Tag: Trees

Llama Trek, Moon And Antares. 08-06-2025

Geraint August 6, 2025 2 Comments

Greetings from New Mexico! This week, I’m revisiting the topic of llama trekking in New Mexico. Approximately twelve years ago, and again five years ago, I was assigned by AAA to cover stories on llama trekking adventures in the state. The first assignment led me, along with a guide and clients, up the Columbine Trail. This trail winds through the mountains, surrounded by wildflowers and lush meadows of tall grass. The second story took us on a different journey down a steep canyon trail into the Rio Grande Gorge. There, we enjoyed a leisurely day that included a long lunch, lounging and relaxing in chairs, with time spent exploring the local flora, fauna, and ancient petroglyphs.

Crossing the creek, Columbine Canyon, NM

Click here for the story on the AAA Rio Grande Gorge Trek

Some of the petroglyphs seen on the Rio Grande trip, mule deer and bighorn sheep.

Stay tuned for more on upcoming llama adventures.

A few nights ago, the moon was bright and, in some parts of the world, it occulted, passed in front of Antares, the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius.

In my region, what I observed was still fascinating, although I needed to take two separate photographs: one of the moon and another of the star Antares, which is named because it rivals the color of the planet Mars. However, Mars is no match for Antares in size; Antares is significantly larger.

Moon and Antares, NM — Moon and Antares, from the deck, San Cristobal, NM.

Here’s the moon’s occultation of Mars in 2023

And again in 2020.

Mars with Lunar occultation, 02-18-2020.

As always, thanks for looking and for all the comments and compliments. Have a wonderful week. G

Gallery Wall – 07-23-2025

Geraint July 23, 2025 2 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week, the gallery wall.

Repairing and painting windows, washing the dogs from all the mud brought on by the glorious rain that we’ve had in the area, and editing images for AAA Journeys Magazine brought me right up to now, with a few moments for my weekly website post. The real reason could be that I haven’t been on the road out shooting much over the last few weeks.

This image was taken in Cimarron, NM.

Enjoy!

gallery wall - "another interpretation". — Gallery Wall – “Another Interpretation”.

I found the Last Supper in this picture on a grave marker in the San Luis Valley, Colorado.

Gallery walls, Last Supper — The “Last Supper” held

I found this image of a sticker on a guardrail near a most pristine vista, the farthest removed location from a nervous breakdown.

Gallery Wall "Nervous breakdown". — Gallery Wall “Nervous breakdown”

I have two shows coming up, one in September and one next May, both at the Stables Gallery in Taos. I’ll post more on these events later.

Print of the week this week…(I missed a couple of weeks) in Cottonwood, Sunset Light.

I just received a new shipment of copies of my book. They make great gifts for those who love this area of New Mexico.

Book - Rio Grande del Norte-An Intimate Portrait — Rio Grande del Norte – An Intimate Portrait

As always, thanks for visiting and looking. Have a great week. G

Chair Work. New Work, 01-29-2025

Geraint January 29, 2025 8 Comments

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.

If you remember the images I posted from my show in October 2022 you’ll see where I’m going with my new pieces.

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 pieces, twenty one chairs Wild River RA — 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. — One chair in the aspens. 32″ x 40″ paper or canvas

Two white chairs with aspens — 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.

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.

As always. Thank you for looking. G

Out The Window This Week. 01-15-2025

Geraint January 15, 2025 6 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week “out the window”, the dining room, kitchen, and car window.

It’s cold outside, and because the view is there, and the indoor warmth kept me from venturing out, I thought, why not post the picture out the window, opportunity?

The first shot is from the kitchen window. When I open the window pane initially, a cold rush of air follows but I’m fast, and boom it’s done. This is our direct view when doing the dishes.

Columbine Hondo Wilderness, Out the window — Columbine Hondo Wilderness, out the kitchen window.

Then there’s the waxing moon rising out of the dining room window. Some months, it rises directly over the peak seen in the previous image. The full moon puts on quite a show from our vantage point in San Cristobal. The upside is that it’s like daylight in the house, so no nightlights are needed. The downside is that sleep can be elusive on such a night when it slaps you in the face shining through the transom windows and skylights.

On a drive to town two days ago I had to pull over fast for this shot of Lucero Peak, peaking through the clouds anchored by the cottonwood trees in the meadows, (El Prado). I shot it out the car window. I had time to pull over and wind down the window before it was gone. So fleeting like most things in life. You have to grab the opportunities when they arise.

Lucero Peak, El Prado, NM out the window of the car — Lucero Peak, El Prado, NM

And back home that evening out the dining room window as the sunset on my neighbor’s tree, with the mountains of the Columbine Hondo Wilderness in the clouds.

Out the window, my neighbors tree at sunset — Out the window, my neighbor’s tree at sunset.

Here are the phases of the moon calendar I use. Sometimes I need to refer to it but mostly it’s on my phone occupying space on my screen along with some night sky apps.

As always. Thanks for looking and all the kind words, comments, and compliments. Our family is healthy and warm. I wish the same for all. G

The Low Road To Taos, Dixon, NM. 01-08-2024

Geraint January 8, 2025 15 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week, a scene along the Low Road to Taos was shot last week in the shade of the canyon walls on a warm winter day in New Mexico. If there’s a high road to Taos, there must be a low road.

There is, and it runs along the Rio Grande in the Gorge from Santa Fe to Taos.

Here’s a historical photograph taken in the same location .

I made a quick stop in Dixon on a half-day High Road to Taos photo tour, which included a return trip through the Rio Grande Gorge.

Dixon cross/shrine — Roadside cross/shrine, Dixon, NM.

Here’s a picture taken in 2006, the same cross but someone flipped it around in this photo. My goodness time flies. 18 years went by fast.

Driving approximately six miles further north on the low road to Taos we rise out of the canyon and encounter the majestic view of the Rio Grande Gorge.

I shot the view below in the winter of 2014. I have many more images from this iconic location always in a different light.

Rio Grande gorge overlook — Rio Grande Gorge Overlook.

… and in a freshly fallen snow in 2014.

Rio Grande gorge overlook in fresh snow — Rio Grande Gorge in fresh snow.

Lastly, something to warm the heart and soul, is a flashback to an image from Christmas 1985 at the Taos Pueblo Bonfires held on Christmas Eve.

Taos Pueblo xmas eve bonfires — Taos Pueblo Bonfires held on Christmas Eve.

As always. Thank you for looking. To all my friends in southern California, stay safe, our thoughts are with you. And to everyone. Be well. G

Something Warm, Old, And Cold. 12-11-2024

Geraint December 11, 2024 12 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week something warm, old, and cold. It’s as simple as that. I apologize for a short post this week. I’ve been busy shipping and delivering copies of my books, including archival paper prints, large archival canvas prints, and stock images. I still have a few signed copies of my book from this latest shipment, that can reach you by the holidays if ordered this week. They are also available from the Museum of New Mexico Press.

Something warm… although it was a cold morning when I made this image in the Bosque del Apache NWR.

Warm light on a cold morning, Bosque del Apache NWR, New Mexico.

Something old … not quite dead. The photo was taken of one of Pami’s floral arrangements shot a couple of years ago. I added the aged photo technique using a phone app and Photoshop.

sunflower in the throes of decay — Sunflower in the throes of decay.

Something cold … and also old … is one of the first pictures I shot on my first DSLR in March 2004, a Canon Rebel, 6 Mega-Pixel, prior to that I was still scanning 35mm slide film and black and white negatives and shooting digital on a 3.3 Mega-Pixel Nikon Coolpix.

As always thanks for looking. Have a great week. G

Leaves, Lots Of Them. 11-20-2024

Geraint November 20, 2024 22 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week, Leaves. There are so many. They make for fun photo opportunities and good earth.

Pond Leaves — Leaves floating on a pond.

Garden San Cristobal — In the garden, San Cristobal.

Snow fall on maple — Snow on ornate maple.

… and on water in the rain.

Lastly a composite image, between seasons on Upper Ranchitos Road in Taos.

Mirror Image,Upper Ranchitos road — Between Seasons or when Seasons Collide.

As always, thank you for looking. Have a great week. G

Red Barn, Awesome Comet, Snow. 10-30-2024.

Geraint October 30, 2024 12 Comments

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 — Red barn with anthill and Ute Mountain, San Luis Valley Colorado.

If we ever get snow again the scene will look like this.

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.

Arroyo Hondo cottonwood, October29, 2024 — Arroyo Hondo Cottonwood, October 29, 2024.

The same scene on November 1, 2018.

This scene below is on our deck on October 27, 2020.

Snow cover on the deck, San Cristobal, October 27 2020 — Snow cover San Cristobal, October 27, 2020

As always, thanks for looking. Have a great week where you are. G

Powerful Bighorn Sheep, A Petroglyph, And More. 10-23-2024

Geraint October 23, 2024 12 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week, Bighorn sheep in the Wild Rivers Recreation Area, along with some random mages from the last few weeks. Autumn colors have been stunning this year, and I’ve been busy on photo tours with great photographers/clients. Now it’s time to settle in, light the fires, and enjoy the remaining colors and exceptional light around us.

These bighorn sheep in the Wild Rivers Recreation Area were head-butting each other. When I pulled up they stopped. The dogs had never seen anything like it.

*Bighorn Sheep, Wild and Scenic Rivers Recreation Area, NM.*

Avanyu. A water serpent petroglyph along the Rio Grande south of Taos.

The fall colors keep on giving in the woods near Hopewell Lake where I spent seven days this month.

That cottonwood tree in last weekend’s storm in Arroyo Hondo!

I was surprised to see these hardy plants thriving in the colder temperatures. It was the only group of this plant, that I spotted on my two-mile walk with the dogs.

*Blanket Flower, Wild and Scenic Rivers Recreation Area.*

I took a short drive on the night that nearly everyone in the northern hemisphere could see the aurora borealis. This was the view I had from the foothills behind our house. I used an iPhone and stitched six images together. The next evening I was prepared with a camera and tripod but the northern lights weren’t visible.

As always, thank you for looking. Have a great week where you are. G

In the Aspens, Fall In New Mexico. 10-01-2024

Geraint October 1, 2024 14 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week, in the aspens. It’s leaf-peeping time in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado. I hope you’re able to get out there. I’ll have six days on the road with wonderful friends and great clients.

I did some intentional camera movement (ICM) in the first few shots. I’ve done it before, no two pictures are alike.

All were shot around Hopewell Lake along Highway 64 in NM.

A favorite spot.

Aspens and cloud Cumbres Pass, Colorado — Aspens and Cloud, Cumbres Pass, Colorado.

As always, thanks for looking. I hope it’s a beautiful Fall/Autumn where you are. G