Greetings from San Cristobal, NM, and beyond. This week, a road shot of Blanca Peak, the whole massif in color and black and white, followed by a shot of the sandhill cranes, soon to arrive at the Monte Vista NWR, flying over a herd of elk as they make their way north.
Blanca Peak, Colorado
I’m rather partial to the black and white.
Blanca Massif, Colorado, Black, and White.
The cranes return every year in mid-March to the Monte Vista NWR. Let’s go!
Sandhill cranes and elk at the Monte Vista NWR, Colorado.
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.
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, Twenty One Chairs. 38″ x 60″
Three chairs and a tree. 40″ x 60″ paper or canvas
One chair in the aspens. 32″ x 40″ paper or canvas
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.
Chair and a shovel.
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.
Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week, the red barn and its neighbors, Comet Atlas, the Arroyo Hondo cottonwood tree, and an image from October 27, 2020, with the piles of snow we have unfortunately not received this year.
The red barn is deteriorating before my eyes. The siding might as well fall off while I’m standing there looking, and it’s also starting to twist from the prevailing winds.
Red barn with anthill and Ute Mountain, San Luis Valley Colorado.
Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS (C/2023 A3) shot on an iPhone 13 Pro Max on October 13, 2024. I couldn’t resist the ease of what the iPhone can accomplish these days. The comet image is a little soft however, night mode on the phone is very good for handheld shots. It’s even better on a tripod.
Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week a gallery of random abstraction in and around the block. I have many more of these taken on personal trips, photo tours, and neighborhood walks so future posts may occur. Mostly shot on an iPhone, I am constantly reminded of what a wonderful and spontaneous piece of equipment it is.
Click on an image to expand and click off it to go back. Enjoy!
As always, Thank you for looking. My thoughts are with friends experiencing the wildfires in New Mexico and California. Have a great week where you are. G
Greetings from San Cristobal, NM, and beyond. This week a hike up Guadalupe Mountain in the Wild Rivers area of the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. Last week we went down to the river. This week we hiked up to a vantage point that gave us views of the gorge and the Blanca massif in Colorado, a great view to accompany lunch. Unfortunately a smoky haze somewhat obscured the distant 14,000 + ft peaks. So instead we looked down, watching where we stepped for the morning emergence of rattlesnakes and bouquets of wildflowers.
Guadalupe Mountain, Wild Rivers Overlook, and Ute Mountain.
Indian Paintbrush were in abundance at the trailhead, individuals, and clusters.
Indian Paintbrush.
Indian Paintbrush, cluster.
At about 8500 ft above sea level the Indian Canyon Fleabane took over the nooks and crannies in the boulder fields to the summit overlook.
Indian Canyon Fleabane.
That was yesterday. Today I took a quick jaunt up a watery trail in the Hondo Canyon to check out the creek crossings. I didn’t get far. I left my hiking poles in the car. Below is a solitary wild Columbine. There were many more. I liked this single bloom glowing against the rock.
Wild Columbine, Italianos trail, Hondo Canyon.
A leafy green plant, Rowan I think, of which there were many.
Rowan plant on the Italianos Trail.
A spot on the creek running alongside the trail, not one of the crossing points, but a picturesque little falls.
Italianos Creek.
Lastly the Cottonwood in Arroyo Hondo, you know the one, in a sleet and hail storm last week. I got pelted and had to dive back into the car.
Cottonwood and Acequia (irrigation ditch), Arroyo Hondo, NM.
As always. Thank you for looking. Have a great week. G
Greetings from San Cristobal and beyond. This week a two-day photo tour around northern New Mexico and southern Colorado. Nature and the elements gave up some wonderful photo opportunities, beginning with Taos Mountain and the iconic grove of cottonwoods.
On a photo tour of Taos and northern New Mexico.
The next stop on the photo tour was in Questa at an old house off the highway set back amongst some trees. I checked with a friend who said he would try and find me some information on this charming building and quiet setting.
House in Questa, NM.
Following a couple of stops en route, to photograph some wild horses, we wound up at this lake in the San Luis Valley. Moody and brooding skies were the order of the day.
Lake Tree, San Luis Valley, Colorado.
Speaking of the skies. Highway 142 crosses the Rio Grande in Colorado between the old town of San Luis and Heading west to Manassa home of Jack Dempsey, the “Manassa Mauler”.
The sky over Highway 142, Colorado.
Continuing the photo tour, there is also a stark view of a very subdued Rio Grande from the road bridge as it crosses the river.
The Rio Grande from Highway 142, Colorado.
I came across some of last year’s milkweed pods enduring against the elements. Did I mention the frigid cold winds? My guests were admirably brave, and filled with enthusiasm for whatever conditions confronted us.
On the second day, we encountered a troupe of young Bighorn Sheep in the Orilla Verde area of the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument walking on the road ahead of us.
Bighorn Sheep Orilla Verde, NM.
We parked the car and followed uphill and enjoyed watching and photographing them in their prime, natural environment. I can’t help but think that the one in the middle is telling them to “gather round” and show us their best side!
Bighorn Sheep gathering Orilla Verde, NM.
There were many more picture opportunities. I had to stop at some point. If you are planning to be in the area this year, join me on a photo tour/workshop and I’ll show you around.
As always, thank you for looking. Have a great week. G
Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week, last week’s Wolf Moon rising over the Sangre de Cristo foothills, Truchas, the red barn, and snow horses.
As I mentioned last week, I was heading out to capture the wolf moon rising. The moon’s appearance lasted about ten minutes between the fast-moving clouds. I made several images during that time, and the scene below was fleeting as the sun came and went behind the clouds. I got lucky. I came away with three pictures where the elements came together. I’ll take what I can get from what presents itself.
Wolf Moon rising, Arroyo Seco, NM
And a close-up of when I first spotted the moon from the highway heading home.
I reworked this image for note cards and publication. Ansel Adams shot this scene in the 1950’s. A couple of months ago it was lit up with Xmas lights. You can still see some in this shat nailed to the crosses. It’s nice to its longevity at this location and longer still before Ansel made his iconic image.
Truchas, NM.
You know how attached I am to this location with the red barn. Every time I visit I see more dilapidation with new spaces for the wind to pass through. It’s beginning to corkscrew but I’m confident that the gaps will prevent the building from acting like a sail on the plain!
Red barn in black and white.
Red barn in color.
One more image I reworked this week for note cards, prints, and publication. This image has graced many a page in local magazines. Apples are the key to getting horses to come running.
Horses on the High Road to Taos.
As always, thanks for looking. Have a great week. G
Greetings from San Cristobal and beyond. This week a tree with heart. You’ve got to love a heart wherever you find it, Ute Mountain, Raptors, and more.
We came across this tree a few years ago. Pami and I stopped here again on our first New Year drive of 2024.
I liked how the tree is isolated from the distant background, so I made another picture of it, always having to remove the two powerlines that cross directly over the tree. I think it is worth it. After all, the power company put them in my way!
A tree with a heart, Costilla, NM.
You might recognize this location with the road to Ute Mountain. It’s usually the last stop on the way home.
The road to Ute Mountain, NM.
The Red-tailed Hawk had no intention of leaving its perch, so we watched for a while. We moved on before it did. I enjoy watching them wherever they choose to sit. Powerpole sitting is natural to them. Any high vantage point suits them very well. I’ve often seen them drop in from a pole onto an unsuspecting vole or garter snake.
Red-tailed Hawk, Mesita, Colorado.
Two days ago I went for a drive in the clearing snowstorm and spotted a bald eagle perched on a dead cottonwood snag in Arroyo Seco, NM.
Bald Eagle, Arroyo Seco NM.
Red barn in black and white, Colorado.
Sometimes a thing catches my eye and I have to run with it.
Baling wire for the fun of it, Colorado.
This snowplow was still making passes at the snow accumulations on monday around 11 am on our way to town. It was nice to wake up to a decent amount of snow for a change. Here in San Cristobal today temperature was -1º F (-18º C) at 7am. It finally warmed up to 27º F (-2.8º C) at 3pm.
Snow Plow, Highway 522 north of Taos, NM.
As always, thank you for looking. I hope you had a good week. Stay warm where you are. G
Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week winter in the neighborhood.
I’ll keep it short and sweet this week. I hope everyone got what they wanted. I didn’t want anything and got nothing, it made my day. I already have plenty. That said I am now the owner of two happy feet and have been able to drive a little. So, I drove around the neighborhood and got a few new shots to add to the archives.
Last Friday, I followed a fog bank that was building over the Rio Grande Gorge and came across this scene a little ways up the road in Cerro NM. There was just enough moisture in the fog and temperatures dropped to 26º F to cover the trees and willows in hoar frost that created this winter wonderland.
Hoar Frost, Cerro NM.
I was reminded of other years when the weather elements came together to create the following scenes.
Winter in Arroyo Seco, NM.
When I drove the “High Road to Taos” I felt like I was entering “Narnia”.
On the High Road to Taos, NM.
Back to the present! This was the moon on the winter solstice last week. It stood out clearly against a beautiful blue sky revealing the detail of the craters.
Solstice Moon.
The sunset on December 24, was fuzzy and warm. The outdoor temps were not!
Mountain Sunset San Cristobal, NM.
The view below embodied a feeling of warmth but it wasn’t. Temps dropped to 9º F last night. Of course, it was coldest before dawn so I slept in and missed the moon setting across the plateau.
December 25th Moonrise
As always, thank you for looking, Happy New Year, I hope it’s a good one. G
