Fine Art Images from the American Southwest

San Luis Valley, Horses, Birds, Sunset, 01-04-2023

Greetings from San Cristobal. I had a lovely time shooting in the San Luis Valley, Colorado, which always makes me smile, followed by some random images around the area this holiday season. You may recognize this scene. I visit it often on photo tours and workshops in southern Colorado.

Blanca peak and wild horses san luis valley, Colorado
Blanca Peak with wild horses in the San Luis Valley, Colorado.

Wild Horses, San Luis Valley
Wild Horses and crows.

Corraled by the creek, and then the escape. I opened the car door to get out, and the horses, surprised, jumped the fence. I missed that! The payoff came in the following two images.

Wild Horses running through fields in Colorado
Wild horses running through fields in Colorado.

Wild Horses running, San Luis Valley
Wild horses, southern Colorado.

One mild morning last week, my son Dylan and I walked through the Fred Baca Park Wetlands and Rio Fernando Park. There wasn’t a lot going on, which was very nice. I did take a camera and caught a shot of a Townsend’s Solitaire being solitary in a bare tree. A peaceful walk surrounded the muted colors of winter.

Townsend's Solitaire, Fred Baca Park Wetlands, Taos
Townsend Solitaire, Fred Baca Park Wetlands, Taos.

One afternoon a Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay and Northern Flicker, settled in our old cottonwood tree in San Cristobal.

Northern Flicker, and Western Scrub Jay San Cristobal
Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay and Northern Flicker.

Seeing out the New Year, we were watching a sunset cloud from the deck.

Sunset Cloud San Cristobal
Sunset Cloud over Taos Mountain, from San Cristobal.

Lastly, a flashback to Spring 1987, on a trip I made with four friends, Martin, Frank, Ken, and Dave. Frank and I got set up each morning and evening at our primitive campsite to capture the sunrise, or in this instance, waiting on the sunset. I took this shot of our two Rollei’s, Franks Deerdorf, and my Nikon F3.

Monument Valley cameras
Cameras set up at the Mittens, Monument Valley.

As always, Thank you for looking. Happy New Year. G

16 thoughts on “San Luis Valley, Horses, Birds, Sunset, 01-04-2023”

    • Thank you, Peter. It’s getting up to 40° tomorrow. I’ll be back up in the San Luis Valley. Leaving early tomorrow morning, and prepared for the cold. Be well. Cheers. G

      Reply
    • Thank you, Jim. One of these days I’ll get sorted and start to organize my color slides and black and white negatives. Cheers! G

      Reply
  1. Thank you always for your evocative photography. I’m not able to spend as much time in this area as I’d like to these days, so I look forward to seeing your photos. 🙏🏼

    Reply
    • Thank you, Denise. I appreciate your compliments very much I’ll keep posting them. I hope they inspire you to visit again. I enjoy your posts on social media. Happy new year. G

      Reply
  2. I’m reading the new Ted Conover book, Cheap Land Colorado, about the San Luis Valley and folks living off the land there. Thanks for the breathtaking images. They help me to better understand the land and people I’m reading about.

    Reply
  3. Morning, Geraint;

    Thanks for that taste of NM/Colo light, and a reminder of the days of film and chrome tripods!

    Cheers – Gary

    Reply
    • Thanks so much, Gary I still have that same tripod. It’s solid and works great. I did buy the same model at a yard sale for a few $’s and traded parts on mine. Cheers, Gary. G

      Reply

Leave a Comment