Fine Art Images from the American Southwest

Tag: San Luis Valley

San Luis Valley Farm, Colorado

San Luis Valley Farm, southern Colorado. The fields are tilled, the hawks are hunting for prey and a mate. The barn, unfortunately, falling into disrepair, is a future roost for the owls, hawks, and winter shelter for cattle. I will have numerous opportunities of subject matter for the next few years to come. Waiting for winter snows. Thanks for looking. G

San Luis Valley Farm, Colorado

High Desert Farming, Colorado

High desert farming in the San Luis Valley, Colorado. Center pivot irrigation fields dissect the space between earth and sky. They are a stark contrast between the subtle fall colors of the high desert landscape and circular fields. Thanks for looking. G

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Ute Mountain Field, Colorado

Ute Mountain field and pivot irrigator. I’m told it’s a field of the lowly canola oil plant, rapeseed! Ok … it was still a bright, sight of a surprise to encounter in the San Luis Valley, Colorado. The horizon and hedgerows held back this surprise view until we made a left turn at a four way stop intersection, headed east toward the Sangre de Cristos mountains, to a point where the road rose slightly revealing, Ute Mountain, the pivot irrigator and the field. Surprises every where out there. Thanks for looking. G

Ute Mountain Field

Hay Bales, A Graphic Composition, Colorado

Hay Bales, a graphic composition in Colorado. Sometimes it’s because I like the graphic nature of the scene, like this one. Thanks for looking. G

Hay Bales Colorado

Potato Cellar, San Luis Valley, Colorado

Potato Cellar, San Luis Valley, Colorado. When I came across the abandoned cellar I saw many angles and compositions, but the one that struck me the most was the burlap potato sacks left hanging over a wire. Out of all the remnants left behind in this place these were the only objects that represented, singularly and collectively, the sole nature of this place. There were many more objects that informed me a little about the original purpose of the potato cellar, but these burlap sacks left me knowing it’s exact purpose. Upon encountering this grouping I made a picture which conjured up an image of the last person to leave, the one who hung them over the wire and walked away. Thanks for looking. G

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Harold Anderson, Jaroso, Colorado

Harold Anderson. The inimitable, gracious… and, as gentlemanly as they come, Harold Anderson of Jaroso, Colorado. Thank you Harold for your generosity in allowing us access to your farm for photography. For regaling us with innumerable stories, the folklore of the San Luis Valley and for continuing, willingly, to pose for us. Cheers Harold. Geraint

Harold Anderson, Jaroso, Colorado

The Red Barn Revisited

The red barn revisited. This lovely barn, ensconced at the edge of a very large circular crop of potatoes, in the farming region of the San Luis Valley in southern Colorado, is a scene characteristic of countless rural areas across the globe.

As cultures, we share so many similarities. And as cultures we have so many differences that can separate us.

Yesterday three people from different walks of life met up to spend a day in the field photographing. Throughout the day, we reveled in the surrounding beauty of the landscapes, skies and architecture. Expressed multiple, diverse viewpoints, shared ideas, and created a variety of images based on personal views and experiences cultivated in life. Whether standing side by side, or exploring individual interpretations of a scene, we were constantly amazed at how much the solitary experience was enhanced by the collective view.  That said, no two images created were alike. At the end of the day we parted ways richer for the camaraderie we shared in and through photography. Thanks for looking. G

The Red Barn Revisited

Pivot Irrigator, Fort Garland, Colorado

Pivot Irrigator, Fort Garland, in the San Luis Valley, Colorado. When driving around the west, on the lookout for jaw dropping scenes to photograph, and add to the portfolio, sometimes I stop for an image that just happens to be there. In fact, when I look back through the years I find that I stop for a lot of images that “just happen to be there.” Over all the miles I’ve traveled, these images fill in the blanks, and connect the dots on the map I’ve created over the years. Thanks for looking, G.

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White House Ruin

White house ruin in the San Luis Valley, Colorado. Please indulge me with another posting from southern Colorado. This area intrigues me and draws me back often. This is one in a series of abandoned homesteads in Colorado and northern New Mexico. Thanks for looking. Gwhite_house_san_luis_2974-1671489

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Abandoned Potato Bunker

Potato bunker storage in the San Luis valley Colorado. It’s about the shadows and highlights and even with the open rafters the exposed air was moist and cool in the midday sun at this underground bunker. This image was made directly west, behind the homestead in the June 3, image. Finding evidence of the odd few pieces of living room furniture, potential lairs of snakes and other sundry reptiles, allowed us a glimpse into a latter day environment that served more than one generation and perhaps gave shelter to more than one species. Thanks for looking. G

potato bunker