Greetings from a very wet, soggy, damp day/week in San Cristobal and beyond. This week, a few favorites that, incidentally, will be hanging and on display in the upcoming Taos Artist Combo Show V, on October 9-11. If you happen to be in Taos, join us for the opening on Friday, the 9th. I’ll look forward to seeing you, and perhaps you’ll find some favorites of your own amongst the 12 artists showing.
A favorite from Santa Fe Indian Market. (Unframed).
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Testing the waters, San Luis Valley, CO.
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Lake Chair, San Luis valley, CO. (Framed).
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This one has been a favorite since I shot it more than a decade ago.
Taos Artist Combo V Exhibit & Sale. Stables Gallery, 133 Paseo del Pueblo Norte, Taos, NM 87571 October 9 – 11: Artist Reception, Friday October 9, 5-7PM Join us if you can!
As always, thanks for visiting and looking. Stay well. G
Hello from San Cristobal, New Mexico. This week more trees for the Taos Artist Combo V show at the Stables Gallery in downtown Taos, NM. From last week’s post on Lone Trees, I pulled more tree images from my archives and created a large composite on canvas. I printed it to a manageable 20″ x 46″ size, this morning, but it could occupy a much larger canvas or paper print.
Lone trees from around northern NM.
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I wanted to include the tree in the following picture taken at near Ghost Ranch, but it had fallen down. I may still find another view of it deeper in the archives.
Tree and red landscape near Ghost Ranch, NM
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I did find the following image from 2015 taken on a winter photo trek to Abiquiu and the Rio Chama.
Winter on the Chama River road near Ghost Ranch, NM.
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Taos Artist Combo V Exhibit & Sale. Stables Gallery, 133 Paseo del Pueblo Norte, Taos, NM 87571 October 9 – 11: Artist Reception, Friday October 9, 5-7PM
Check out my good friend and collector , Larry Hollars’s bird photography on instagram @ornithography_weekly Larry and I have made many excursions photographing the landscape, towns, villages and backroads of northern New Mexico and southern Colorado. Let me know if you’d like to sign up for his weekly birding email or follow him on instagram.
This week, a three-day photo trek. Day two was spent around Ute Mountain, the anchor peak of the San Luis Valley. It can be seen from just about everywhere in the Valley. The weather did not disappoint. Infact all three days were special. I hope everyone had a good week in your part of the world.
When the sun broke through the clouds that morning.
Looks good in black and white, it was that kind of day.
Ute Mountain road and cloud in black and white.
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A panorama of the scene that morning with Larry setting up a composition. Larry Urquhart is a photographer from Brenham, Texas. Let me know if you’d like to join his email list. I’ll send an introduction, and you’ll see some outstanding work. He sends out an informative, picture driven, email every five or six weeks.
Sheep’s Crossing Overlook in Wild Rivers RA, with Ute Mountain.
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Photo Trek, Photo Safari, Photo Tour or Photo Workshop, whatever you call it, join me and I’ll show you some wonderful, high desert locations.
Ute Mountain, looking SW from Wild Horse Mesa, Colorado.
As always, thanks for looking. I hope you have a great week. G
Greetings from the Vale Vidal, in the high country of northern New Mexico. My computer and internet are running really slow today so I’m heading to the mountains. Here’s a favorite stopping point, Comanche Point at the confluence of the Rio Costilla and Comanche Creek. You know the place. Not a lot of water, though some areas are very green and lush, and the clouds are outstanding.
Enjoy! See you next week.
Valle Vidal in the high country of northern New Mexico.
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Checking out the aspen groves, it’s looking like it will be fabulous fall color up here!
Aspens, Skyward.
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It’s always fun to stop in the San Luis Valley and photograph a dilapidated ruin en-route to the Valle Vidal.
Adobe ruin, Garcia, CO.
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Three hours later I can safely say…. “As always, thanks for looking. Have a great week”. G
Hello from San Cristobal, NM. I hope everyone had a great week. This week, a visit to the Alamosa railyards that I hinted at last week. Mostly abstract photo ops that float my boat. Enjoy!
Alamosa sign at the railyards.
“The Alamosa train depot, located in Alamosa, Colorado, is a historic landmark that reflects the rich railroad heritage of the region. Built in the early 20th century, the depot served as a crucial hub for the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad, facilitating the transport of passengers and goods across the San Luis Valley. Its architectural style, characterized by classic brickwork and traditional design elements, embodies the era’s industrial optimism. Today, the depot stands as a testament to the transformative impact of railroads on the American West, and it continues to be a point of interest for visitors exploring the area’s history and scenic landscapes.”
Rio Grande Scenic, carriage, and cloud.
Carriage windows, patina, rust, and cloud.
Carriage windows, patina, rust close-up!
Pealing paint.
“Ponder the Coalescence” graffiti at the railyards.
Carriage window and patina.
Broken window, yellow and blue.
Carolina Southern locomotive.
On the road along the railroad tracks in Romeo, Colorado.
“Stop in Today”
As always, thanks for looking. Have a great week. G
Hello from San Cristobal, NM. I hope everyone had a great week. It’s raining here today. We are very happy about that. This week, more random selections from the archives, including the San Luis Valley, El Rito (west), and northern New Mexico.
I hope you enjoy!
Random selections from bygone days.
Stone house and fence, San Luis Valley, Colorado.
Near the house in the photo above, is owl nest on a platform of sticks in a potato bunker. Initially, I thought it might be a magpie or hawk nest, but then an owl flew directly over my head from another part of the building and out through the entrance. Over the years, I’ve seen more owls in different bunkers, alas no pictures, yet.
Owl nest in a potato bunker, Colorado.
On a different trip these two juvenile great horned owls were seen in a tree close bye to the bunker..
Juvenile great horned owls.
In the San Luis Valley of Colorado, potato storage bunkers/cellars play a crucial role in preserving the region’s abundant potato harvests. These bunkers are specially designed facilities that maintain optimal temperature and humidity levels to extend the shelf life of potatoes, preventing spoilage and sprouting. The valley’s high altitude and arid climate make it an ideal location for potato farming, and the storage bunkers ensure that the produce can be stored for months, allowing farmers to supply fresh potatoes year-round. These structures are often partially underground, leveraging the earth’s natural insulation properties to maintain a stable environment, which is essential for maintaining the quality and nutritional value of the potatoes.
Railway depot in Romeo, Colorado.
Romeo, Colorado.
A faded flag emblem on the side of a carriage at the Alamosa, railyards. Maybe I’ll make a post on images from the railyards soon.
The El Rito Mansion, on a Spring photo tour/workshop. Since this photo was taken, I’ve been in touch with the family and relatives who grew up here.
El Rito NM.
At the end of a good day of shooting, the soft twilight, on the Rio Grande Gorge, and Ute Mountain, NM. A hand held image shot in near darkness and lightened in Photoshop® to bring out the lavendar hues and highlight on the river.
Rio Grande Gorge, Ute Mountain, NM.
New growth on a pine tree in Arroyo Seco, NM. The new growth on the branches are a lighter green than the rest of the tree. Edited as a black and white image, this is what I came up with.
Pine tree, Arroyo Seco, NM.
As always, thanks for visiting and looking. Have a great week. G
Greetings from New Mexico. This week, a section of a very large elk herd in the San Luis Valley, and a few more scans from my Kodachrome 64 slide transparency collection. There were many more elk than I could fit in the panorama, in a different area of the fields. Still, you get the idea!
Onto other things. I found this scene amusing, the one guy looking up. I never did find out what he found so interesting.
Bodie Ghost Town, California.
A favorite quote from T.E. Lawrence of Arabia, Kodachrome 64 converted to black and white in Photoshop.
T.E. Lawrence quote 1985 on a building in Pasadena, CA.
This girl left her shoes and beach shovel and went for a run on Bamburgh beach.
Girl running on Bamburgh beach, UK
One of my jobs in the 1980s was photographing for the planning and development departments, among others. I had a lot of fun and really liked this picture when I took it and again today. Read more here in my bio.
St. Andrews and construction, Pasadena, CA
Another vintage-style poster/postcard created using three of my images, the car, adobe buildings, and a landscape with sunset, along with some prompts in AI, to create the graphic design.
Vintage style poster/postcard.
As always, thanks for looking. Have a great week. G
Thank you for a great year. Thanks for joining me here, for your support and friendship, and for joining me on one of my photo tour workshops. I hope everyone has a wonderful time. See you next week. G
Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week, cormorants roosting along the Rio Chama near Abiquiu, Taos Mountain, a favorite wild horse photo, and the Bisti Badlands near Chaco Canyon.
Twelve years ago, I created the piece below titled “Leaving the Roost.” Unfortunately, the original piece disappeared, so I spent an hour locating the original individual shots to recreate it. The piece measures 80″x80″ and is now ready to be sent to the printer. I particularly enjoy the ‘wild’ panorama stitching that follows the shape of the old cottonwood and how many cormorants utilize this tree. This one is for you, Larry H.
Cormorants leaving the roost along the Rio Chama, Abiquiu, NM
Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness near Chaco Canyon. Over the years, I’ve spent many months camping in this area. I think my first camping trip here was in 1989, when it was a wilderness study area. Here’s a petrified tree stump. Click on the photo to enlarge.
My shadow, an easy subject.
As always, thanks for looking. Have a great week. G
Let me know if you want to go to the Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness.
Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness is a designated wilderness area located in northwestern New Mexico, known for its unique and otherworldly landscape. This area is part of the larger San Juan Basin and is characterized by its striking badlands, which feature a variety of unusual geological formations.
Here are some key features of the Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness:
Hoodoos and Rock Formations: The wilderness is famous for its hoodoos—tall, thin spires of rock that protrude from the bottom of arid basins. These formations are created through the erosion of softer sedimentary rocks, leaving behind the harder rock formations.
Fossils: The area is rich in fossils, particularly from the Late Cretaceous period. Visitors can find petrified wood and fossils of ancient plants and animals, offering a glimpse into the region’s prehistoric past.
Colorful Landscape: The badlands are known for their vibrant colors, with layers of sedimentary rock displaying shades of red, orange, yellow, and gray. This colorful landscape is especially striking during sunrise and sunset.
Remote and Undeveloped: As a designated wilderness area, Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah is largely undeveloped and offers a sense of solitude and tranquility. There are no established trails or facilities, making it a destination for those seeking a more rugged and natural experience.
Photography and Exploration: The unique geological features and dramatic landscapes make Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah a popular destination for photographers and outdoor enthusiasts. The area provides ample opportunities for exploration and discovery.
Visitors to Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness should be prepared for a remote and challenging environment. It’s important to bring sufficient water, navigation tools, and be mindful of Leave No Trace principles to preserve the area’s natural beauty.
Greetings from New Mexico, the land of enchantment.. This week, scenes in the land of enchantment. Some say the land of entrapment. Once here, it’s hard to leave. I can attest to that statement. I first arrived here in 1984, moving here permanently in 1988. My friend, Harry you met last week, and his wife, Noreen, were two of the first people I met. It’s been 41 years this coming Thanksgiving.
Below is a piece I wrote about my first time on the High Road to Taos.
“In Thanksgiving week 1984, I made my first of many trips to New Mexico. On this occasion, five of us friends set out on a foggy morning from Santa Fe and made our way north on the high road to Taos. The sites and sounds on the streets of Santa Fe soon opened up to the immense vistas of mesas, and beyond to the Taos Volcanic Plateau.
We passed through the village of Chimayo, climbing the hill to Truchas (Spanish for Trout). Rapidly gaining elevation, the landscape changed to pristine hills of ponderosa pines and rust-colored tones of scrub oak in the undergrowth. Bare white highlights of lanky aspen punctuated the vast square miles of pine trees in the Carson National Forrest. Through the misty veil of condensation on the window, we were afforded more than a subtle hint of what autumn in the high country of New Mexico might have looked like one month earlier.
Leaving Truchas for Penasco, the fog set in. The temperature dropped in the sparsely populated, mountain communities of Las Trampas and Picuris. The colder air outside the car became magically enhanced from the aroma of piñon and juniper burning in the fireplaces of scattered homes. At this very moment… sometimes you just know it, the mystery of things unknown and northern New Mexico took a very palpable hold on me.
Not more than four years later, in the spring of 1988, that hold tightened and I moved to a small adobe building with two fireplaces, in Talpa, NM and began stockpiling five cords of wood for what promised to be a cold winter that year…“
The land of Enchantment, and every day I go to Town, I pass this scene of Taos Pueblo Peak. A little dusting of snow today with more promising accumulations tonight.
Taos Pueblo Peak.
Many places here in the Land of Enchantment never get old for me. You know this one!
Arroyo Hondo, Cottonwood.
Details in the land of enchantment, a tiny pine cone among this year’s fallen leaves.
Pine cone and leaves.
Costilla, New Mexico, located in the San Luis Valley, on the New Mexico/Colorado state line, is about as far north as one can go in this land of enchantment. No less enchanting, this area and its abandoned farms and buildings inspired John Nichols’ book, Milagro Beanfield War. The movie was filmed in Truchas on the High Road to Taos.
Costilla, NM.
New work in the making. “Three chairs and a tree.”
On the plateau in the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument.
As always, thank you for looking and all the kind words of support and compliments. Have a great week. G
