Thunder and Lightning, Portrait, August 10, 2022.

Geraint August 10, 2022 22 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal and beyond. We’ve had some violent thunder and lightning this last week. While we are grateful for the moisture here, there have been tremendous flash flooding and washouts. Particularly in the Mora Valley following the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak fire this spring.

I could see this thunder and lightning event building from our house. I had to go for a closer look. Not far, just a few miles south, there are wide open vistas of the Taos Valley Picuris, and the Truchas Peaks and beyond. I got lucky with one shot out of the car window. I wasn’t about to get out and set up a tripod. If you think about it, standing out in the rain, I’m the tallest feature in the landscape, hanging on to a metal tripod. Yes, I have a 40-year-old tripod, its metal. A man was struck by lightning during a previous storm this week in Taos. I wish him and his family well.

Here’s what I captured from the car window.

Thunder and lightning storm with lightning strike — Thunder and lightning storm, Taos, NM

Last week we visited my long-time friend and hiking partner I met when I moved to Taos in 1988. Harry and his wife Noreen invited us to their home for lunch. We hadn’t seen them since Harry’s art show in Taos. That was before covid. It was a delightful lunch and a great time visiting them at their home across the Rio Grande Gorge. Following lunch, we sat outside in the shade where the breezes came gently off the canyon rim. Harry sat next to one of his paintings, and we all noticed what a timely portrait it would make.

And the portrait. Harry is 92.

Harry Vedoe, artist and good friend. — Harry Vedoe, Danish/American artist and good friend, Carson, NM

Coming up in September and October!

If you are fortunate to be in Taos on the weekend of September 23-25, 2022, please visit the stables gallery, where I’ll be exhibiting my photography with a group of other artists. The show will consist primarily, of new black and white images, with some of my iconic images alongside.

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

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

Here’s the advertisement for the exhibit and the details.

Geraint Smith Exhibit at the Bareiss Galley Taos — Exhibition at Bareiss Gallery, Taos, NM

As always, thank you for your support, comments and compliments. Have a good week. G

Osprey, Fort Union, Bison Petroglyphs, Lightning, Road Tripping

Geraint August 4, 2021 12 Comments

I went to visit the Osprey a couple of times on tours over the last few weeks. This is the mom and three chicks. They are growing healthy and wise. Dad was off in the top of an old cottonwood tree, striking a stately pose and keeping a watchful eye on things. The second image below is a close-up.

Female Osprey and three chicks — Female Osprey (left) and three chicks on a nesting platform, Chama, NM

Osprey and three chicks — Female Osprey with three healthy chicks on a nesting platform, Chama, NM

A photo tour last week took us to Las Vegas, Fort Union National Monument, and Wagon Mound, all stops on the Santa Fe Trail. I’ve been to the fort many times. This time, my client Michael, and I had the place to ourselves. There were some park service employees rebuilding and fortifying the walls. They don’t count. And no rattlesnakes this time either!

Fort Union National Monument, NM — The Mechanics Corral at Fort Union National Monument

I pulled this image of the American Bison a while back. I thought it would make a nice effect to overlay it on a petroglyph panel. The petroglyphs are in the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. The animals depicted are deer and bighorn sheep.

Bison and Petroglyphs — American Bison overlaid on a petroglyph panel.

We’ve had some fabulous storms during this summer’s monsoon season, and along with it, some incredible lightning shows. Here’s one from the deck a short while ago. I don’t have to go far for a view and dramatic weather. Some of the strikes got so close my hair stood on end. My wife, Pami said I started to glow.

Lightning strikes San Cristobal — Lightning strikes on the ridge, San Cristobal, NM

Join me on a photo tour/workshop and I’ll show you some of my favorite places we visit.

4 Runner, Arroyo Blanco — Parked, while we photograph in Arroyo Blanco, Abiquiu, New Mexico.

As always, thank you for looking. G

Lightning Storm, Taos New Mexico

Geraint August 9, 2019 4 Comments

Lightning storm, Taos, New Mexico. I set up on the deck in San Cristobal last night. I’d been watching the lightning filling the clouds on the horizon from my chair in the living room. The number of flashes intensified. The storm was far away so there were no discernible sounds of thunder. As things would have it, the sheet lightning I’d originally observed turned to direct strikes on the landscape. Here are the images of multiple “blasts”. Thanks for looking. G

Three Lightning Strikes

Geraint August 31, 2018 2 Comments

Three Lightning Strikes from the Hondo Mesa. We didn’t quite expect this on a drive out this evening. Pami and I headed south a little, to the village of Arroyo Hondo, where I made some images of a very large shaft of sunlight, slashing across the western sky. It was very impressive in itself. But when I got home in front of the computer I saw these shots of three lightning strikes in the sunset rains. There were enough other images for future postings. As always, thanks for looking and taking the time to enjoy my work and posts. G

Highway Lightning Strike, Hondo Mesa

Geraint July 27, 2018 2 Comments

Highway lightning strike, on the Hondo Mesa, Taos NM. Right now it feels a bit like Wales on the mesa. This system brought a lot of rain, a real good ground soaking rain. Thanks for looking. G

Lightning Strikes On The Mesa

Geraint July 6, 2017 No Comments

Lightning strikes on the mesa west of Taos. This is an image of six lightning strikes in the same location and composited into one frame. I’m posting this to see if it inspires rain soon. I may post more monsoon images over the next few days. This is my version of a rain dance, far more acceptable to me than dancing on the deck chanting something to bring about rain… although I have been known to do that… after all, I do hail from a long line of Druids!

Geraint Smith Photography

Tag: Lightning Strikes