorge rocks.

Taos mountain from the Rio Grande Gorge — Taos Pueblo Mountain from the Rio Grande Gorge.

The northern lights and the little chapel from our village of San Cristobal. Not as impressive a display as previous auroras, but I liked the way the ambient light illuminated La Capella, setting off against the sky.

Over the next few week’s I’ll be posting more scanned images from approximately 40 years ago, taken on multiple trips to the Land of Enchantment during the 1980s, that I call “New Mexico, First Impressions“.

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

Pueblo Peak, Buddha, Flicker, Moon. 01-14-2026.

Geraint January 14, 2026 2 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week’s photos include Taos Mountain (Pueblo Peak), before the foot of snow, Buddha in the garden after the snow, a northern Flicker in the old cottonwood, and a crescent moon.

I hope everyone had a good week. We enjoyed a weekend of snow. Now it’s back to sunny days and walks with the dogs in the snowy woods.

Our Buddha statue is always the first to melt the snow and ice in its little corner in the garden.

Garden buddha — Buddha in the garden, San Cristobal.

Here’s our other statue, one of my popular images in my print gallery.

A northern flicker was busy burying seeds and whatever it had in the cottonwood tree. When I pulled into the driveway a couple of days later, my eyes witnessed an opportunistic magpie harvesting its stashes.

Waiting until the crescent moon showed up. What a nice surprise!

Crescent Moon, Clouds — Crescent Moon, through an opening in the clouds.

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

Wolf Moon Rising, 01-07-2026

Geraint January 7, 2026 No Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. Happy New Year! The first pictures of the new year, the first full moon of the year, the Wolf Moon, which is also known as “Canada Goose Moon”, “Greetings Moon”, and a favorite of mine, “Frost Exploding Moon”.

This year, I shot the moon rising from our driveway in order to avoid the big juniper trees on the property. It was a magnificent sight to behold.

When it first appeared behind the Sangre de Cristo foothills.

Wolf moon rising over the foothills — Rising over the foothills

The sunlight on the clouds disappeared fast.

Moon rise SC — Moonrise over the foothills, San Cristobal.

Here’s a post of the wolf moon rising and setting in January 2021 on a photo shoot with my friend John W.

The Super-Wolf Moon eclipse, in the crystal clear skies, San Cristobal, New Mexico, in 2019.

And a favorite photo of mine from 2022.

sangre de cristos — Over the Rocky Mountains.

Here’s more on the moons and their names throughout the year.

I hope you saw it from where you are.

If you’re interested in joining me on a photo adventure this year, I’m booking dates now through the end of the year and beyond.

As always, thanks for looking. It’s a great pleasure for me to share my work with you, and I’m honored to have you join me.

So Many Questions? 12-31-2025.

Geraint December 31, 2025 10 Comments

Happy New Year from Taos, NM. So many questions? I’m still waiting for the answers. Maybe next week there will be an answer. The random chair was a bonus with the ever-changing billboard, Taos, New Mexico.

And just around the corner, a random couch for free.

Ranch hands west of the gorge, Taos.

This picture, taken last week, evokes memories of my first time traveling on the High Road to Taos in 1984.

Las Trampas church on the High Road to Taos — Las Trampas Church on the High Road to Taos.

Also on the High Road to Taos, the church in Llano San Juan. I’ve been wanting to catch an image like this one! Three sunstars. I first caught one star burst, then two, and, waiting for the sun to rise ever so slightly, caught the third. The trinity. Here’s a photograph of the same church by FSA photographer Russell Lee.

As always, thanks for looking. Thank you for another good year. Have a happy New Year. G

Happy Holidays. 12-24-2025

Geraint December 24, 2025 6 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. May our days be filled with happiness, love, and laughter as we celebrate with family and friends. Happy Holidays!

Thank you for a great year. Thanks for joining me here, for your support and friendship, and for joining me on one of my photo tour workshops. I hope everyone has a wonderful time. See you next week. G

Cormorants, Mountains, Wild Horse, Bisti. 12-17-2025.

Geraint December 17, 2025 4 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week, cormorants roosting along the Rio Chama near Abiquiu, Taos Mountain, a favorite wild horse photo, and the Bisti Badlands near Chaco Canyon.

Twelve years ago, I created the piece below titled “Leaving the Roost.” Unfortunately, the original piece disappeared, so I spent an hour locating the original individual shots to recreate it. The piece measures 80″x80″ and is now ready to be sent to the printer. I particularly enjoy the ‘wild’ panorama stitching that follows the shape of the old cottonwood and how many cormorants utilize this tree. This one is for you, Larry H.

Cormorants Roosting, Rio Chama, Abiquiu, NM — Cormorants leaving the roost along the Rio Chama, Abiquiu, NM

Clearing storm, on the mountain.

Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness near Chaco Canyon. Over the years, I’ve spent many months camping in this area. I think my first camping trip here was in 1989, when it was a wilderness study area. Here’s a petrified tree stump. Click on the photo to enlarge.

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

Let me know if you want to go to the Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness.

Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness is a designated wilderness area located in northwestern New Mexico, known for its unique and otherworldly landscape. This area is part of the larger San Juan Basin and is characterized by its striking badlands, which feature a variety of unusual geological formations.

Here are some key features of the Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness:

Hoodoos and Rock Formations: The wilderness is famous for its hoodoos—tall, thin spires of rock that protrude from the bottom of arid basins. These formations are created through the erosion of softer sedimentary rocks, leaving behind the harder rock formations.
Fossils: The area is rich in fossils, particularly from the Late Cretaceous period. Visitors can find petrified wood and fossils of ancient plants and animals, offering a glimpse into the region’s prehistoric past.
Colorful Landscape: The badlands are known for their vibrant colors, with layers of sedimentary rock displaying shades of red, orange, yellow, and gray. This colorful landscape is especially striking during sunrise and sunset.
Remote and Undeveloped: As a designated wilderness area, Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah is largely undeveloped and offers a sense of solitude and tranquility. There are no established trails or facilities, making it a destination for those seeking a more rugged and natural experience.
Photography and Exploration: The unique geological features and dramatic landscapes make Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah a popular destination for photographers and outdoor enthusiasts. The area provides ample opportunities for exploration and discovery.

Visitors to Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness should be prepared for a remote and challenging environment. It’s important to bring sufficient water, navigation tools, and be mindful of Leave No Trace principles to preserve the area’s natural beauty.

Stunning Lenticular Clouds. 12-10-2025.

Geraint December 10, 2025 10 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week, lenticular clouds, and this seems to be the season. Although these clouds can appear throughout the year, they are particularly abundant right now. Their stunning, lens-like shapes add a touch of magic to the already breathtaking landscape, making this time of year truly special.

Enjoy! And click on the image to enlarge.

Lenticular clouds San Cristobal — From our deck in San Cristobal.

San Cristobal — Moments before the following photo.

Lenticular clouds — From the deck in San Cristobal.

Click on the image below for a full panorama of the total event. I was driving home from Santa Fe when this happened. I believe it was visible across the entire state.

Taos Pueblo Peak lenticular clouds. — Taos Pueblo Peak, from the deck.

Taos mountains moonrise — Mountain Moonrise.

Lenticular clouds with Kelvin-Helmholtz clouds that look like ocean waves are forming.

Kelvin-Helmholtz clouds look like ocean waves — From the garden wall to the Jemez Mountains.

Lenticular clouds are lens-shaped clouds that typically form at high altitudes, often in perpendicular alignment to the wind direction. They are scientifically known as “altocumulus lenticularis” and are most commonly found in mountainous regions. These clouds form when stable, moist air flows over a mountain or a range of mountains, creating a series of oscillating waves. If the temperature at the crest of these waves drops to the dew point, moisture in the air condenses to form clouds.

Lenticular clouds are known for their distinctive, smooth, and often saucer-like appearance, which can sometimes be mistaken for UFOs. They are stationary, meaning they don’t move with the wind like other clouds, but instead remain fixed in position while the air flows through them.

These clouds can indicate turbulence for aircraft, as the wave patterns that create them can also produce strong updrafts and downdrafts. Despite this, they are often admired for their striking and unusual appearance, making them a popular subject for photographers and cloud enthusiasts.

Click here for more on these clouds from Earthsky.

Looking north from the New Mexico/Colorado state line.

As always, thanks for looking and all the comments, compliments, and emails. Have a great week. G

Mountain Clouds, Snow, Moon. 12-03-2025

Geraint December 3, 2025 6 Comments

Greetings from New Mexico! This week, early morning mountain clouds and snow on the peaks, accompanied by a moonrise. I’m eagerly anticipating an almost full moonrise tonight, followed by a full moonrise tomorrow. It should be spectacular against the backdrop of snow-covered peaks. However, more snow is forecast, and the skies might be overcast. We’ll see how it turns out!

Watching the weather morph over the peaks.

Mountain Clouds over the sangre de cristo foothills — Out of the dining room window.

Mountain clouds over the sangre de cristo mountains — Island in the clouds.

Vallecito mountain moonrise — Vallecito Mountain.

Vallecito Peak is always a favorite backdrop for a moonrise. Here’s a different day and a close-up from that same day.

Below is from five years ago, when we had a great amount of snow.

Vallecito Mountain Snow, Taos New Mexico — Mountain Snow on Vallecito Peak.

Here’s my new postcard promo piece for Photo Tour/Workshops. Gift certificates are available.

I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving. Have a great week. G

Mountain Light And Snow. 11-26-2025

Geraint November 26, 2025 4 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week, mountain light and snow on the peaks.

It didn’t take much to draw me outside this last weekend. Below are a few images from our neighborhood, taken just a few miles from our home. The peaks of the Columbine Hondo Wilderness glowed beautifully in the waning light. Click on an image to view the full panoramic version.

I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving and a great week.

Last Light Columbine Hondo Wilderness NM — Last light on the Columbine Hondo Wilderness, NM.

Happy Thanksgiving. My annual greeting picture, taken one Thanksgiving week a few years ago in the Bosque del Apache NWR, New Mexico.

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