Tag: Photography Workshop

White Pocket, Vermilion Cliffs, July 20, 2022.

Geraint July 20, 2022 16 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal and the beautiful White Pocket in the Vermilion Cliffs of Arizona three years ago.

Last week I was looking for some images on randomness when I came across these images in the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, in Arizona. I thought, why not post random photos from here.

The pictures reminded me of a head-spinning moment I had on a private photo tour/workshop with clients Ed and Kathleen. I was amazed by the landscape and didn’t know which way to look next. It is an incredible place to visit if you get a chance. I know I will return to White Pocket soon, albeit when the weather is cooler. In the meantime, I’ll stay here in San Cristobal where the temps last night were 68º F, perfect for a good night’s sleep.

White Pocket Cloud — White Pocket rock formation with a cloud, AZ.

Photographer in the formations — My client, Ed in Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, Arizona.

Photographer in White Pocket — Photographer, not my client!

Rock forms and clouds Vermilion Cliffs, National Monument, AZ.

Photographer surrounded by formations — Rock formations in White Pocket, Ed included for scale.

Rock landscape — Close-up detail of the rocky landscape.

Lastly, from the same trip, two random shots. One of the iconic trees in Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, Arizona, and one of a random rock.

Tree, Monument Valley — Iconic tree in Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park.

Random rock, Monument Valley — Random rock, a tie-down for a vendors tent in Monument Valley, UT

As always, thank you for looking. I appreciate all the comments and compliments. Cheers. G

Red-tailed Hawk family, San Luis Valley

Geraint July 21, 2021 10 Comments

On a photo workshop last week I took my client to visit the Hawks in my previous week’s post. My client is an accomplished bird photographer. Well.., I was expecting maybe mom, pop, and the chick I saw on my last visit, but to our surprise, we spotted a whole family of five. Fledglings were taking to the air from the treetops, encouraged in their maneuvers by the parents. What a treat it was to see the adult male, female and chicks perform this ancient summer ritual at this roadside location.

Enjoy!

Male Red-tailed Hawk, on the wing, San Luis Valley.

Female Red-tailed Hawk, sits in tree top, San Luis Valley.

Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk lands in a tree.

A Male Red-tailed Hawk — Male Red-tailed Hawk stands guard in tree top, San Luis Valley.

Three juvenile Red-tailed Hawks sit in a tree top, San Luis Valley.

Male Red-tailed Hawk, showing how it’s done and lands in a tree.

Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk prepares to land. — Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk prepares to land on a tree branch near mom!.

As always, thanks for looking. I appreciate all the comments and compliments. Thank you. G

Blanca Peak Massif, Colorado

Geraint April 7, 2021 9 Comments

Road trip to Alamosa for covid shots. No matter the reason for the trip, there’s always something to see. On this occasion a very large storm cell moving through the Central San Luis Valley carrying spitting kernels of snow. Standing up in the bed of the truck was stinging but exhilarating, to say the least. It didn’t stop me. We stopped into other locations as well for the black and white below. There are 14,000 ft peaks in this range behind those clouds.

Blanca Peak Massif, highway 160 Colorado — Storm cell, Blanca Peak Massif, and Highway 160, Colorado.

Storm cell San Luis Valley, Colorado — Storm cell over Blanca Peak, San Luis Valley, Colorado.

Following are a few pictures from one of the five photo tours/workshops during the last month. I’m booking tours/workshops from June through the rest of the year and beyond. Let me know if you want to join me on the road in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado.

Rust Paint Patina — Rust, Paint, Patina on a farm tractor in Jaroso, Colorado.

Combination mail boxes, Jaroso — Combination mail boxes with Eagle in the Jaroso, post office, Colorado.

Garcia Colorado photo tour/workshop — Working the ruins in Garcia, Colorado on a photo tour/workshop.

Thanks for looking. Stay healthy. See you next week. G

Location Scouting, Rio Grande del Norte, National Monument, NM

Geraint January 27, 2021 14 Comments

It’s fun to hit the road or lack thereof, just for a day out. We made this day a fun day out with photography the secondary factor. I always have my camera on hand for when images present themselves when I least expect it. Then there is the other perspective of a preconceived image. Ansel Adams referred to it as pre-visualization. The former is how I mostly find subjects by allowing the day to unfold and present itself to me. I guess one would call it being open to the moment. I’ll settle for that. On this day we were out with our friends, Chris and Carla. Company is a good thing when going off the highway on muddy, rutted roads. The Rio Grande del Norte National Monument is a place where you are pretty much as far away from civilization as you can get in this part of New Mexico. Speaking of location scouting, I found several locations worthy of different weather conditions with dramatic lighting pre-visualized for future trips. Thanks for looking. G

San Antonio Mountain from the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument.

Road through the Monument — The road through the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument.

Rocky field with Cerro Chiflo — A rocky field with Cerro Chiflo in the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument.

I’ve added a few images below from previous trips’ location scouting in the National Monument. Enjoy!

Ground cover on the Volcanic Plateau in the RGdN National Monument.

Lone tree on the plateau — Lone tree on the Volcanic Plateau.

Elk herd in the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument looking east to near where we live.

Pronghorn in the Rio Grande del Norte — Pronghorn in the National Monument looking to the east and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

Rain on the plateau in the National Monument — Rain on the plateau in the RGdN National Monument.

ute mtn rocks 0115 0121 — On the east rim of the Rio Grande Gorge with Ute Mountain.

San Felipe De Neri, Old Town Plaza, Albuquerque

Geraint August 31, 2020 6 Comments

San Felipe De Neri church in Old Town Plaza, Albuquerque. From several years ago hoofing it around a few Albuquerque locations. This vignette showed up at the start of a week long photo tour/workshop around the four corners region of the Southwest US. Thanks for looking. G

Photography Tour Workshops

Geraint June 26, 2019 4 Comments

Photography tour workshops. A little shameless promotion, sharing these images of some of my wonderful clients working in the field. If you are thinking of joining me on a photo tour workshop, I have some dates open for July, August, September and through the rest of the year. I’m already booking trips for the coming winter and spring. Winter is one of my favorite times of year to spend in the field. Thanks for looking. G

Four Corners Photo Tour Shiprock, NM

Geraint May 23, 2018 No Comments

Four Corners photo tour/workshop at Shiprock, NM. Landscape, architecture, people and culture photography tour and workshop in the four corners area of Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico. Yes it was five days of fun camaraderie, great locations and image making. Thanks for looking. G

South Rim Canyon de Chelly, Arizona

Geraint April 30, 2018 No Comments

South Rim, Canyon de Chelly, Arizona. Beautiful soft evening light on the canyon this evening. The lack of water doesn’t seem to be hurting the cottonwoods down there. Thanks for looking. G

Spring Photo Tours/Workshops

Geraint April 23, 2018 No Comments

Spring Photo Tours/Workshops. I just completed more than a dozen trips with photographers, sharing with them the locations I know and love. It has been a great pleasure working with so many photographers with varied, personal visions, on composition and lighting, in landscapes, nature, architecture and an occasional portrait. Below are images of a few of my guests.

Southern Colorado Photo Tour

Abiquiu and Rio Chama Photo Tour

Three Day Grand Tour/Sites of Taos

Three Day Grand Tour/Sites of Taos with Rainbows over the Taos Valley

On the road in Ocate New Mexico, during the Spring 2018 Photo Workshop.

On the road in (literally) in Abiquiu, New Mexico, during the Spring 2018 Photo Workshop.

At the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge. Spring 2018 Photo Workshop.

At the old trucks in El Prado. Spring 2018 Photo Workshop.

Group photo at the old trucks in El Prado. Spring 2018 Photo Workshop.

Next, I am hitting the road on a photo road trip with two photographers to Eastern Arizona, SE Utah, and the four corners area of New Mexico.

If you would like to sign up for dates from now through summer and fall please visit my photo tour page and drop me a line: geraint@geraintsmith.com or call: 505-501-4880. And… please remember it’s never too early to sign up for winter and next years dates when you may be thinking of visiting. I look forward to hearing from you and working with you in New Mexico and southern Colorado.

Thank you to all my new photographer friends who have joined me on a photo tour/workshop. Geraint

Red Barns Southern Colorado

Geraint October 15, 2017 No Comments

Red Barns, Colorado. I like the juxtaposition of the roof lines and the negative space separating the buildings along with the expansive sky above. Here’s a winter image of these same barns in February 2013. Thanks for looking. G