Black and White Archives - Geraint Smith Photography

High Road to Taos with R David Marks yesterday. Black and White is rubbing off on me on this day out on the High Road to Taos, in the mountains of northern New Mexico. It was a good day, lighting wise to make black and white images and in good company. Thanks for looking. G

Morada Cross, Truchas — A cross at the Penitente Morada in Truchas, a town on the High Road to Taos, northern NM

Ruby's Garage Truchas — Ruby’s Garage from the movie, Milagro Bean Field War, by author John Nichols, filmed in Truchas, NM

Om Shanti bus — “Om Shanti”, Wavy Gravy’s bus, parked in a field near Truchas, NM

Dormer windows and solitary cloud, Llano de San Juan, NM

Horse and dormer windows — Horse head and mane with dormer windows, steel roof and mountain clouds, Llano de San Juan, on the High Road to Taos

Horse on the high road to Taos — Horse in the shade of the portal in Llano de San Juan on the High Road to Taos

Serpentine roof line on a building (possibly a Morada) in Llano de San Juan, NM

Las Trampas church — Church of Santo Tomas, (San Jose de Gracia de Las Trampas) Las Trampas, NM, on the High Road to Taos.

San Acacio, Cross, San Luis Valley, Colorado

San Acacio, building and cross, in the San Luis Valley, Colorado. I photograph anything and everything. I shot this out the window when turning the car around. I like the stark graphic of the cross and the shapes in the buildings wall. Thanks for looking. G

San Luis Valley, Red Barn, Black And White

San Luis Valley, the red barn in black and white with a magnificent sky. Another great day out today, in and around the SLV (as it’s known locally), shooting video for a future project. I’ll let you know how it turns out. When it is done you’ll see it here. Thank you as always for checking in, looking and for all the comments and compliments. G

Ute Mountain, Cattle Hay Trough

Ute Mountain and a hay trough, with no cattle. I can’t say that I’ve ever seen cattle at this dispenser. It’s been here for a long time and I pass it often. It sits here somewhat lonely, forlorn looking. I’ve never stopped to photograph it, but on this day, what with the clouds, sky and all, I pulled over. I watched the shadows pass across the fields and over Ute Mountain, highlighting the feeder, dwarfed by the big sky. Black and white seemed like a good idea. Thanks for looking. G

Yellowstone Elk, Flashback 2005

Yellowstone Elk. Flashback to a trip in late September 2005 to Yellowstone National Park. I made numerous trips to Yellowstone when my children were perhaps too young to appreciate most of the reasons to go to Yellowstone. We all went anyway. In 2005 when they were older and I felt they would enjoy it more, I took them out of school and we went on a twelve day adventure. We travelled through Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah, then back through northern New Mexico. We saw so much wildlife and birds, hugely varying landscapes, ancient ruins, dinosaur relics, and crossed many rivers and streams. I can only hope they enjoyed themselves as much as I did, taking them there. I particularly like this image of an elk as it was the kids who did the wildlife spotting and I remember the moment when they called out this one. Thanks for looking and for indulging me a reflective moment. G

Window Light, Shadows, Downtown Taos

Window light, shadows, in a downtown Taos store. One light source (sun) reflecting off three car windshields in the parking lot. Thanks for looking. G

Portrait Of A Friend, Stanley Rawlings

Portrait of a friend, Stanley Rawlings, Derbyshire, England 1982. I recently came across this image that I made of my old friend. In the mid to late seventies this man taught me the techniques of black and white photography. He and I built a darkroom in his basement’s former coal cellar. I spent many an evening down there developing negatives and making prints, often ending the night drinking Stan’s homemade elderberry, nettle, or dandelion wine. I still refer to it as “Chateau Stanley.” Stan taught me how to see, and how to apply my vision to photography. Stanley drove a twin carb, Triumph Dolomite, far too much horse power for him. That said, he piloted us on many occasions, around the Yorkshire Dales, the moors, the coast and beyond. At the time I was using a Russian made Zorki camera. Shortly after that I graduated to a Canon AT1. This portrait of Stan was made on a pre WWll Rollei, Twin Lens Reflex, that spent more time in the repair shop than it did making images. I’m glad I got to use it on this photo of Stan. He’d be proud, as I am of him. Thanks for looking. G

Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, New Mexico

Ghost Ranch, the landscape of Georgia O’Keeffe Abiquiu, New Mexico. I never ever tire of this view. If it looks familiar that’s because it has be seen in many movies. A few of the movies are “City Slickers” (the first one) along with “Silvarado” and the remake of “The Magnificent Seven” which wasn’t as magnificent as the original. Thanks for looking. G

Church Yard, Grave Marker, New Mexico

Church yard, grave marker, Las Trampas, on the High Road to Taos, New Mexico. I made this toned black and white from an older color image. I like the way the brightness of the high desert light reflected off the ground on to the ornate, filigree design of the cross with the rim light setting off the edges of the stone. Those two little clouds caught my attention as I laid on the ground in the old church yard. Thanks for looking. G

Classic Auto, Fort Garland Colorado

Classic Auto, Highway 160, Fort Garland, Colorado. Ok … my good friend makes a best assessment, a 1939 something. I’ve looked online for some ideas alas, to no avail, so I’m open to any and all suggestions. I made this shot from the highway as I drove past so didn’t stop to ask. I thought it would be an easy task to find out through the internet. I’ll be there again next week should there still be a question. Thanks for looking. G

Black And White In The San Luis Valley

Black and white at the red barn in the southern San Luis Valley, Colorado. This place is so familiar, so familiar to me, that I think I know this place from a past life or parallel universe. It feels so much like home and always good to visit. Thanks for looking. G

Sitting On The Fence

Sitting on the fence, lots of snow all over Taos County. Took a walk out early this morning as the sun rose over the Sangre de Cristos. I had a thoroughly good time photographing the more abstract elements on the subject of snow. Temperature here at noon today, 18º F. Thanks for looking and stay warm. G

Forest Road In The Sangre de Cristo Mountains

Forest road in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of northern New Mexico. Walking around this grove I saw whole epistles carved into the tree trunks. Someone’s undying this or that. Pledges for life. Who loves who and on what date. Except the trees, they have to wear this brand for a long time until the words expand into scars no longer decipherable as any language. I wonder how many trees will outlive the relationships professed to here in the woods. Thanks for looking. G

Rio Grande Gorge From The High Bridge

The Rio Grande Gorge, Taos, New Mexico. Here is a cell phone image, of this view from the high bridge, US Route 64, over the Rio Grande Gorge. A fitting end to a photo tour today. Thanks for looking. G

Tierra Amarilla, Northern New Mexico

Tierra Amarilla New Mexico. A building with graffiti referring to the Tierra Amarilla Courthouse raid 50 years ago on June 5, 1967.

Here are some links should you want to know more:
Chicanos, Aztlán and the Tierra Amarilla courthouse raid.
The Courthouse Raid Recalled
New Mexico marks 50th anniversary of Chicano courthouse raid
Remembering the Tierra Amarilla Courthouse Raid 50 Years Later: June 5, 1967
“Rousers of the Rabble”

Thanks for looking. G

Tierra Amarillo 4883

Holy Trinity Church, Arroyo Seco, NM

Holy Trinity Church – Iglesia La Santísima Trinidad – Church of the Most Holy Trinity Arroyo Seco, NM, USA. This church is a beautiful example of one of the finest New Mexico’s churches. I’ve photographed it many times over the years. Here is one image I made in 2007.