Fine Art Images from the American Southwest

Tag: Abiquiu

A little bit of This and That, this week.

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.

Hollyhocks, Ranchos de Taos

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

Movie set chapel, Ghost Ranch, NM
Looking through the window at another window, Ghost Ranch, NM

Movie set chapel, Ghost Ranch
Movie set chapel, Ghost Ranch

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

The Valley, The Desert

The valleys are beginning to show signs of green. The desert has water running through it. The light illuminates the many forms and geology of the area.

San Luis Valley tree and clouds
Cloud formations with a complimentary tree.

Ghost Ranch, New Mexico
As they say, “a river runs through it” in Ghost Ranch, NM

Arroyo Blanco formations
Many intriguing rock formations in Arroyo Blanco, Abiquiu, New Mexico

I’m never at a loss for places to explore in this area. Thanks for looking. Stay well. G

Penitente Morada, (Church) Abiquiu, NM

This image of the Morada, still in use today, is from 2006 before the bell. I can’t ever recall seeing this building without a bell. Well, here it is. Great skies are always in abundance and rarely missing in this area. Thanks for looking. G

Penitente Morada, (Church) Abiquiu, NM.

Saint Thomas The Apostle, Abiquiu, New Mexico

Saint Thomas (Santo Tomas) the Apostle Church, in Abiquiu, New Mexico. On the road in Abiquiu yesterday I came across this scene. Always read the small print. I’ll say no more! As always thanks for looking. G

Saint Thomas The Apostle, Abiquiu, New Mexico

Rio Chama, Cerrito Blanco, Abiquiu, New Mexico

Rio Chama with the reddish rock butte, Cerrito Blanco in Abiquiu, New Mexico. Popped over to Abiquiu yesterday to scout some locations for night sky photography. We pulled over at this spot where the river is full (they released water from the dam) and always muddy. This favorite location on my photo tours was lush and fresh. I made this three image vertically stitched panorama on my iPhone. Then it rained heavy. I should have worn my wellies. Stay tuned, I’ll be back with the results from the night sky shoot after the new moon in a couple of weeks. Thanks for looking. G

Rio Chama, Cerrito Blanco, Abiquiu, New Mexico

Cerro Pedernal, Storm Clouds, Rio Chama, New Mexico

Cerro Pedernal, with storm clouds, from the Rio Chama road, New Mexico. This view is from over my shoulder in yesterdays image. I like to remind my photographer friends to always look behind, up and down from the obvious view in front. Many of my best images are from some of the more spontaneous moments I come across. Spotting them on the fly, heading down the road, and finding more than I originally planned. Join me, some time, when this current situation changes and I’ll show you some of New Mexico prime locations. Thanks for looking. G

Cerro Pedernal, Storm Clouds, Rio Chama, New Mexico

Abiquiu, Landscape, Desert Monastery Road

Abiquiu landscape from the Desert Monastery Road. Out in Georgia O’Keeffe country. Not really hers, but she bandied it around in her paintings, and you can see her former home if you stand on the slope to the right. It’s beautiful country, no wonder she settled here and made the land and nature the focus of her amazing work. Thanks for looking. G

Abiquiu, landscape Desert Monastery road

Santa Rosa de Lima, Abiquiu, New Mexico

Santa Rosa de Lima, just off the highway in Abiquiu, New Mexico. I like the feeling being surround by sun-baked, crumbling adobe walls, light filling in the shadows. An afternoon storm, brings cool heavy rains, sometimes a flash flood, eroding arroyos, canyons, and these old adobe bricks. Thanks for looking. G

Santa Rosa de Lima, Abiquiu, New Mexico

Ghost Ranch, Spring, New Mexico

Ghost Ranch is Georgia O’Keeffe Country, and spring in New Mexico is a palette of shifting colors and light. Albeit, an image from a couple of years ago, I’m looking forward to tomorrow, and an experiment in social distancing and the art of photo touring. Not a stretch, but looking for more ways to share locations in our beautiful state with visiting photographers under our current conditions. Thanks for looking. G

Ghost Ranch, Spring, New Mexico

Rio Chama Overlook, Abiquiu, NM

Rio Chama overlook, in Abiquiu, NM. Lets stay in this area one more day. It’s greening up in northern New Mexico. It’s not looking quite like this just yet but it’s getting there. That means spring is here and that’s a good thing. I can feel the days warming up, with milder evenings where the wind has second thoughts. This place on the Rio Chama is a favorite stop on many photo tours. You can see why. Thanks for looking. G

Rio Chama overlook, in Abiquiu, NM. Lets stay in this area one more day. It's greening up in northern New Mexico.