Nesting, Swainson’s Hawk, San Luis Valley

Geraint April 16, 2020 4 Comments

Nesting, Swainson’s Hawk, in the San Luis Valley, southern Colorado, from a few years ago now. I still head to this location but the nest and the tree are long gone. It feels much more remote than it used to without this tree. This was the only time I saw a hawk nesting here. I know that raptors abandon nests for the parasites to die off, only to return to it in another season. So it was wonderful when my friend Mark Collins and I spotted it occupied by this Swainson’s Hawk after a number of years. Stay safe and well in your nest. Thanks for looking. G

Red Barn, Revisiting, Under Rain Clouds

Geraint March 9, 2020 2 Comments

Red Barn. Revisiting this favorite old barn in the San Luis Valley to continue documenting it’s demise, this time under threatening rain clouds. It rained heavily, shortly after this shot, which sent me ducking quickly back into the car. It then snowed for a while on the way home. Not too bad a day, though, despite the weather on the road in southern Colorado. Thanks for looking. G

Winter, Hay Bales, San Luis Valley, CO

Geraint March 3, 2020 4 Comments

Winter, hay bales in the San Luis Valley, Colorado. Flash back to winter this time last year, 2019. These monumental structures are scattered around the San Luis Valley. Some are larger than this. Monolithic hay bales stacked very precisely. Stonehenge comes to mind… all tidied up! Thanks for looking. G

Blanca Peak Massif, Snow And Ice

Geraint January 14, 2020 8 Comments

Blanca Peak Massif, snow and ice, southern Colorado. I’ve been here before and it often looks like this in winter. It’s a gorgeous spot at the side of a back road where the wind blows something fierce when it wants to. It doesn’t look it, but it was 7˚ out there on this day. Thanks for looking. G

Winter Fields, Red Barn, San Luis Valley, Colorado

Geraint January 13, 2020 8 Comments

Winter fields, red barn, San Luis Valley, Colorado. This is one of the most fertile valleys, surrounded by ancient, extinct volcanoes, lava cones and scattered scenes like this one. Another in this series of barns and abandoned homesteads of the San Luis Valley. Thanks for looking. G

Valley Homestead, Beyond The Fence

Geraint January 7, 2020 4 Comments

Valley homestead, beyond the fence in the San Luis Valley. If you are familiar with my work and my website you’ll recognize this old dwelling. Over the years the fence has also featured prominently in my images. Someone, at some point in time, peeled back the barbed wire in order to get access to the building. Personally, I like to document these abandoned homesteads from pretty much the same perspective for continuity and posterity. Here’s another view. Thanks for looking. G

Red Barn, San Luis Valley, Where The Rain Gets In

Geraint December 30, 2019 2 Comments

Red Barn, San Luis Valley, where the rain and light gets in. So many holes in the roof and walls to fix. Barn’s letting in the light. Soon there will be only holes and no barn. Thanks for looking. G

Bunker View, White House, San Luis Valley

Geraint December 13, 2019 No Comments

Bunker view, of the white house in the San Luis Valley, Colorado. Winter in the valley is a special time of year. Peace, silence and solitude prevail. A perfect place to perfect the craft of photography. This is one of many potato storage bunkers, (root cellars) around the vast San Luis Valley. Thanks for looking. G

Iron Gate, Rust, Abandoned Homestead

Geraint November 20, 2019 2 Comments

Iron gate and rust at an abandoned homestead in the San Luis Valley. Every day the decay and deterioration by the elements continues. Derelict structures throughout the valley are bombarded by the sand borne winds. These same winds which helped create the Great Sand Dunes at a northerly corner of the valley. I’m playing with found rusted steel siding again and incorporating it into an image of a gate, that leads to one of the abandoned homes. Perhaps the steel had originally come from this home. Thanks for looking. G

Monte Vista NWR, CO, Bosque Del Apache, NWR, NM

Geraint November 17, 2019 2 Comments

Monte Vista NWR, CO, Bosque Del Apache, NWR, NM. The Sandhill Cranes head south from the northwest corner of the San Luis Valley, Colorado into New Mexico. Following the Rio Grande, as it winds it’s way through canyons, ancient pueblos and thick cottonwood bosques (woods), they pass through the states largest city Albuquerque. Navigating this way as they have for thousands of years they arrive at the nations premier wildlife refuge. At the Bosque del Apache they settle in for the long winter. The first photo is at Monte Vista, Colorado, in the afternoon. The second photo is from early morning at the Bosque del Apache, New Mexico. Thanks for looking. G

Geraint Smith Photography

Tag: San Luis Valley