Tag: New Mexico

Crescent Moon, Venus, Sunset. 02-05-2025

Geraint February 5, 2025 2 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM where the temperature is a balmy 60º F (15.5ºC) This week the crescent moon and Veus with a beautiful sunset. Red-winged Blackbirds, a crow, and the Village of Valdez, NM

The view from the front gate. All rather pleasant to watch.

Crescent moon, venus, and a sunset — Crescent Moon, Venus, and the sunset.

I zoomed in a little closer,

This year we’ve had large flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds, and Evening Grosbeaks, in the old cottonwood tree and Siberian Elm tree each morning and evening. Last year we had thousands of Pinyon Jays in the valley but they haven’t returned this year… yet!

Red-winged blackbirds and a crow, San Cristobal.

The Lewis’s Woodpecker has returned which I’m happy to see.

If you want to see more birds, click here, or here.

Below is the Village of Valdez, just north of Taos in the snow. The scene depicts the chapel of San Antonio de Padua in the center of the village plaza. This picture was taken in winter 2007. It’s fun to relive past moments and look at them with a fresh perspective eighteen years later.

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

Chair Work. New Work, 01-29-2025

Geraint January 29, 2025 8 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week, new chair work. It’s spring-like weather out there, including the cold wind. And as of 30 minutes ago snow. I’m gearing up for new projects this year, starting with the pieces below.

If you remember the images I posted from my show in October 2022 you’ll see where I’m going with my new pieces.

Below is a large print on paper or canvas, entitled “Twenty One Chairs'” photographed with a storm brewing, just north of Taos.

New Chair work pieces, twenty one chairs Wild River RA — New chair work, Twenty One Chairs. 38″ x 60″

Three chairs and a tree. 40″ x 60″ paper or canvas

One Chair in the aspens. — One chair in the aspens. 32″ x 40″ paper or canvas

Two white chairs with aspens — Two white chairs in aspen grove. 26″ x 60″ paper or canvas

The image below is one taken in Ranchos de Taos twenty years ago. I like its simplicity and to look back on images that inspire my work today.

I’m back at it sculpting new pieces and will post them and more of these large prints in a “new work” gallery on this website as they become available. Stay tuned.

As always. Thank you for looking. G

Out The Window This Week. 01-15-2025

Geraint January 15, 2025 6 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week “out the window”, the dining room, kitchen, and car window.

It’s cold outside, and because the view is there, and the indoor warmth kept me from venturing out, I thought, why not post the picture out the window, opportunity?

The first shot is from the kitchen window. When I open the window pane initially, a cold rush of air follows but I’m fast, and boom it’s done. This is our direct view when doing the dishes.

Columbine Hondo Wilderness, Out the window — Columbine Hondo Wilderness, out the kitchen window.

Then there’s the waxing moon rising out of the dining room window. Some months, it rises directly over the peak seen in the previous image. The full moon puts on quite a show from our vantage point in San Cristobal. The upside is that it’s like daylight in the house, so no nightlights are needed. The downside is that sleep can be elusive on such a night when it slaps you in the face shining through the transom windows and skylights.

On a drive to town two days ago I had to pull over fast for this shot of Lucero Peak, peaking through the clouds anchored by the cottonwood trees in the meadows, (El Prado). I shot it out the car window. I had time to pull over and wind down the window before it was gone. So fleeting like most things in life. You have to grab the opportunities when they arise.

Lucero Peak, El Prado, NM out the window of the car — Lucero Peak, El Prado, NM

And back home that evening out the dining room window as the sunset on my neighbor’s tree, with the mountains of the Columbine Hondo Wilderness in the clouds.

Out the window, my neighbors tree at sunset — Out the window, my neighbor’s tree at sunset.

Here are the phases of the moon calendar I use. Sometimes I need to refer to it but mostly it’s on my phone occupying space on my screen along with some night sky apps.

As always. Thanks for looking and all the kind words, comments, and compliments. Our family is healthy and warm. I wish the same for all. G

The Low Road To Taos, Dixon, NM. 01-08-2024

Geraint January 8, 2025 15 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week, a scene along the Low Road to Taos was shot last week in the shade of the canyon walls on a warm winter day in New Mexico. If there’s a high road to Taos, there must be a low road.

There is, and it runs along the Rio Grande in the Gorge from Santa Fe to Taos.

Here’s a historical photograph taken in the same location .

I made a quick stop in Dixon on a half-day High Road to Taos photo tour, which included a return trip through the Rio Grande Gorge.

Dixon cross/shrine — Roadside cross/shrine, Dixon, NM.

Here’s a picture taken in 2006, the same cross but someone flipped it around in this photo. My goodness time flies. 18 years went by fast.

Driving approximately six miles further north on the low road to Taos we rise out of the canyon and encounter the majestic view of the Rio Grande Gorge.

I shot the view below in the winter of 2014. I have many more images from this iconic location always in a different light.

Rio Grande gorge overlook — Rio Grande Gorge Overlook.

… and in a freshly fallen snow in 2014.

Rio Grande gorge overlook in fresh snow — Rio Grande Gorge in fresh snow.

Lastly, something to warm the heart and soul, is a flashback to an image from Christmas 1985 at the Taos Pueblo Bonfires held on Christmas Eve.

Taos Pueblo xmas eve bonfires — Taos Pueblo Bonfires held on Christmas Eve.

As always. Thank you for looking. To all my friends in southern California, stay safe, our thoughts are with you. And to everyone. Be well. G

Happy New Year, 01-01-2025

Geraint January 1, 2025 26 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. A very Happy New Year from our family to yours.

This week a sunset to see out the old year and a Red-tailed Hawk to usher in the new year.

Sunset, Happy new year — Sunset, to say farewell to the old year.

… and a Red-tailed Hawk to herald the new year, albeit a little bedraggled and battered but still with enough life left to do the things necessary to live life and do what hawks do.

As always thank you for looking. Happy New Year. I appreciate all the support, kindness, comments, and compliments over the past year and beyond. G

The Red-tailed Hawk is one of my animal totems, and I am uplifted every time one appears. What is your animal totem? Please leave a comment if so inclined.

Below is a poem by the Poet Laureate, Ted Hughes, a favorite of mine.

I sit in the top of the wood, my eyes closed.
Inaction, no falsifying dream
Between my hooked head and hooked feet:
Or in sleep rehearse perfect kills and eat.

The convenience of the high trees!
The air’s buoyancy and the sun’s ray
Are of advantage to me;
And the earth’s face upward for my inspection.

My feet are locked upon the rough bark.
It took the whole of Creation
To produce my foot, my each feather:
Now I hold Creation in my foot

Or fly up, and revolve it all slowly –
I kill where I please because it is all mine.
There is no sophistry in my body:
My manners are tearing off heads –

The allotment of death.
For the one path of my flight is direct
Through the bones of the living.
No arguments assert my right:

The sun is behind me.
Nothing has changed since I began.
My eye has permitted no change.
I am going to keep things like this.

— Ted Hughes

Taos Pueblo, Las Trampas, Mountains. 12-25-2024

Geraint December 25, 2024 16 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, New Mexico. This week, three scenes: one each from Taos Pueblo, Las Trampas Church, and the wintery peaks of Truchas and the Pecos Wilderness.

I shot this image of Taos Pueblo many years ago. I think it was shot on Kodachrome 64 and scanned. I like it for the feeling and remember how cold it was when I look at it now.

Taos Pueblo winter — Taos Pueblo in winter finery and drifting snow.

Christmas on the High Road at La Iglesia de San José de Gracia de Las Trampas with a nearly, not quite full moon rising.

And lastly, the snow-covered Truchas Peaks. A view from south of Taos on an evening hike many moons ago.

As always, Thank you for looking. I hope everyone has a good holiday season. Thank you for your constant and continued support, and I’ll see you next year. G

El Salto, The Rocks. 12-18-2024

Geraint December 17, 2024 10 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week, the El Salto rocks are a familiar view for those familiar with Taos and El Prado (the meadows), where most, if not all, of these shots were taken.

This is another location I’ve photographed many times in different weather and seasons. You could call it my version of Monet’s “Haystacks.” I’ve done a similar series on the Arroyo Hondo Cottonwood and Willows. I hope you enjoy this view of El Salto (the Jump or Leap).

Rain falling — Summer storm on the mountains.

Winter sunset light — Winter sunset on the rocks.

I scanned this last image from a Kodakchrome 64 slide from one of my trips here in the 1980″s

I hope you enjoyed the visit. If you’re interested in reading the article for which the Rio Chama image in my post last week was commisioned to illustrate the story, click here.

Have a great week and happy holidays. G

Something Warm, Old, And Cold. 12-11-2024

Geraint December 11, 2024 12 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week something warm, old, and cold. It’s as simple as that. I apologize for a short post this week. I’ve been busy shipping and delivering copies of my books, including archival paper prints, large archival canvas prints, and stock images. I still have a few signed copies of my book from this latest shipment, that can reach you by the holidays if ordered this week. They are also available from the Museum of New Mexico Press.

Something warm… although it was a cold morning when I made this image in the Bosque del Apache NWR.

Warm light on a cold morning, Bosque del Apache NWR, New Mexico.

Something old … not quite dead. The photo was taken of one of Pami’s floral arrangements shot a couple of years ago. I added the aged photo technique using a phone app and Photoshop.

sunflower in the throes of decay — Sunflower in the throes of decay.

Something cold … and also old … is one of the first pictures I shot on my first DSLR in March 2004, a Canon Rebel, 6 Mega-Pixel, prior to that I was still scanning 35mm slide film and black and white negatives and shooting digital on a 3.3 Mega-Pixel Nikon Coolpix.

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

Rio Chama, Orilla Verde. 12-04-2024

Geraint December 4, 2024 16 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week, the Rio Chama and the Orilla Verde in the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument.

Sometimes I come across a photo I’d forgotten about but the moment I see it I instantly recall every detail, the environment surrounding me, the feeling and gratification of the moment. It also took me back remembering the many trips I’ve made to this area.

The picture was recently acquired to illustrate an “Outstanding National Resource Water (ONRW)“. I hope you like it, and can feel the moment?

While looking for the above photo of the Rio Chama, I came across the following images in a sub-folder, all shot in the Orilla Verde Recreation Area of the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument.

Bald eagle, Ponderosa tree orilla verde — Bald eagle in a ponderosa pine tree.

close up of Bald eagle, Ponderosa tree orilla verde — Close up.

The squirrel was tempting providence …

Squirrel in the Orilla Verde NM — Squirrel in the Orilla Verde.

And the hunter …

Red -tailed Hawk lifting off in the Orilla Verde NM — Red – tailed Hawk lifting off in the Orilla Verde NM.

More occupants of the canyon …

Bighorn sheep, Orilla Verde, NM — Bighorn sheep navigating the canyon rocks.

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

Snow Geese, And Two Turkeys. 11-27-2024

Geraint November 27, 2024 22 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week a bunch of snow geese and a couple of turkeys shot in the Bosque del Apache around this time of year almost twenty years ago.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Snow geese, Bosque del Apache, NWR, New Mexico

Formation flying is a thing.

Formation flying, Bosque del Apache, NWR, New Mexico — Formation.

And stealth formation at the Bosque del Apache NWR, NM

Two wild turkeys, and if you’d like to see more birds check out this post from last year.

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