Jemez Mountains, New Mexico, Winter Snow

In this photo, freshly fallen snow adorns the red rock buttes found in the Jemez Pueblo near the Walatowa Visitors Center in the Jemez Mountains, New Mexico. This fascinating feature of the Jemez Mountains, New Mexico (about 45 minutes outside of Albuquerque) is one of my favorite attractions in this quietly beautiful state. Striking red rock formations provide a backdrop for the picnic area on the Jemez Pueblo open to the general public. In the summer, local vendors serve delicious fry bread and other Native American dishes. Camera: Pentaz K110D, Pentax 28-105mm lens, converted from raw using Bibble 5 Lite.

Old Ford F-100 Pick-Up Truck, New Mexico

This photo shows a charming old Ford F-100 pick-up truck nestled in a dilapidated barn in the Jemez Mountains, New Mexico. It has that sunburned, timeless, grizzled charm that perfectly represents the spirit of New Mexico. I do miss this place . . .

Old Adobe & Window, Chama, New Mexico. New Mexico has been very good to me. The three years I lived here were some of the most delightful of my life. There was always something to explore or discover, and history lives in its landscapes and old buildings. This old adobe window was photographed during a day spent exploring. I originally intended to head towards Taos from Albuquerque, took a wrong turn somewhere, and wound up in Chama. It was one of those delightful accidents that leads to interesting discoveries. I remember seeing this window across from an old church I was photographing, and was struck by its rich textures and somber tones. This image was shot in early 2005 with my first ‘serious’ digital camera, a Panasonic Lumix FZ3.

Route 66 Shack In Blue. This scene was captured along the old Route 66 near Acoma (Sky City), New Mexico. I had spent the afternoon tracing Old Route 66 from Albuquerque to Grants. It was just after a brief rainstorm. The sky was clearing rapidly, leaving behind cleanly scented air, and this wonderful blue/cyan sky. This old shack, a remnant of the old Route 66, was awash with the gentle watercolors of this delightful early evening. If you take away the casinos, these rural stretches of New Mexico remain timeless. I still smile when I reflect on the amazing experiences I enjoyed during my three years of residence in New Mexico. For a hopelessly urbane New Yorker, this was a living dream. Being in this place, at this moment, was better than any movie!

Camera: Nikon D40, 18-55mm kit lens.

Native American Woman, Santa Fe, New Mexico. When I first started to take photography seriously, I rarely photographed people, preferring to shoot landscapes. However, this photo of a Native American Vendor in Santa Fe, New Mexico was irresistible. I had visited Santa Fe for the day, and was walking to my car for the trip home. It was near sunset, with warm gentle light giving rich texture and color to the Adobe walls of downtown Santa Fe. In a quick moment, I saw this woman standing by a vendor’s stand that was being dismantled for the evening. She was not doing anything of note. However, the way the light draped the shadows in her face made for a wonderful character study. Even the lines of her sweatshirt were softened and draped by the warm tones of twilight. In a split second I aimed the camera and captured this pose. Unaware, she walked away in the very next moment. This capture feels like the work of a painters brush, yet it is a wonderful combination of light and character that lasted only for a second or two. It remains, to this day, one of my favorite images, and a wonderful souvenir of my time spent in New Mexico.

This was captured with a Panasonic FZ3, an early digital “point and shoot” I purchased when I started developing a love for photography. You don’t need a technically perfect camera to capture great photos. An interesting subject and the right light is far more important than the technical prowess of what you shoot with.

Canadian Geese, Rio Grande, Albuquerque. This photo shows one of the migratory visitors to the Rio Grande in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Rio Grande Nature Center provides this protected marshland for local and migratory birds. Home to over 50 species of birds, the Rio Grande Nature Center attracts birders and other locals who enjoy these quiet marshlands.

Camera: Nikon D40, Nikon 55-200mm VR lens.

Red Rock & Snow, New Mexico. This photo shows three of my favorite natural elements on a beautiful New Mexico day: Red rock, snow, and a bluer than blue New Mexico sky. This was captured in the Jemez Mountains about 40 minutes outside of Albuquerque (between Albuquerque and Santa Fe) during a typically mild winter day. Camera: Pentax K110D, kit lens.

Jemez Before The Storm. This scene was captured in the Jemez Mountains, on the Jemez Pueblo in New Mexico. It shows the red rock buttes near the Walatowa Visitors Center as seen during an impending storm. I love storm light for the dramatic mood it can add to a photo. However, being in the mountains with a 6 foot metal tripod fully extended as lightning flashes around you is not a smart idea. Therefore, I was not out photographing for too long here. This was shot with my favorite landscape camera, the humble Nikon D40, and the 18-55mm kit lens.

Jemez, New Mexico. This photo, shot on negative film with my old Minolta SRT-101 more than six years ago, depicts a bit of the quiet beauty that draws me to New Mexico. Captured in the Jemez Mountains, it shows red rock buttes in the Jemez Pueblo near the Walatowa Visitors Center.

Soda Dam, Jemez River. I often use the phrase “quiet-beauty” when referring to the charms of New Mexico. There are few dramatic flourishes in nature here. Its beauty tends to be more placid, like this scene captured on an overcast day in the Jemez Mountains. It shows the fast moving Jemez River as it courses towards Soda Dam, on the other side of this embankment. Soda Dam is a natural hot springs that heats the Jemez River water as it courses through and adds rich mineral deposits. Camera: Nikon D40, kit lens.