Search Results for: high road – Page 6

Cottonwood Colors. Random Black and Whites. 10-25-2023.

Geraint October 24, 2023 18 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal. This week, my favorite cottonwood tree in all the state, and random black and whites on the road in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado.

I think the colors on this cottonwood peaked this morning. I never tire of seeing it whenever I commute to or from Taos, in all seasons.

Cottonwood tree, Arroyo Hondo, NM — Arroyo Hondo, NM.

It’s that time of year when shadows return and traverse the adobe walls of the Saint Francis Church in Ranchos de Taos.

Shadows at Saint Francis Church, Ranchos de Taos.

And again in an alleyway in Dixon, NM.

Alleyway and shadows, Dixon, NM — Alleyway and Shadows, Dixon, NM.

Simplicity in the shadows, San Jose de Gracia, de Las Trampas, on the High Road to Taos.

The light and the darkness.

The church of San Jose de Gracia in Las Trampas is one of my favorite stops on the High Road to Taos. I’ve made many trips there over the years. Last week I watched a number tourists pull over, wind down their windows and take a glance or a quick cellphone photo and immediately drive off. Sometimes I wonder what it’s like being a tourist snap-glancing their way around the planet?

Las Trampas church, on the high road to Taos — Adobe, Las Trampas Church, on the High Road to Taos.

In the following image I cut out any distractions. Unlike this image where the moon completed the shot.

A few days ago I was on the road in another favorite location, on the state line in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado.

Click on the image to expand.

Abandoned homestead, Colorado. — Abandoned homestead and potatoe bunker, Colorado.

As always thank you for looking and all the comments and compliments. G

Sunset Clouds, Moon Set, Bighorn Sheep, 05-10-2023.

Geraint May 10, 2023 17 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal. This week some images from northern New Mexico, Scotland, and England.

I shot the dramatic image of sunset clouds from a friend’s land near the village of Tres Piedras, just off US Highway 64, the other mother road. I took the moonset out of the bedroom window. I shot it ten years ago, but this is how it looked when the full moon set last Saturday morning. We have spectacular views where we live across the volcanic plateau to the west. The clouds at sunset appear to roll over the landscape and beyond over the mountains.

I threw a virtual dart at one of my hard drives again, and this image of a bighorn sheep ram popped up. I don’t know much about their nature, but, I do know, they own the canyons and rocks.

Bighorn sheep ram, Rio Grande Gorge, NM.

An early morning shot on a photo tour at the iconic Saint Francis Church.

Shadows at the Saint Francis Church, Ranchos de Taos, NM.

I came across this image when scanning slides a couple of weeks ago. I collaborated with a writer in 1989 on a story on the churches on the high road to Taos. The story was not published, but we had a good time, made many images, and learned a lot about the history, people, and culture of northern New Mexico.

Padre José Lopez, Cordova, NM 1989 — Padre José Lopez, Cordova, NM, Kodachrome 1989.

Rock stackers are everywhere. I shot this image in Scotland a few years ago. It doesn’t work for me in wilderness areas. Besides, cairns make less obvious trails on the mountains and moors and are essential to finding one’s way. What you see in this photo, is a place just beyond the road where bus tours and cars stop to admire the view. What do you think?

Stacked rocks, Scotland — Stacked rocks, somewhere in Scotland.

I love that nature will thrive wherever and however, it will. This tenacious tree seems to be doing quite well.

Hillside tree, Yorkshire, England — Hillside Tree, Yorkshire, England.

I’m up and fully mobile again. I’m walking up to 2+ miles a day. Some days less, some days more. Thank you so much to all my friends and family who checked in on me. Immeasurably thanks and gratitude to my lovely wife, Pami, for taking care and putting up with me!

What started with a picture of sunset clouds took me, once again, down the hard drive rabbit hole.

I look forward to seeing you in New Mexico if it’s on your travel plans this year.

As always, thank you for looking. G

Flashback, First Impressions, New Mexico. 04-26-2023

Geraint April 26, 2023 35 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal. This week, a trip down memory lane, a visual flashback of images from my first few trips and early years in New Mexico.

Looking back it’s hard to visualize almost 40 years since I took the first photograph below in November 1984. The images are in no particular order and captioned with the place and year.

Traveling down memory lane has inspired me to start scanning what will ultimately be a few thousand transparencies. All images are scans of Kodachrome 64 slide film. I hope you enjoy the visit.

John Taos Pueblo, Thanksgiving, flashback to 1984 — John greeting visitors to Taos Pueblo, Thanksgiving, 1984

I’ve photographed the church of San José de Gracia in Las Trampas more times than I can count. Below is my very first shot during my first time visiting New Mexico. I have other shots from the trip but I like this one because of the dog sitting casually, minding its own business. Nowadays tourists are the ones getting in my shots.

Las Trampas church dog, 1984 — Las Trampas church dog on the High Road to Taos, 1984

The sign at the Taos Inn is still welcoming visitors to Taos. No more curios that I know of. Some local characters may pass for curios.

I’d appreciate someone letting me know what vehicles these are. I’m pretty certain the car on the right is a Ford. Currently, the Ford and Adobe are still there.

Old cars, and adobe, Galisteo, 1986 — Old Cars, and adobe, Galisteo, 1986

Traveling during August in New Mexico 1985 many small scale purveyors of local havests, their roadside stands festooned with the red and the green chiles were in abundance and a treat to photograph.

I shot the image below shortly after Dennis Hopper finished filming a murder scene in this old adobe building in the movie Backtrack with Jodie Foster. The adobe home was demolished this year.

Saint Francis adobe window, 1988 — Saint Francis through an open adobe window, 1989

Flashback to the Ranchos de Taos Plaza when the Magic Sky Gallery (coral colored building) was open with a boardwalk and planters.

Magic Sky Gallery, Ranchos de Taos, 1988

Flashback, Ranchos Plaza, view through a vintage truck window, 1991 — Ranchos Plaza, view through the window of a vintage truck, 1991

Ranchitos Road adobe artist studio, 1988 — Ranchitos Road adobe, building, and artist studio, 1988

Currently, the Stewart House” formerly a BandB buildings are no longer visible from this location, as many homes now occupy the foreground. Vallecito Peak in the background has become a favorite subject for my work. Change, is the only constant, along with death and taxes.

Stewart House Vallecito Peak 1987 — “Stewart House” Highway 150, with Vallecito Peak 1987

Plenty of snow my first winter in New Mexico. That’s my 1958 Volkswagen Beetle buried there in front of the house.

Talpa, dude ranch compound 1989 — Talpa, dude Ranch compound 1989

Here’s a picture of my friend and artist, Harry Vedoe when we skied from Talpa and way beyond into the hills. Later in the day we had a wonderful run down and soak in the Ponce de Leon hot springs before heading home. In the winter of February 1989, we had a lot of snow. We were able to cross-country ski out the door on many occasions.

Cross country skiing, Talpa, 1989 — Flashback to cross-country skiing, Talpa, 1989

This tree has been featured in my work for many years. After thriving for many years it has finally succumbed to neglect and lack of moisture. It’s still standing, for now.

Lone tree, Taos 1993 — Lone Tree, at the overlook Taos, 1993

Santa Fe 4 sale 1986 — Santa Fe 4 Sale license plate, 1986

Pasquals Santa Fe, 1984 — Pasqual’s Santa Fe, reading the menu, 1984

A drive to Sandia Crest revealed a trail worthy of an afternoon stroll in the fresh snowfall, with views to the west of Albuquerque.

The bison below escaped from the herd at Taos Pueblo. I happened to be driving along and took some shots before it was caught and returned to the Pueblo.

Escaped Bison on US 64, 1994 — An escaped Bison trucking alongside US 64 Taos, 1994

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

And The New Mexico Treasures Calendar Winners Are… 09-07-22

Geraint September 7, 2022 10 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. It’s time to announce the winners of the New Mexico Treasures calendar. Drumroll, please!

New Mexico Treasures 2023 desk top calendar.

There were 116 entries.

Congratulations to the winners of the drawing for the New Mexico Treasures 2023 Calendar, Bob Freudenheim, Mary Alston, Linda Flanagan, and Joe Riter. I will be in touch this weekend to get your mailing addresses or send me a message here on my website with your mailing address through my contact form.

Thank you to everyone who participated. It was fun for me to read all the comments and although there were too many to answer, I read every one!

This coming week I’ll be on photo tours on the High Road to Taos, the Rio Grande Gorge, Abiquiu, the San Luis Valley, and Salida, Colorado.

I’ll have some new images to post next week from the above locations. In the meantime, I’ll be preparing for my two upcoming exhibits.

I’m honored to join the other fine artists in “The Taos Artist Combo II Exhibit and Sale” join us and bring all your friends and family for this special Taos art celebration and gathering at the Stables Gallery at the TCA in Taos from Sept 23-25. A special meet the artist’s reception takes place at the Grand Opening Friday, Sept 23 from 4-7 PM. Artists include Frederick Aragon, Bill Davis, Audrey Davis, Gene Gray, Sara Jean Gray, Celesa Lucien, Rob Nightingale, Margery Reading, George Schaub, Geraint Smith, and Doug Yeager. The gallery is open Friday to Sunday from 11 AM – 5 PM

The Stables Gallery is located at: 133 Paseo del Pueblo Norte Taos, NM 87571

And…

Geraint Smith Exhibit at the Bareiss Galley Taos

… coming up in October! Mark your calendars.

On October 7-31, 2022, I will have a solo exhibition of my Sculpture and Photography, all new work, at the Bareiss Gallery here in Taos

If you get a chance to visit either show or both shows it will be great to see/meet you.

Preparing the exhibit. — Preparing for the exhibit at Bareiss Gallery, Taos.

As always, thank you for looking, your support and friendship, purchases, comments, and compliments.
Geraint.

Shoot it, because it’s there. July 13, 2022

Geraint July 13, 2022 22 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM

Shoot! In the James Bond movie, Skyfall, Naomi Harris who plays Moneypenny, is told by ‘M’ to take the shot. Of course, she hits Bond, and he survives. That’s how it goes in movies. It’s not a bad motto for this photographer as the title suggests, shoot it because it’s there! So here are a few favorites from the ‘shoot it because it’s there’ category.

This truck is parked in Questa just north of Taos. In the color version, the vehicle is yellow. I much prefer the image in black and white.

Truck in Questa, New Mexico — A truck parked in Questa, New Mexico.

Below, I caught some early morning shadows at the Saint Francis Church on the High Road to Taos.

Saint Francis church Ranchos de Taos — A number seven in the shadows at the Saint Francis Church in Ranchos de Taos.

Out for a morning coffee, where even the mundane is worth a shot for me.

Table and chairs, Taos — Cafe table and chairs in Taos.

I shot this image of a line of box springs that created a fence around a property in Elizabethtown on the Enchanted Circle Drive in the mountains of northern NM.

Box spring fence — A fence constructed of box springs in Elizabethtown, NM.

Lunch at an upstairs cafe on the Santa Fe Plaza above the outdoor diners below.

Restaurant awning Santa Fe — A restaurant awning over outside dining in Santa Fe.

Lunch in Dixon, NM. An Umbrella awning at the Dixon Coop Market and Cafe.

On a photo tour to Abiquiu, the Rio Chama, and beyond, we stopped for lunch at the Abiquiu Inn. While waiting for the maître d’ I shot what I saw looking down.

Floor covering, Abiquiu Inn, NM — The floor covering at the Abiquiu Inn, NM.

As always. Thank you for looking. Have a great week. G

A little bit of This and That, this week.

Geraint July 7, 2021 20 Comments

A little bit of this and a little bit of that, from Ranchos de Taos, Taos Ski Valley, Ghost Ranch, Colorado, and the deck in San Cristobal.

I made this image of the ubiquitous blue window and shutters with hollyhocks in Ranchos de Taos. Hollyhocks are in abundance all around Taos this summer including the grounds of the famous St. Francis Church across the street from this scene.

We made a hike to the waterfall and streams coursing through the Taos Ski Valley to check out the wildflowers. Not a very long hike either. This little grouping of columbine comes back every year in the same spot. You can probably find a similar image from a previous year on my website.

Columbine, waterfall, Taos Ski Valley — Columbine with a waterfall in Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico.

We stopped in Ghost Ranch last week and saw that bits and bobs of a movie set were still standing. They’d even moved a dead tree that had fallen down a few years ago elsewhere to the middle of the set. (Thank you Mark Collins for the inspiration). We opened the doors and went inside. The light streaming through the holes made it sort of magical in a way. Thanks to the movie makers also.

Movie set chapel, Ghost Ranch, NM — Movie set chapel window, Ghost Ranch, NM

Last week I spent three days working with a client from New York during his month-long cross-country road trip. One of the days was spent in Abiquiu and the Rio Chama Valley chasing storms, followed by a day in the Rio Grande Gorge and along the High Road to Taos. Our final day was spent crisscrossing the San Luis Valley photographing abandoned farmhouses, barns, and this old bridge.

Lobatos Bridge, Colorado — Lobatos Bridge over the Rio Grande in the San Luis, Colorado.

The week ended back at home with a nice visual from the deck.

Rainbow, San Cristobal, New Mexico — Rainbow over the Sangre de Cristo Mountains San Cristobal, New Mexico

As always, thanks for looking. G

Placita, Rainsville, and a Tree, New Mexico.

Geraint June 2, 2021 10 Comments

Three black and whites from a photo tour this week. In the first image, at Placita on the High Road to Taos, I happened to look up and there was the last quarter moon with the deep shadow from the church roofline running through the scene. The second image was taken at the church of the Sacred Heart in Rainsville, NM. I was drawn to the shapes and patterns of the shadows and light interacting with the white-trimmed window. The third image is east of the church in Rainsville looking toward the plains. We waited for the clouds to roll through with a little rain thrown in for good measure.

Placitas chapel and moon — Placita, Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion chapel and moon, High Road to Taos

Rainsville church New Mexico — Rainsville, Church of the Sacred Heart, New Mexico.

Tree and storm clouds Rainsville, NM — Tree with a backdrop of storm clouds Rainsville, NM.

As always thank you for looking. G

Details, Details, Details

Geraint March 3, 2021 14 Comments

We stopped in to visit that same old truck from last week’s post on a photo tour/workshop this week. I added a couple of images of the other work trucks parked at the same location. My client and I played it safe on this trip traveling in separate vehicles and keeping a safe shooting space between us on the High Road to Taos, the Rio Grande Gorge, and the Sites of Taos tours. Since then I’ve had my first Covid vaccine (yeah!) with my booster scheduled for the end of March. If you feel safe traveling and have had your vaccinations and would like to join me here in New Mexico, I’m booking dates from mid-April through the rest of the year. I believe we can do this safely and enjoyably in my vehicle which hasn’t been possible for the last year. I’ll be happy and look forward to introducing you to some of my favorite locations in this area.

As always thank you for looking.

Geraint

Las Trampas Church Through The Big Doors

Geraint November 27, 2020 6 Comments

Las Trampas Church, the view through the big doors. I’m on the High Road to Taos often on photo tours, that it is hard to pass up another picture opportunity of this beautiful mission church of San Jose de Gracia de Las Trampas. Thanks for looking and all the wonderful comments and support over the years. I’m very grateful. Thank you. Geraint.

Five Day Photography Workshop

Dan Kuehn November 21, 2020 No Comments

wild horse ute mtn view 9542 — Ute Mountain, an extinct volcano in the San Luis Valley

San Luis Valley, northern New Mexico, and southern Colorado

Time will be spent on location in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado, photographing abandoned homesteads, towns, and thriving farming communities. These are enhanced by views of the Rio Grande and the impressive Sangre de Cristo mountain range of the southern Rocky Mountains. We will seek out bald and golden eagles, a wide variety of hawks, great-horned owls, coyotes, wild horses, and elk. In spring and fall, we will have the opportunity to photograph sandhill cranes and geese on their migratory flyway through the San Luis Valley.

las trampas church 9726 2 — San Jose de Gracia de Las Trampas Church

High Road to Taos

Locations include Native and Hispanic villages on the High Road to Taos, Penasco, Las Trampas, and Truchas. Drive home along the High Road to photograph the light in “Milagro Beanfield” country and the valley of Llano de San Juan. Read More

abiquiu photo tour 1008 1009 2 — Abiquiu, New Mexico

Abiquiu and the Rio Chama Valley

We will spend a day in the haunting yet enchanting landscape of Georgia O’Keefe country in Abiquiu, exploring rock and earth formations in and around the Rio Chama Valley. Read More

overland truck 9984 1 — Old trucks, meadows and mountains, Taos NM

Sites of Taos

Spend part of the day photographing the sites of Taos. Old trucks, abandoned long ago, in fields with Taos Mountain as a backdrop. Picturesque villages, tipis, and the occasional rainbow. Acequias, ancient water courses bringing life to the fields and farms in the Taos valley for centuries. At the end of the day capturing the early evening light at the world-famous St Francis Church in Ranchos de Taos, immortalized in paintings by Georgia O’Keefe and the photography of Ansel Adams. Read More

wild rivers 36x18 9952 54 1 — Rio Grande Gorge, Wild Rivers

Rio Grande Gorge and beyond

A short drive from Taos, the Rio Grande winds its way through Orilla Verde National Recreation Area, home to beaver, otter, blue heron, and bighorn sheep. Surrounded by majestic volcanic cliffs and overlooks, on a short hike off the beaten track, we will photograph petroglyphs, riparian habitat, and views of the Rio Grande Canyon. This photo tour is also spectacular in wintertime when the Rio Grande Gorge is at its most peaceful and wildlife more abundant. Read More