Author: santafeandme.photos + forgottendreams.photos

Ayla and Joey

This is not what I expected to be photographing. But the light was so unuusal and these little guys seemed as intrigued by the show as I was. So they became my subject. Meet Ayla and the black and white, Joey. They were both feral cats that I found at 2 different animal shelters, one in Santa Fe and the other in Albuquerque.

It can take quite a while before feral cats acclimate to a settled life. But with patience, it works. Joey was part of a large pack of feral cats that were living in Albuquerque, New Mexico. There’s a nice group of people down there who do their best to rescue these animals and find them homes. Life on the streets is lethal. Out of a pack of about 11, Joey was the last one to survive. He’d been with a buddy for a year or so and then he “disappeared” as well leaving Joey alone. I found him at the Humane Society in Albuquerque.

I’ve had Joey now for just a little over 2 years. All I had to provide was shelter, food and water for him. I did that and he has domesticated himself. I went looking for him in the first place, because the other cat you see here, Ayla (also a feral rescue) had just lost her buddy (Champ) of 10 years. She mourned incessantly after he died; So much so that I was determined to find her a new friend. Anyway, I’m rambling here, but it’s a lovely story with a happy ending. These two have bonded to each other and, of course, I’ve bonded to them. We’re a pack.

Ayla
Joey

No one can tell me that animals do not have rich and deep emotional lives. Ayla was inconsolable until Joey came along.

Here is Ayla in 2017 with her best buddy, Champ, in front of my garage. Just behind them is a little door which gave them free access in and out. It took a while for Joey to trust that. A neighbor snapped this picture and shared it with me. You can see how bonded to each other they were.

Santa Fe and Me
Seize the Image

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2 responses to “Ayla and Joey”

  1. Tim Harlow Avatar
    Tim Harlow

    Thanks for these touching photos of your furry family. They are both adorable. We have two rescues now, and they are both so loving. The more I am around animals, the more I realize that we are all pretty much the same, well except for the thumbs and fur.

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    1. Avatar
      Anonymous

      Thanks Tim. I feel the same way. Obviously. Glad you liked the post.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

Morning Views in New Mexico

We’ve had some interesting weather of late. I guess that life must be good if I’m talking about the weather. The views here continue to attract and intrigue.

And talk about intrigued. I am fascinated by the ways in which Fuji cameras interpret color. Specifically, I’m working with the Fuji X-T5. That’s a new camera (for me) which I’m testing out here. These 2 images are pretty much straight out of the camera as HIFs with just a little tweaking to see how much the file will tolerate.

After shooting mostly with Sony, this camera is quite a change and a welcome one frankly. This cropped sensor Fuji with its dense megapixel count is amazing. Check out its specs. It has been out for a couple of years. For me it’s a keeper.

And another thing. Has anyone noticed how truly fantastic the HIF format is? I don’t know, but I think HIF rivals a Raw file. They take up less room than a JPEG, yet contain more information. And they are very amenable to editing. It takes a lot of pushing before the HIFs begin to fall apart. Having said how great they are, I’m not about to give up shooting RAW files…at least for now.

Santa Fe and Me
Seize the Image

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Christmas Medley: Santa Fe 2024

This is an annual event which I simply cannot resist posting each year. Every year we go down to the center of Santa Fe to see this light show. And every year we say, “Wow, this is the best year ever!” And it’s funny, because even after all these years, it never seems to grow old.

This time I was trying out the Sony A7riii with a Voightlander f1.2 lens. Conclusion: It sees in the dark. Actually, it sees better than I do in the dark. Happy New Year to all.

Rating: 3 out of 3.
This lady shows up every year, decorated with luminaria. It wouldn’t be the same without her.

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One response to “Christmas Medley: Santa Fe 2024”

  1. Tim Harlow Avatar
    Tim Harlow

    Very cool! This looks like a lot of fun.

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Text and Image: Snow Blast

When it snows here, it is quite a spectacle. First of all, a really heavy snowfall is fairly unusual. But for this particular event, it started snowing in the afternoon and kept on for a couple of days. We only ended up with a couple of feet, but it looked like Antarctica the whole time. I stayed inside because I had no choice, and baked cookies…the perfect activity on days like that.

“Text Gone Wild” Gallery

Rating: 3 out of 3.

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Text and Image: Goats

Goats intrigue me. Out here where I live people use them for weed control. That’s a nice symbiotic relationship. But watch out for the Pyrenees dogs who guard them. Honestly, I’ve never had an experience quite like that with a dog. Those dogs have a “bead” on you when you’re 40 yards out. Move in closer and the entire body language changes and you will know in no uncertain terms that you should turn back, now! Immediately! Well, Mr. Dog Guard, lets see what you can do with a 700mm lens.

“Text Gone Wild” Gallery

Rating: 3 out of 3.

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Graffiti, Signs and Murals (d): Santa Fe NM

I often walk past this area because I like the textures, light and structure of these older dwellings. And look what I found here one time. It reminds me of a close-up of a micro chip or a transistor, or something like that. This is also another style that I’ve found before. I wish they would sign these. But I guess what would defeat the whole idea of “stealthy art”.

Rating: 3 out of 3.

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Graffiti, Signs and Murals (c): Santa Fe NM

Plaintiff spirit? This little guy, or those similar to him show up from time to time. There’s a similarity in style, so it’s probably the same tagger. People do stop to check these out. I always wonder what they are thinking! The city lets these stay around for quite a while before steam-blasting them off. The place would be covered if they didn’t. And maybe that’s part of their charm. Here today. Gone tomorrow.

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Graffiti, Signs and Murals (b): Santa Fe NM

This is a style of graffitized fun that I’ve seen in several places. Sometimes it’s really small, hidden in a corner somewhere.

Rating: 3 out of 3.

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Graffiti, Signs and Murals (a): Santa Fe NM

This city is full of interesting graffiti, signs and murals. Sometimes I can’t really say which is which. They are usually creative and show up in the oddest places, usually overnight, like crop circles. I’ve gotten to recognize certain styles and figure that it must be the same artist creating them. Others are one-offs. Signage is pretty straightforward, but it too can cross the line between mural and sign.
Anyway, what I’m getting at with this long ramble, is:
I’m fascinated by them.

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Text and Image: Is Santa Claus Dead?

There was something poignant about this image. And I found it shortly after reading about an Avant Garde performance which had taken place at the White House, or nearby. What was so Avant Garde about it? An enormous, fully decorated, live Christmas tree was exploded, set on fire and burned to the ground as sophisticated guests and diplomats applauded and cheered with glee. Morons all. Excuse me, but I fail to see the artistic merit of it, or the free speech aspect of it, since the artist was from China. You don’t have to be religious to object.

“Text Gone Wild” Gallery

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3 responses to “Text and Image: Is Santa Claus Dead?”

  1. Ronit Penso Tasty Eats Avatar
    Ronit Penso Tasty Eats

    Wow, I’ve never heard of this “event”. You’re right. You definitely don’t have to be religious to object. Despicable.

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    1. Avatar
      Anonymous

      Sometimes I think that I’m the only one who thinks this way. Desecration of a culture or cultural icons of any ethnic group should be a giant Thou Shall Not. And I’m one of the least religious people out there.

      Thanks for the comment and the out-of-this-world great recipes on your website. Creative, artistic and a ball to visit. More please.

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      1. Ronit Penso Tasty Eats Avatar
        Ronit Penso Tasty Eats

        Same here! I’m applaud by how barbarian parts of our society have become. It’s revolting. I do hope people will understand how destructive this is, before it’s too late.

        Thank you for your wonderful encouraging compliments. Highly appreciated! 🙂

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Text and Image: Santa Fe Railyard

The Railyard in Santa Fe is a place rich with photographic potential. But it’s much more than just a railyard. Interesting shops and bistros are also a lovely feature of this area. But I always end up getting up close with the rail cars. There are some vintage cars as well that are still in operation. This is the first time that I’m cropping an image. We’ll see where that leads.

“Text Gone Wild” Gallery

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Text and Image: The Cold Streets of Santa Fe

I didn’t expect to be shooting that day. I was just walking around, having decided that what I wanted more than anything, was a cup of hot coffee. Just around the corner down there is a nice little coffee shop and that’s where I was headed. With this image I decided to NOT have the type sweep over the entire image. That’s something I’ll play around with. I tried it both ways and I like it both ways. But this is new, so experimentation is the name of this game, so far.

“Text Gone Wild” Gallery

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Text and Image: The Gates of Santa Fe

Architectural detail is one of my favorite subjects. There is always a lot of geometry embedded there, pattern and texture, all of which I find endlessly alluring.

“Text Gone Wild” Gallery

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One response to “Text and Image: The Gates of Santa Fe”

  1. tanjabrittonwriter Avatar
    tanjabrittonwriter

    Beautiful. I also love taking photos of doors.

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Text and Image: Pecos National Monument

I packed up the van back in the Spring to visit Pecos National Monument. And even though it’s only about an hour from my home, I’d never been. There is an eery silence about the place. It’s remote, isolated and full of Native American and Spanish history, none of it good. This image shows a Spanish church from the late 1500’s if memory serves. It was partly destroyed during one of the Indian Revolts. Spanish rule sought to completely upend traditions that had been in place for thousands of years. The phrase, “Clash of civilizations” doesn’t do justice to what occurred throughout the American Southwest for more than a hundred years.

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Text and Image: Lamy Railroad Station

Something a little different has snuck into my workflow. There is always a story that is an integral part of every photograph I have here. I don’t know how it happened, but I started writing over and through the images and I liked it. So there. Here it is. Because they’re so different from everything else up to now, I’ve decided to gather them all together into a separate page. They seemed to want a home of their own. This has just started, so there are only the two of them. But I have a hunch that more will follow. But I’ll continue to post new ones into the Blog as well.

“Text Gone Wild” Gallery

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2 responses to “Text and Image: Lamy Railroad Station”

  1. tanjabrittonwriter Avatar
    tanjabrittonwriter

    An interesting way to combine word and image.

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    1. Avatar
      Anonymous

      Thanks. It’s an interesting bit of exploration for me.

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Land of Enchantment, New Mexico

The official name for New Mexico is “Land of Enchantment”. It’s even on our license plates. That name is probably due to the ancient civilizations that lived, and still live, here. In addition there’s that incredible light, dramatic always-new skies and craggy-spiney landscape. So I had some fun with interpreting that here. The last photo of Pegasus, is typical of what you might find on any rural road in this state. Well, truth be told, most of the roads are rural. But people here like to make their own art and then proudly display it. That’s great for me because I like to proudly view it and photograph it.

Happy Trails Everyone.

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One response to “Land of Enchantment, New Mexico”

  1. Avatar
    Anonymous

    It certainly looks enchanted. Good job on the photographs.

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Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico

A couple of days ago, we packed up the Winnebago van and headed up to Bandelier National Monument. I’m still getting used to the Nikon P950, and in a place like this, it was a great choice. This is big country with distances that seem to stretch out to eternity.
    This was once a thriving community. As one of the visitors noted, at the time that Chaucer was writing The Canterbury Tales, this culture was at its peak; and they were trading with other cultures many hundreds of miles away. In case it isn’t obvious, I couldn’t get enough of this place. It is calm, ethereal and inspiring. Words can’t quite describe it, but maybe some of these photos will, at least a bit.
    The light was flat with lots of glare, but still, I think for a small sensor camera, the P950 made a good showing of what it’s capable of….especially when trying to take some photos of the mule-eared deer, which were clearly used to visitors.


Happy Trails Everyone.

Rating: 3 out of 3.

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Testing Nikon P950 Zooooom!

This camera has been tempting me for quite some time. I realize that it’s only a small sensor, but that zoom has been enticing. I finally got a chance to try it out and I am impressed. These are the first shots.

It’s the size of a large DSLR, but because it’s mostly composite, I found it to be rather lightweight. I could easily carry it all day. I had tried the Lumix version of this, not nearly the same focal length, but still in the same category of SuperZoom. What can I say? I just didn’t like the User Interface of the Lumix. It felt clumsy and I always ended up distracted and annoyed by it. It did take great pictures though. This P950, however, operates like a dream. Everything seems to be in the right place and well thought out.

I haven’t tried any JPEGs because I’m rarely satisfied with those results. Plus, I enjoy “Post” too much. So these two images were RAW at 100 ISO. That equals an optimum setup for this camera, or any small sensor. Of course what you see here has been crushed and re-purposed to fit on the web. But in the original, I could easily get a gorgeous 8×10 print out of it and you’d be hard pressed to guess what camera, or what sensor size, produced it.

I like the snap-back feature which will quickly give me a wider view when I’m at extreme telephoto range. I can reframe, let go of that button, and presto, I’m focused exactly on the spot I wanted.

This crow photo was amazing to me. I could hardly see a black dot in the top of a pine tree that turned out to be this bird. This shot is at maximum zoom or very close to. Stabilization is rated at 5+ stops. I don’t think that’s an exaggeration although a monopod would be helpful.

Living out here in the land of petroglyphs and rock formations, I think I’ll have a great time using this camera. There is a place for it. Will it replace the Nikon Z50? Of course not.

Happy Trails Everyone.

Rating: 3 out of 3.

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Pecos Historical Park, NM

Two days ago we packed up the van and headed out to this amazing site in New Mexico. It’s called Pecos National Historical Park. It was sublime.

Rating: 3 out of 3.

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Texture Supreme

This place is about two things, light and texture. Both are amazing. I never tire of the light and texture-play that lives right outside my front door. Nothing more to say.

Rating: 3 out of 3.

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Magic of Morning Light

In case you didn’t believe me. There’s the garbage can, ready to go.

Here’s something not-romantic. Today was garbage day. I told you it wasn’t thrilling. But what was thrilling is what the light was doing as I walked out there very early this morning. I decided to leave the images in color because it was those golden hues that caught my eye. That and the strong light and dark areas. Even something as mundane as taking out the garbage can turn out to be inspiring.

Rating: 3 out of 3.

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One response to “Magic of Morning Light”

  1. Priti Avatar
    Priti

    Beautiful! 👌

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Santa Fe Christmas: The Plaza

This is an annual event which I simply cannot resist posting each year. Every year we go down to the center of Santa Fe to see this light show. And every year we say, “Wow, this is the best year ever!” Here are the shots from yesterday, Saturday, December 22nd 2023. Photographically, I wanted to see what the Nikon Z50 with THE KIT LENS would do under these conditions. I was amazed that I got anything. Next test: the Canyon Road Walk on Christmas Eve.

Rating: 3 out of 3.

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One response to “Santa Fe Christmas: The Plaza”

  1. Graham Stephen Avatar
    Graham Stephen

    Happy Holidays!

    💫✨🌟🎄🌟🪩🌟🎄✨💫

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Mostly Brrrr!

cold winter skies
Galisteo Preserve Wilderness Area, NM

People always think of Santa Fe, New Mexico as a really hot environment. Summers are usually pleasant but Winter can be gripping…dark and dramatic and very cold at times.

Rating: 3 out of 3.

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4 responses to “Mostly Brrrr!”

  1. Tim Harlow Avatar
    Tim Harlow

    Beautiful as usual. Happy Holidays!

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    1. Avatar
      Anonymous

      Thanks and Happy Holiday to you and yours!

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  2. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Thanks for your beautiful photos. I’ve only been to Santa in Autumn great weather and loved the countryside. Best for Christmas.

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    1. Avatar
      Anonymous

      Thanks and Merry Christmas to you. Am looking forward to The Canyon Road Walk on Christmas Eve.

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Holiday in the Plaza

Here in Santa Fe, all of our big holidays take place in the Plaza. It’s charming and becomes packed with people, kids, strollers, dogs, and geeks like me with a camera. These photos are all from the recent 4th of July celebration. That’s an annual celebration in the Plaza with plenty of good food and interesting booths set up with artwork and jewelry. I wouldn’t miss it!

Rating: 3 out of 3.

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One response to “Holiday in the Plaza”

  1. Pepper Avatar
    Pepper

    Fun street photography. I especially enjoyed the feature photo, so cute. 😊

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Exploring Back Roads

Here’s something I love to do….load up the camper van with dogs, food, photo gear and go explore the thousands of miles of back roads in this State of New Mexico. Sometimes I end up at altitude, like the lone tree shot you see here. Other times, I just pull over…because this State has lots of pull-off areas…and just walk around and see what I can see! I like to process the photos in the van. But before I do that, I make some nice meal right there inside of the camper van. It’s perfect for these kinds of adventures. The dogs are really happy in there too. That’s all for now.

Rating: 3 out of 3.

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3 responses to “Exploring Back Roads”

  1. Jan Whitaker Avatar
    Jan Whitaker

    Beautiful photography!

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    1. Santa Fe and Me Avatar
      Santa Fe and Me

      Thanks Jan!

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  2. Jyothi Avatar
    Jyothi

    Beautiful!!

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Waking Up to Antarctica

This part of New Mexico really got hit hard with this storm (Feb ’23). It was wetter snow than is usual for this place, weighing the trees down to the snapping point. Normal snow is so light that you can literally blow it away….makes for some nice skiing. There is more on the way combined with some high winds. It not only looks like Antarctica, it feels like it, and sounds like it!

Rating: 3 out of 3.

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8 responses to “Waking Up to Antarctica”

  1. Pepper Avatar
    Pepper

    Oh, that doesn’t sound good at all. Be careful.

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  2. Ronit Penso Tasty Eats Avatar
    Ronit Penso Tasty Eats

    At least you got these beautiful photos! 🙂

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  3. Tim Harlow Avatar
    Tim Harlow

    Absolutely beautiful! I have a bit of a technical question for you, and I hope you don’t mind me asking.

    Your monochromes are always so incredible. Do you shoot in black and white or convert the image in processing? Ok, two questions. In your final finish, are you applying any filters, like a warming or cooling filter? Very curious. Thanks!

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    1. Avatar
      Anonymous

      Hi, At times I apply a light warming filter only because that’s what this place feels like. Sepia-like is the tonality of the place. I do shoot in full color. I don’t want the camera’s algorithm deciding that for me. Then I use Photoshop for the B+W. I also use dodging and burning at times. And I try NOT to crop any image and usually don’t. The modern cameras do allow me to change the aspect ratios and I like having that choice. But that’s about all I do. If I have to spend too much time with a photo, I get rid of it. Any “tweaks” I need to make have to be minor and fast or else I lose patience with it and consider it an inferior image, not worthy of any more effort to “rescue” it. IMAGE>DELETE.

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      1. Tim Harlow Avatar
        Tim Harlow

        Thanks! I appreciate the insight. Glad to know you shoot in color as I do the same, then use the Photoshop as well. I do love your photos.

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  4. Steve Avatar
    Steve

    Some of your photos have an infrared look. Very nice and great composition!

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    1. Santa Fe and Me Avatar
      Santa Fe and Me

      Thank you Steve!

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  5. Jyothi Avatar
    Jyothi

    Great composition!! Loved it!

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The Drama is Too Much

Some of these photographic experiences can be quite “arresting” for me, even as I am just looking through the viewfinder. The skies here are so grand and imposing at times that it will make anyone feel microscopic in importance. Maybe that’s a good thing….once in a while.

Rating: 3 out of 3.

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4 responses to “The Drama is Too Much”

  1. Pepper Avatar
    Pepper

    These are wonderful. 😊👏🏽

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  2. Tim Harlow Avatar
    Tim Harlow

    You always have such beautiful photos. I especially love the one with the house and stop sign.

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    1. Avatar
      Anonymous

      Thanks. I think that’s my favorite too. It’s so quiet here and that image seemed to convey that.

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      1. Tim Harlow Avatar
        Tim Harlow

        🙂

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Two @ 10,000 feet

High altitude landscapes

The skies at higher altitudes become blue-black. We see that a lot here because we are routinely skiing at 12,000 feet. These two shots, however, were taken a little lower down the mountain, at around 10,000 feet. But the skies are still dark on a sunny day. Here’s what I saw yesterday at our local ski area. Still using the Sony a5100 for the ultimate in portability.

It’s only recently occurred to me that I seem to be responding to “letterforms” in the landscape. Sounds weird, but there’s something to it. I have another website where I allow myself to cut loose on that attraction and simply dig into the intersecting angels and shapes found in all letters, typography. There must be some linkage between many of my photographs and that interest/attraction to type.

By the way, if you’re curious to see something completely differently from this site, you can check out typomania.us. I never noticed, or thought about, the possible connection between the pursuits in “typomania” and this website.

Well, ain’t life interesting?

Rating: 3 out of 3.

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Dawn Patrol, First Light

Ski photography Santa Fe New Mexico

When you get up to the mountains early in the morning and early in the season, you’ll find the most dramatic lighting and shadows. Those peaks you see here are over 12,000 feet high. I like taking shots from the different chairlifts just for the vantage point. But that does create technical issues (aside from freezing hands that is). Naturally, there’s a lot of movement in all directions. Of course that can be countered, somewhat, with a high shutter speed. And it’s so intensely bright up there that I can leave the ISO at 100 for this camera….the Sony A5100. Yeah, it’s one of those “older” cameras, but it’s great for up here. It’s basically an APS-C sensor with a lens attached. Keep it warm and safe between shots and it just keeps on going. I can’t lug large kit up the mountain and this little gem is perfect. Brrrr, it’s cold up there, dress warmly.

Rating: 5 out of 3.

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4 responses to “Dawn Patrol, First Light”

  1. Pepper Avatar
    Pepper

    Lovely contrasts of light and shadows. 😊

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  2. harrienijland Avatar
    harrienijland

    Fine set!

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  3. Tim Harlow Avatar
    Tim Harlow

    Beautiful!

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  4. Robin King Avatar
    Robin King

    WOW!!! Spectacular! I ♥️ these! 👏👏👏👏👏

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Santa Fe Christmas Eve: Canyon Road 2022

Every year this very long road in the middle of Santa Fe, lights up for Christmas. And many of the people do the same. Lots of “walking Christmas trees” to be found there, cleverly disguised as human beings. Canyon Road draws people from everywhere because it’s renowned for the high quality art galleries. I’ve included one or two photos of that here.

A photographer from the Santa Fe New Mexican was on assignment to document the festivities. He wanted to photograph a group of us who were wearing particularly ostentatious lights. And of course I had to get into a conversation about his gear. And that gear was impressive! You’ll see a shot of it in the gallery.

From a technical point of view, this is a difficult assignment even though it’s filled with lights, color and motion. You’re being jossled every step of the way. But everyone is having a great time, often bursting into song at the sight of some light display that evokes song! This whole scenario puts any camera and photographer to the test. I was using a full-frame Sony with an f/1.8 lens. I don’t think it would be possible any other way. I had ISO on Auto, which I normally detest, but there’s no choice in these conditions. I learn a lot everytime I pick up the camera; and I guess that’s what it’s all about.

Well, Merry Christmas everyone, ’til next year.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

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7 responses to “Santa Fe Christmas Eve: Canyon Road 2022”

  1. Ronit Penso Tasty Eats Avatar
    Ronit Penso Tasty Eats

    Beautiful photos! Thanks for sharing.
    Happy Holidays! 🙂

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    1. Santa Fe and Me Avatar
      Santa Fe and Me

      Happy New Year. Looking forward to more of your posts!

      Liked by 1 person

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  2. Greta DH Avatar
    Greta DH

    Quite an event on Christmas Eve! Beautiful captures, thanks for sharing.
    Happy Holidays!

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    1. Santa Fe and Me Avatar
      Santa Fe and Me

      Thanks and Happy New Year to you!

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  3. Robin King Avatar
    Robin King

    What amazing images! I can only imagine what it took to get them. They’re absolutely glowing with life and celebration! WOW!!!! 👏👏👏👏👏

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  4. Tim Harlow Avatar
    Tim Harlow

    Thank you for the beautiful photos. Hope your Christmas was wonderful.

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    1. Avatar
      Anonymous

      Christmas: My favorite holiday and it was lovely from start to finish. I got into a little bit of trouble with a Bouche de Noel, if you’re familiar with that low-cal confection. Hope your Christmas was good was too!

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Beginning To Look a Lot Like Christmas!

Santa Fe likes to dress up for Christmas. This is the central part of the town and every tree and every building are wearing their finest Christmas attire.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

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  1. Tim Harlow Avatar
    Tim Harlow

    Beautiful!

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    1. Santa Fe and Me Avatar
      Santa Fe and Me

      Thanks!

      Liked by 1 person

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      1. Tim Harlow Avatar
        Tim Harlow

        You’re welcome!

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  2. Tim Harlow Avatar
    Tim Harlow

    I assume being in New Mexico that the town puts out luminarios on Christmas Eve? I grew up in El Paso, and they were so many around town.

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    1. Santa Fe and Me Avatar
      Santa Fe and Me

      Oh yes indeed. They’ve had the luminarias up since the day after Thanksgiving. That’s the tradition here. The Plaza gets all lighted up the evening after Thanksgiving and everyone packs in there to hear the countdown after sunset, and then WOW, they turn on all those gorgeous lights. Everyone loves it.

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      1. Tim Harlow Avatar
        Tim Harlow

        That’s awesome! Merry Christmas to you.

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  3. Robin King Avatar
    Robin King

    How lovely! Each photo looks a sparkling portrait of Christmas. Extraordinary! 👏👏♥️👏👏

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The Fog Rolled In

This variety of magic is quite common in the Autumn mornings, but only for a couple of weeks. So get up early and watch as the sun gently illuminates the landscape. Early morning fog can be mysterious and yet also calming. I saw this and was glad the camera was nearby. This is not like the usual photos I post. Northern New Mexico is a “contrasty” place due to the high altitude and almost constant sun.

Rating: 3 out of 3.

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13 responses to “The Fog Rolled In”

  1. AT SUNNYSIDE - WHERE TRUTH AND BEAUTY MEET Avatar
    AT SUNNYSIDE – WHERE TRUTH AND BEAUTY MEET

    Your photos are works of art. I have been studying them and learning a lot about composition. Thanks so much! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Santa Fe and Me Avatar
      Santa Fe and Me

      Thanks so much. Merry Christmas to you!

      Liked by 1 person

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      1. AT SUNNYSIDE - WHERE TRUTH AND BEAUTY MEET Avatar
        AT SUNNYSIDE – WHERE TRUTH AND BEAUTY MEET

        Merry Christmas to you, also! 😎🎄

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  2. Greta DH Avatar
    Greta DH

    Perfect photography!

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    1. Santa Fe and Me Avatar
      Santa Fe and Me

      Thanks and Merry Christmas to you and yours.

      Liked by 1 person

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      1. Greta DH Avatar
        Greta DH

        Merry Christmas as well to you and your family and friends.

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  3. harrienijland Avatar
    harrienijland

    Fine set!

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  4. Tim Harlow Avatar
    Tim Harlow

    Those are really beautiful photos! Happy Holidays to you!

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  5. Pepper Avatar
    Pepper

    These are lovely. 😊

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    1. Santa Fe and Me Avatar
      Santa Fe and Me

      Thanks!

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      Reply
  6. Robin King Avatar
    Robin King

    They twinkle! Incredible beauty…thank you for showing these to the world! 👏♥️👏♥️👏

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    1. Santa Fe and Me Avatar
      Santa Fe and Me

      Thank you! And Happy New Year!

      Liked by 1 person

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      1. Robin King Avatar
        Robin King

        Thank you! 🎉Happy New Year🎉 to you, too!

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Gloom But No Doom!

This place is sunny and bright about 98% of the time. But when the sun sets, things can get pretty dramatic. Also, when it gets gloomy, it really gets gloomy. But we never have more than a day of that, so I have to move fast to capture the theatrical lighting. That’s me with my dog in the top photo. She’s learned to stand still when Mom is photographing.

Best Black and White Photography

Rating: 0 out of 3.

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2 responses to “Gloom But No Doom!”

  1. Tim Harlow Avatar
    Tim Harlow

    Beautiful as usual. I so love your work.

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  2. Robin King Avatar
    Robin King

    Oh, marvelous!! 👏👏👏

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Best Photographs of 2022

Vanishing Points

What is it about “vanishing points” that draws us in? I’m talking more about the emotional level of it. Of course the eye will follow a line like that out to the horizon, but there’s more to it than that. I know there’s more to it when I’m photographing it. Maybe it’s that we all disappear into eternity? So I’ll just leave it there.

Rating: 4 out of 3.

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  1. Robin King Avatar
    Robin King

    YES!!! Vanishing points can affect us emotionally! That’s so true! It’s almost like we can follow the path to infinity but within the relatively safe boundaries of an image – no need to worry about getting lost, etc. Those photographs are marvelous!!! For pure movement, my fav is the very long sidewalk. It takes me on a journey, footfall by footfall, and I don’t have to leave my chair! 👏👏♥️👏👏

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    1. Santa Fe and Me Avatar
      Santa Fe and Me

      I’m glad I’m not the only one to experience that. Thanks!

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  2. Graham Stephen Avatar
    Graham Stephen

    think you have hit the nail squarely on the head there – pointers, at a pre-cognitive level, to the ineffability of eternity/infinity ♾

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    1. Santa Fe and Me Avatar
      Santa Fe and Me

      Yup. That’s another way of saying it. Thanks for that.

      Liked by 1 person

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      1. Graham Stephen Avatar
        Graham Stephen

        😌🙏✨

        Liked by 1 person

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  3. Pepper Avatar
    Pepper

    Fantastic images. 😊

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Santa Fe and Me Avatar
      Santa Fe and Me

      Thanks so much.

      Liked by 1 person

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      1. Pepper Avatar
        Pepper

        My pleasure. 😊

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

Thoughts on Photography

It’s Dark Out There

Night photography is something I haven’t done very much with, but I’m thinking that’s been a bit of an oversight. I shot these with the Tamron 20mm f2.8, wide open, of course, with the Sony A7r3. I think a 1.4 lens would have made short work of this. That also means: $$$$. Right? Maybe Santa will bring me one.

Rating: 3 out of 3.

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  1. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Ooo…beautiful!

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  2. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Whoa…I’m Anonymous!?
    Not really! But for some reason WP isn’t using my login info on your site. Will follow you, see if that makes a difference. 🤗

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Clouds on Stage, Santa Fe

Early morning is a great time to shoot. Of course so is evening, but I’m an early bird, so those photo-ops suite me much more. I’m still not bored with photographing my immediate neighborhood and even the front yard, All of these were taken within 100 yards of my home. As a matter of fact, there’s my white car parked in the driveway. I think the image is clear enough for you to even see what the make is, and maybe even the specific model. And best of all, there’s my dog to the right.

I’m still very happy shooting with the Sony A7r—. All those other numbers after the name are too much for me. Also, still with the basic lens, sometimes considered a kit lens, the 28-60mm. I think that lens was made for this camera. It’s just a flawless combination and I love that it’s small and weather sealed. Blowing dust is more of an issue here more than rain….generally. Although lately we’ve been getting drenched. Hoping for a great ski season with all the abundant moisture.

Rating: 5 out of 3.

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Outstanding Photography

Cloud Parade #3648!

monochrome dramatic clouds in Santa Fe, NM
Road disappears into the horizon, photography.
Huge billowing clouds, photography, Santa Fe, NM.
Light and dark cloud photo Santa Fe NM
Ominous clouds Santa Fe New Mexico

Monsoon Season is supposed to be finished, but somehow they haven’t gotten that message. We’re delighted. The rain is always welcome here and so are these theatrical cloud formations. I’ve mentioned in previous posts that motorists will literally pull off to the side of the road to watch the show. I should know!

Rating: 5 out of 3.
  1. Tim Harlow Avatar
    Tim Harlow

    Spectacular photos!

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    1. Santa Fe and Me Avatar
      Santa Fe and Me

      Thanks Tim.

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      1. Tim Harlow Avatar
        Tim Harlow

        You are welcome. I so enjoy your work. New Mexico is a wonderful place.

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  2. Robin King Avatar
    Robin King

    Oh, 👏👏👏👏👏

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    1. Santa Fe and Me Avatar
      Santa Fe and Me

      Yup., that’s the Santa Fe clouds for you. We’re at just the right altitude or something. Or maybe it’s the right attitude!

      Liked by 1 person

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  3. Robin King Avatar
    Robin King

    And, YAY! My comment went thru! “Anonymous” no more! Your photography is wonderful – happy to be following. 🤗

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  4. Santa Fe and Me Avatar
    Santa Fe and Me

    Thanks so much for that. Maybe you can tell that I have a total ball doing this!

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Black and White Photography.
Santa Fe clouds. Monsoons.

Interiors

Sometimes I get lazy and just take the Sony HX99 with me. It’s small and fairly easy to use, but not quite a “point and shoot”. I have to say that the smallness of these really small cameras can also be an impediment. There is such a thing as “too small” and this camera just borders on that. But, it fits in a pocket or ski jacket and that is inviting.

Rating: 4 out of 3.

One response to “Interiors”

  1. Graham Stephen Avatar
    Graham Stephen

    💖 the window ornament silhouette!

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Winning photographs of 2022

Cloud Chatter

What else can I say? They just keep putting on a show. I’m sure they’re very proud of themselves. Clouds are like that. They want us to look at them and be in awe. Come to think of it, being in “awe” is a pretty good state of mind to visit from time to time…after you’ve paid the bills that is. The photo below doesn’t exactly feature clouds, but I liked the contrast between the two subjects.

Rating: 4 out of 3.

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3 responses to “Cloud Chatter”

  1. Mike Ross Avatar
    Mike Ross

    Ansel Adams would be proud! You’ve got me staring at clouds all the time now but until recently its been too hot to go shoot them at sunset. 👍

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Santa Fe and Me Avatar
      Santa Fe and Me

      Thanks Mike. The Monsoon Season just won’t quit. But we did need the water.

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  2. Tim Harlow Avatar
    Tim Harlow

    More beautiful photos! Thanks.

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Best in Black and White Photography

One Cloud Only. Comments?

This is one picture of a cloud posted yesterday. Only this time it is much higher resolution. My camera, shooting in uncompressed RAW, can capture amazing gradations of tone in the sky and clouds. Then I compress that image for the web and everything is lost. Instead, I thought I’d try posting just one image of higher resolution and see what happens.

You can click on this image to get the full size. If anyone notices any improvement, I’d sure like to hear about it. I think it looks better and all that banding in the previous Gallery photos from 8/5/22 is much improved.

It’s likely that these images are compressed twice: once by me and another time by the WordPress protocol (probably).

Rating: 5 out of 3.

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5 responses to “One Cloud Only. Comments?”

  1. stuartshafran Avatar
    stuartshafran

    To be honest, there isn’t a lot of difference when viewing these pictures on my iPad screen, unless I zoom right in. Maybe I might spot a slight difference on my higher resolution computer monitor, but does it really matter? In my opinion it’s the overall feel of the picture that counts, the composition, the emotional feel of the image, not the technical excellence. I’ve pretty much accepted that saving images for viewing on web will involve lots of compression and I prefer seeing images in print anyway. Your images are already fantastic, so I wouldn’t worry too much about it.

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    1. Santa Fe and Me Avatar
      Santa Fe and Me

      Yeah, you’re probably spot on. My screen does show the banding of the slight tone that I use. Getting rid of that would probably reduce the artifact, but then the image wouldn’t feel like “here”.

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  2. Mike Ross Avatar
    Mike Ross

    First of all your image is bigger than my monitor so Firefox scales it down to 52%. Yes its sharper and easier to see the detail and the 2.21MB file loaded instantly. That being said most people won’t notice, think about all those who read these blogs on a phone or, iPad. ☝

    Ming Thein used to over-sharpen a lot of his images and it was very obvious, surprising for a professional photographer of his caliber. But he was obsessed with quality, think Robert Pirsig in Lila. If you didn’t read it he drives himself insane.

    By using thumbnails and a gallery people will click to see a larger version and it loads quickly, just figure out the maximum size that’s practical and save as a high resolution if not the highest.

    “The world comes to us in an endless stream of puzzle pieces that we would like to think all fit together somehow, but that in fact never do.” Robert Pirsig, Lila: An Inquiry into Morals

    🤡🙈🐴🍸🎅

    Liked by 1 person

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  3. Alessandra Chaves Avatar
    Alessandra Chaves

    I agree with Stewart’s comment.

    Liked by 1 person

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  4. Tim Harlow Avatar
    Tim Harlow

    Absolutely incredible! The monochrome tones are so rich and beautiful. I really love the black and white. It allows us to focus more on the textures and tones. Always enjoy your work!

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Cloudscapes

The ever changing cloud formations up here continue to hold my undivided attention. I can’t seem to get enough of it and I can’t seem to stop looking. Funny that I’m never bored by this vista. They form, then morph, then merge, then dissipate, like “thoughts”. I find that I can’t leave home without the camera around my neck….just in case one of them calls to me!

Rating: 1 out of 3.

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4 responses to “Cloudscapes”

  1. Timothy Price Avatar
    Timothy Price

    Beautiful clouds.

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    1. Santa Fe and Me Avatar
      Santa Fe and Me

      Thanks Timothy.

      Liked by 1 person

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  2. Mike Ross Avatar
    Mike Ross

    There’s really little reason to worry about file size, especially when you use thumbnails. I try to keep my images under 600KB but a lot of people upload full size color images straight from their camera, like 4000 x 6000px. Jane Laurie once told me she uses settings in Lightroom to export her images at 500KB or less but I’ve seen some of hers at well over 1MB. As for using a WEBP for faster loading its ridiculous and likely reduces quality even more.

    I think we have a lot in common sweating the small stuff, ask the clouds if anything really matters. 😎

    Fantastic compositions and images!

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  3. Tim Harlow Avatar
    Tim Harlow

    The clouds shapes are incredible. Thank you!!

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Oh Dogs

Dogs are one of my favorite subjects. My association with them has been a life-long love affair starting with the first one, a big fawn-colored boxer named Laird. He did not live long. It saddens me to write of it all these years later. He developed bone cancer shortly after he was 2 years old! My father was a physician and was absolutely devoted to this animal. He took him to every human oncologist in the city in a vain attempt to save him. After Laird came Cindy, a big, beautiful standard poodle. That kicked off the love affair with poodles, which has lasted a lifetime.

The photograph of the white poodle is “Lucky”…the latest permanent residence in my home. That’s a long story. And we all have long stories regarding our best-friend-pooches. Right? Lucky is now 18 months old and full of spunk and vinegar. He is the best friend and rough-house-buddy of Flicka, the German Shepherd mix rescue-dog that you see here from time to time. Both of them are smarter, and definitely more sensitive, than many human beings I know and have known. And that’s a fact.

That “dog” way out there, isolated in the vastness of this place is definitely NOT a dog, but rather a close relative. We have many coyotes here and they walk around and visit the yard from time to time. You can’t imagine how much I want to feed them, but I know that’s a bad idea. And I don’t. How they survive out there is a mystery to me.

Rating: 3 out of 3.

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One response to “Oh Dogs”

  1. Timothy Price Avatar
    Timothy Price

    Poor Laird. We lost one of our kitties to cancer in 2020. Nice dog portraits.

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Monroe Gallery

Every time I head downtown, I make it a point to stop in at The Monroe Gallery of Photography. There you’ll see the originals of great photographers, both contemporary and past. I stopped in there a few days ago and asked the director if I could take some photos at a discreet distance, of course. She was so glad that I had asked and immediately said, “Sure you may.” I told her that I would be posting them on my website and she was fine with that too.

But what I didn’t say to her, because it didn’t occur to me at the time, was that in “post” it might occur to me to play “make believe” or “make pretend” and insert one or two of my photos into these magnificent gallery displays. Wishful thinking maybe. I am NOT in this Gallery by a long shot. They don’t even know who I am. This is just me having some, I hope, innocent fun. I am NOT in any gallery anywhere. So there. Full disclosure on that score. Just a little photographic prankster-ism.

The Imposters:

P.S. If there are any lawyers out there who know of any law I might be breaking, do let me know. I think I’ve given pretty blunt full disclosure.

Rating: 3 out of 3.

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4 responses to “Monroe Gallery”

  1. Timothy Price Avatar
    Timothy Price

    I’m no lawyer, but if you aren’t profiting from the photos of the photos in the gallery, and the gallery doesn’t complain, I don’t think you have to worry about anything, I’ve never been to The Monroe Gallery of Photography. I’m 50 miles south of Santa Fe and rarely visit.

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  2. Santa Fe and Me Avatar
    Santa Fe and Me

    Thanks. No, there’s no “shop” or profit involved in this website, or any other of mine. Monroe is very worthwhile next time you’re here.

    Liked by 1 person

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  3. Tim Harlow Avatar
    Tim Harlow

    Well, your photos should and could be in a gallery. You do incredible work. I had no idea that the man, the dog or the crowd were yours. They are as good as any of the others. Cool post. Thanks!

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  4. Santa Fe and Me Avatar
    Santa Fe and Me

    Thank you. It was a lot of fun doing that.

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Clouds to Astound

Believe me, I’m not doing anything to these clouds. This is how they look. People just stop what they’re doing to gaze upward. At least I’m not the only one! It reminds me of the movie, “Independence Day”, if any of you saw that.

Shot these with the Sony A7r3. I like hearing reports from others about their experiences with the cameras and lenses they’re using. I learn a lot from that. What it comes down to, of course, is a personal choice. How does the camera feel in the hand? Does it fit? Does its position of controls and options work with the way my brain works? That’s what it comes down to because here’s what I’ve discovered: all of the modern cameras and lenses are excellent. I should know. I have a quite an assortment in my Photo Stable. We have to split hairs to make an argument for one brand or model over the other. At least that’s what I’ve discovered.

Having said all that: this Sony A7r3 (I hate the naming conventions) is an absolute winner for me. We’re just a good fit. It’s beautifully constructed (that matters to me) and it’s light weight and easy to carry around all day with the small FE f4, 28-60mm lens on it. And the whole kit is weather and dust sealed. The “dust” part matters a lot out here. Anyway….we’re a good match. And may we live happily ever after.

Rating: 3 out of 3.

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9 responses to “Clouds to Astound”

  1. mic Avatar
    mic

    👌👌👌📷looks great

    Liked by 1 person

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  2. Mike Ross Avatar
    Mike Ross

    Fantastic, I’ve been trying to shoot clouds like that for a long time with little success. As for dust my RX-100 now has dust on the sensor, probably from using a blower on the lens which is not recommended for compact cameras. I read a post suggesting I use a vacuum while zooming the lens in and out but its sounds crazy. This happened with my last one too but it took about 7 years. So I’ll use my A6000 and 35mm prime which I love but often leave at home because I tell myself I’m just going out for a quick ride.

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  3. Santa Fe and Me Avatar
    Santa Fe and Me

    Thanks. Here’s a good one…when I’m going out for a ride on the Honda, I take the Canon SX740! Fits under the motorcycle jacket just fine.

    Liked by 1 person

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  4. Greta DH Avatar
    Greta DH

    Your clouds are just breathtaking! What a match!

    Liked by 1 person

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  5. Alessandra Chaves Avatar
    Alessandra Chaves

    Very cool, dramatic skies. I’m glad Sony works for you. I never tried but my friends who have it only have good things to say about it.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  6. kaylocksellers Avatar
    kaylocksellers

    Beautiful imagery!

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  7. Timothy Price Avatar
    Timothy Price

    Wonderful clouds. It’s nice to see another sky photographer from New Mexico.

    Like

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  8. Santa Fe and Me Avatar
    Santa Fe and Me

    That’s because the subject matter is irresistable!

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  9. Tim Harlow Avatar
    Tim Harlow

    The monsoon season is definitely upon you. More astounding photos. You are amazing. Thanks so much.

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Award Winning Photographs

‘Tis the Season For Sky

Skies like this leave me in awe and feeling very small.

On a technical note, adding a tint to some of these, does NOT translate well into the compressed version needed for the web. It bugs me, but as I have said before, a) I think I’ll live, and b) Life goes on!

Rating: 3 out of 3.

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2 responses to “‘Tis the Season For Sky”

  1. mic Avatar
    mic

    👌👌👌📷

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  2. Tim Harlow Avatar
    Tim Harlow

    Absolutely beautiful! 🙂

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Not Quite Ansel Adams

Is This Cheating?

The “big” moral question of the day is: Is it OK to feature color images on what is mainly a black-and-white photography blog? I just have this sneaking feeling that I’m cheating in some way.

But here’s why I can’t resist. Normally we’re quite dry here, but as I mentioned in yesterday’s posting, we’re in Monsoon Season. That means that the plants jump to life, including what’s growing in my garden. I just stand there and look at the patterns in the leaves. I love it. It’s mystical to me. It’s miraculous and I drink it in. So, OF COURSE when I come back down to Earth, I just have to take a picture of it. And the colors are intoxicating. Maybe we’re not used to it. The “palette” here is usually rather soft and pastel-like. So, these plants with their saturated greens and yellows just beg me to have their picture taken. Plants are like that. They can be quite vain you know.

Rating: 0 out of 3.

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One response to “Is This Cheating?”

  1. Tim Harlow Avatar
    Tim Harlow

    Love your posts and your photos. It is absolutely not cheating. It’s your blog, you bring what you want. I always love your monochromes, but the colors are gorgeous. Thank you!

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Art in Santa Fe New Mexico

Can’t Get Enough of…

Well, I hope I’m not boring everyone who visits “santafeandme” these days. But we are in our Monsoon Season and that means epically amazing cloud formations and lots of storms.

When I’m driving, I have to remind myself to: “Keep your eyes on the road.” It’s really difficult and more often than not, I have to pull over and “click”. Some of these formations look positively nuclear or Biblical, or both! Others look like highways in the sky. I can’t stop myself, it’s worse than chocolate. So “clouds” may be the theme on this blog for a couple more weeks…

…Oh, that’s not true either. Clouds and Sky are just a major facet of the scenery in New Mexico’s high country all year.

Rating: 0 out of 3.

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One response to “Can’t Get Enough of…”

  1. Tim Harlow Avatar
    Tim Harlow

    Oh my gosh! These are just incredible! You have so much talent. Thanks for posting. 🙂

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Award Winning Black and White Photography

New Mexico Raw

Raw is the right word to describe the landscapes here in New Mexico…especially when the weather is changing and the skies become very dramatic. These were taken just a few minutes before sunset. Because we’re at altitude (7000′) the air is crystal clear. Of course another reason for that is because there aren’t many people here! We’re in a rural area, so there are even fewer people and the air and the skies are even more clear than in town (Santa Fe). These low light situations with high contrast clouds as the sun catches them, “asks” a lot of the camera. I shoot RAW so I could lighten these quite easily, but I’m going for the mood of the scene and how it impressed me as I stood there. I should say, “how it captured me!” So there you have some silhouettes, solid inky black with little or no detail. The modern cameras are amazing for preserving detail and tone; and I know that I could have pulled that out of those areas.

These were taken, quite recently, with the Sony A7Riii. I’m pretty much in love with the camera. I love the size, the lightness, the fluidity in using it. It seems to read my mind, and who knows, with AI, maybe it is! I read a review of it by Ken Rockwell in which he referred to the A7Riii as “clairvoyant”. That’s really the perfect choice of words, so I’ll just lift that description from his article.

I used the very basic Sony FE 50mm f1.8 lens which “serious” photographers would probably scoff at. Well, I’m amazed by it and I am serious! And unless I were printing images one acre large, I bet that most of us would not be able to tell the difference between it and one of the breath-takingly expensive Sony G or Master lenses. Its clarity and performance are astounding.

Rating: 0 out of 3.

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5 responses to “New Mexico Raw”

  1. stuartshafran Avatar
    stuartshafran

    Your photos are absolutely outstanding! You’ve truly captured the beauty of your location and I love the look and feel of the monochrome images. Your photography blog is one of the best I’ve discovered on WordPress. Great work!

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    1. Santa Fe and Me Avatar
      Santa Fe and Me

      That’s really nice of you to take the time to say that. Really encouraging. I love where I am and I guess that comes through. The State Motto is: “Land of Enchantment”. There are lots of reasons for that: the light, the other-worldly landscape, the very ancient cultures that have been here for…no one really knows for sure, but the date has recently been pushed back to 20,000 years. Thanks again.

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  2. Tim Harlow Avatar
    Tim Harlow

    Your photos are incredibly beautiful. The tones are super rich, and you just nailed the lighting perfectly. I love them!

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  3. Santa Fe and Me Avatar
    Santa Fe and Me

    Thanks. I’m glad they come across despite being JPEG crushed WAY down!! You know how that goes.

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  4. New Mexico Raw – IgnoranceSupreme Avatar
    New Mexico Raw – IgnoranceSupreme

    […] New Mexico Raw […]

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Best Blogs of 2022

Backyard Treasure Trove

Sometimes, not only is it a lazy day, it’s a “why bother to go anywhere else to shoot day.” That describes my backyard out here in the wilds of New Mexico. Sometimes an amazing scene appears out of nowhere and I’ll just grab the nearest camera. That may not be the best one, but light changes so fast around here that I can’t get particular. Since most of the focus is on sky and clouds, that creates a big problem when crunching these down as small JPEGs. Because there is so much subtlety and gradation in those clouds, they tend to become blotchy as they are compressed. So I have to compromise.

Life goes on.

Rating: 0 out of 3.

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3 responses to “Backyard Treasure Trove”

  1. mic Avatar
    mic

    👌👌👌📷

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  2. Tim Harlow Avatar
    Tim Harlow

    Beautiful photos. I imagine the full size, non-compressed images must be amazing.

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  3. mic Avatar
    mic

    👌👌👌📷👏

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Best Photography in North America

Faces of Santa Fe

I was going downtown anyway to pick up some great olive oil at my favorite shop. I had already ordered it over the phone earlier in the day and they were holding it for me. So of course I just had to take advantage of another photo-op downtown. I had the “heavy-hitter” Sony AR7II with me, all hooked up with my favorite “nifty fifty” f 1.8 lens. Ready to rock-and-roll as the saying goes, but for one thing: mea culpa…I made a real beginner’s error and had not checked the battery before leaving. I must have been too preoccupied dreaming about all the interesting things that I could cook, bake or stir-fry with the oil I was picking up. So yeah, I got off one shot before seeing: “Battery Exhausted” flash onto the rear screen. That gets to happen once.

But, to the rescue, and always in my handbag, was the much-discussed Sony HX-99 with its tiny sensor, but huge zoom. Long story, but here are those photos. True, you don’t get the detail and dynamic range out of the smaller sensor, but somehow, for street shots, I don’t care. I almost prefer the softer image. So that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Rating: 0 out of 3.

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3 responses to “Faces of Santa Fe”

  1. Mike Ross Avatar
    Mike Ross

    I bought a set of two Wasabi batteries and charger for my a6000 for about $50, never needed them but they are in my bag. Great shots!

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    1. Inspired By Here Avatar
      Inspired By Here

      Yeah, normally I’d have a spare battery with me. Will look into that brand. Amazing how I never tire of photography and just meandering around. Thanks.

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  2. Tim Harlow Avatar
    Tim Harlow

    Cool shots. I love the monochrome look of the candids.

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Best Photography Blogs

Snow Patterns by Front Gate

Sometimes I say to myself, “Just step outside your own front door. Don’t go more than 20 meters in any direction, and see what’s there.” That is amazingly difficult. We had a nice blizzard the other day, but now it’s starting to melt. It was late afternoon when I went out, but it didn’t take long to become attracted to the strong light-play of pattern and design that was right under my feet.

Once again, I’m using a fairly “simple” camera by today’s standards. Well, not really. But it’s an older one, probably considered a “dinosaur” these days—and probably out of production. I think it does a great job with only a 1″ sensor. I love that the original Sony RX-10 (first edition) is weather-sealed, has a good Zeiss lens on it and a constant 2.8 aperture throughout the 24-200mm range. Macro is outstanding as well. I’ve kept it all these years because I still enjoy using it and I’m still impressed with the quality of the images. And remember, these images are crunched way down as JPEGs. The originals are RAW.

Rating: 0 out of 3.

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4 responses to “Snow Patterns by Front Gate”

  1. Tim Harlow Avatar
    Tim Harlow

    These are beautiful images! I love the exercise of photographing something right around our property. I might need ot try that soon. Thanks for the great post and beautiful photos.

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    1. Inspired By Here Avatar
      Inspired By Here

      Thanks. It is surprisingly difficult to photograph the familiar and the mundane. Well, it made me appreciate that which is right under my nose as the saying goes.

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      1. Tim Harlow Avatar
        Tim Harlow

        Yes, the thought kind of intimidates me. But I like the idea of the challenge. Thanks! I love your work.

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  2. Graham Stephen Avatar
    Graham Stephen

    lovely collection of patterns and textures

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Winning Photographs of 2022

Goats = Weed Control

This is a rural part of New Mexico. Most of New Mexico is rural so that’s no surprise. The way we control weeds sometimes is to bring in a herd of goats (some sheep mixed in) and just let them graze. They do a great job. No pesticides needed. No one out here uses pesticides anyway. The place is still too pristine and pretty to allow that. And, we’re all fairly conscious about how that effects the bees. A lot of people out here like to grow their own food. I wish I had a greenhouse!

Here are some nice portraits of the kids I met today. They completely ignored me…too intent on what they were doing. Me too.

And, by the way…what’s the best camera? Ok, we all know the answer to that question…The one you have with you. I always have the little Sony HX99 tucked away in my hand bag. It does shoot RAW and has no anti-aliasing filter. That gives a boost to the small sensor. As I have mentioned before, if this camera were any smaller, I wouldn’t be able to operate it. It is a miracle of miniaturization.

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4 responses to “Goats = Weed Control”

  1. Mike Ross Avatar
    Mike Ross

    I love goats! Sometimes if you’re really patient they will come up to see what you’re doing. As for tiny cameras, when I first saw the Sony RX100 I thought it was just too small. But I carried it in my motorcycle jacket for 7 years and it never ceased to amaze me.

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    1. Inspired By Here Avatar
      Inspired By Here

      That’s a great camera. Distances are so great out here, that I appreciate the 700mm equivalent of the HX99. I do like the 1″ sensor of the 100. I like goats too. I also carry the small Sony on my motorcycle rides.

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  2. Tim Harlow Avatar
    Tim Harlow

    Thanks for the cute goat photos. I love New Mexico. It has a wonderful laid back culture, and what a beautiful place.

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    1. Inspired By Here Avatar
      Inspired By Here

      True, NM is a laid-back culture, rural and still wide open. And I think what I value most about it is….it’s quiet.

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Photography Blogs of 2022

Photo Class Gone Awry!

Several years ago I was in a photo class at our local college. There were some very talented people in there. We all got along great and had a total ball posting our photographs to FaceBook. In response, we were supposed to post serious, highly intellectual commentary for each photo. That was too heavy for me and I wanted to have fun. Some “Sprite” possessed me and I spontaneously started writing very short stories for each photo.

These are selections from just one of the students who had to endure this—although, he loved it. Sometimes we take ourselves too seriously. GK Chesterton once said (paraphrasing) “The reason that angels can fly is because they take themselves lightly”. This is an odd posting for me, but I thought it had some comedic, and photographic merit. Any maybe someone out there will get a chuckle or two out of it. We sure could use more of that! So here they are…my Great Literary Responses to the wonderful work of Henry Aragoncillo, fellow photo student at the Santa Fe Community College. These are ALL his photographs.

This was personal. My uncle who was 18 years old at the time, was in the first wave that landed on Omaha Beach in 1944.
Homunculus..A small human-like creature. Lower Left. Monk-like.

Bleak, Dark and Moody

We haven’t gotten a lot of snow this year. It keeps missing us, but all the surrounding areas are getting epic amounts. Oh well, January is typically a dry month in the local mountains. February and March are generally when we get most of our snow pack which is so important for the Spring run-off. The smoke in the lower right photograph is the result of what’s called a “Controlled Burn” around here. The Forest Service will start a fire to burn out dead leaves and logs that could ignite during the hot weather.

Today was bleak, very dark and moody up there, as my title suggests. We are skiing at 12,000 feet and mountain weather can change VERY quickly and dramatically. I always have the tiny Sony HX-99 with me because it fits in the front ski pocket and I hardly know it’s there. The sensor is small, but I continue to be amazed at what a good job it does…capturing a lot of detail with a pretty nice dynamic range. I used to try carrying the “real” camera with me, but it was just too much effort and it put an expensive camera in harm’s way. I couldn’t adequately protect it. By the way, I also would NOT want to fall on it! Ouch and Snap.

“Look Ma. Jesus is comin’.”

This is supposed to be a site dedicated to black and white photographs only. But I’m going to make an exception here. This was the “Biblical” event in our skies that I was awed by as I drove home yesterday. It filled the entire sky and here is the jpeg-compressed pale imitation of what I saw. I had to pull over and just watch as the light changed. Luckily I had the Olympus M5iii with me. For a small sensor, I’m always amazed at how able it is. I haven’t added any color or contrast.

Olympus 12-45mm Pro

Merry Christmas Happy New Year

As usual, we got all packed up (me with camera gear) and headed downtown to see the lights and half of Santa Fe as they strolled up and down Canyon Road. Even the adults don’t tire of seeing the whole place lit up so prettily for Christmas. We had dinner at a lovely restaurant nearby and then walked from there. It was raining as we got started! It was supposed to snow. At least the rain stopped and it was a great evening. We love Christmas and so does this city. I took way too many photographs and have probably posted too many as well. But it sure was fun. A happy and safe 2022 to all who read this. (Sorry for slow download speeds. I’ve crunched these photos way down, but there are a lot of them.)

Round Things:

Why the fascination with “things round”? Maybe it’s the time of year. Rounds and Circles have all sorts of connections with cycles, rhythms, and things eternal. So maybe that’s why, but I’m just guessing. Right now we’re all looking forward to our annual Christmas Walk on Canyon Road. We may even have snow. Of course I’ll have the camera with me, my see-in-the-dark Sony a6500 with the Sigma 56mm, f1.4 lens.

By the way, most of the produce shown came from my garden!

Earth & Sky Santa Fe

Earth and Sky. I never tire of these two as subjects. To some it might seem repetitive, but to me it’s always fresh and new. Some of these are from my backyard. But all of them are within just a few miles of home. Finding the “new” and “interesting” in your own, well-worn, backyard and town, might seem daunting; but I’m still enjoying.

New Mexico Light Show

We never get tired of the dramatic play of light in New Mexico. Because we’re at 7000 feet, and higher, we get these deep blue skies. Well, that translates into a deep gray in these black and white photos.

The picture at the top and bottom right was taken with a new camera for me. It’s been around for awhile, but curiosity made me give it a try. That’s the Olympus OMD M5 M3. I had one of the earliest Olympus OMs a long time ago. It was called the OM-1, a film camera, and it was unique for its time…small and beautifully crafted. I think I wore it out. The Zuiko lenses were fantastic even then.

So that was part of the influence that moved me to try Olympus once more. I liked the possibility of “focus stacking” in camera and the 1:1 format which I love but cannot get with the Sony A6500 (which is another gem). That image was shot with the lens which Olympus is now packaging as a kit with the camera body, the weather-proof, 12-45mm f4. That’s the equivalent of a 24-90mm in full frame terms. I’ve shot many more pictures since, and I am impressed. Really impressed with it. That’s a micro 4/3rds sensor that honestly rivals the quality of the A6500. Of course the 6500 can see in the dark when paired up with the Sigma 56mm f1.4, but the IBIS on this camera is astounding and nothing like I’ve ever experienced. The lens is also astounding. The weather-proofing is probably second to none as well. And it’s small and light just like its great, great, great, grandparent the OM-1.

The pictures on the sand dunes were taken at White Sands National Park in southern New Mexico. If you don’t have a weather-sealed camera and lens in that environment when the winds kick up, your camera is done for!

I see quite a bit of color-banding and hazing in some of the images. That results from crunching these pictures into JPEGS that will load reasonably fast. The color is NOT part of the original RAW or PSD files. I don’t know why that happened this time since I’m using the same procedure as always. I increased the resolution and I’m still seeing it. I think it’s due to the amazing subtlety and gradation of the clouds and sky.

Others shots show first snow in the Sangre de Cristo mountains. Maybe it will be an early ski season? The other pictures of people walking were taken in my neighborhood. There’s a lot of space out here. Not many people. I like that.

Oh Dogs!

Here you have a dog lover. That’s me (not in the photo). I snap a shot of them whenever some pooch catches my eye. I have three at home, a veritable “pack”. One of them is only 7 months old. They get along great with each other and they are sublimely happy out here in a rural area. They get lots of exercise and lots of playing together. And of course, being dogs, the best part for them is barking at anything that moves! We do have a lot of coyotes and other wild critters out here and that’s always cause for a major ruckus. These are all local dog citizens from the Santa Fe, New Mexico area.

The last photo down there are two of mine, very proud of themselves for having just picked a sunflower. They walked around like that, side-by-side for over a minute. That’s “Lucky” on the left (7 months old) and “Flicka” on the right (2 years old).

I love the ethereal and grainy effect of the night time shots.

If Looks Could Kill

This really is a case where “If Looks Could Kill”, I might not be here. I really don’t think this person was annoyed with me for the photograph. I was pretty discrete, just looking down at the camera. OK, I’ll admit it was stealthy, but the camera was NOT pointed in her face. (Such is the advantage of the flip-up screen on the A6500 as opposed to the swing-out variety.) So that leaves me with the conclusion that here we have a portrait of a human being having a bad day. She and her friend were wearing the same amulet. It appeared to be something from ancient Egypt. She could definitely use a little more of the Sun God in her life!

It was raining (finally) in Santa Fe, yesterday. I love to take photos in the rain and generally in inclement weather, so off I went to see what fortune had in store for me.

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In Egyptian mythology, Ra was the god of the sun. He was the most important god in Ancient Egypt. He had many names, such as Amun-Ra, and Ra-Horakhty. It was said he was born each morning in the East, and died each night in the West.

Air Lines

After more than a year of being shut down, I became accustomed to NOT seeing anything in the sky except for clouds, birds and weather. It may sound strange, but this line in the sky caught my attention. I have to say that I liked the abstract quality of it.

Love Those Botanicals

Most of these were taken in my back or front yard. Not much else to say!

Animation•Mandala•PhotoMotion

tessellero series number two

This is a bit of architectural detail from a trip to Sicily. This recessed sculpture was quite far away, but the zoom did a good job. This comes from a time when people took time to beautify a building or any artifact. Any comparisons to the modern world will have to be made by the reader, we’ve come a long way?

Santa Fe Railyard Extreme

These pictures were taken at a very rural train station called Lamy. The two people dancing were part of a celebration that took place out there in July. The old train would leave from downtown Santa Fe and chug along until we arrived in Lamy. I had the Fisheye with me at that time. It can be a fun lens once in a while and I think these shots made the most of it.

Animated • Mandala • Kaleidoscope

Something new for In Black and White. Photos

Here I have taken one of my black and white photographs and converted it into an animated Mandala/Kaleidoscope.

However, Kaleidoscopes and Mandalas do share something in common, if only on a formal level.

tessellero series number one

Theatre Santa Fe, NM

There is ALWAYS something artistic or theatrical going on in this town. We’re a quite small city with a very large art scene! I think there’s something for everyone. I happen to appreciate both modern dance and traditional. Our philharmonic is wonderful as are our choral groups which famously perform every Christmas Eve. Of course they perform throughout the year as well.

New Mexico Sky Show

The light in this part of the country never ceases to amaze. You can be the worst photographer in the world and still come out lookin’ pretty good! I’m transfixed by it half the time. But, camera is always with me.

I just got the fairly new Sony 28-60mm “kit” lens. I like this lens because #1 it’s weather sealed. That’s important to me, and not just for moisture, but for dust. When it starts to blow out here in New Mexico, we end up with half of the Nevada desert settling on us. The winds do blow out of the West. I guess that’s why they refer to them as the “Prevailing Westerlies” huh?

The lens seems to be wonderful, but I am NOT a pixel-peeper. I just want it to work well in all conditions and be VERY easy to carry. That way I’m encouraged to always have it with me. It did great this morning with snow falling.

After all that bragging about New Mexico light: full disclosure: the photo in the upper left is from Sicily and the one in the upper right is from Florida. So there, we can all have good light and no one should get too stuck up about it, right?

I said that I might do this at some point just to see if anyone is paying attention. Oops…screaming color in a black and white website. That’s me on the chairlift and I hardly ever take a “Selfie”. But the Sony HX99 that I carry for skiing, makes it easy, so I couldn’t resist.

Shadowy and Alone

Shooting in low light is a challenge in itself. Modern cameras have become much better at this. In the “old” days we had to “push-process” the negatives to pull every bit of information from them. Now, we have cameras with ISOs (ASA in Old Speak) of 100,000. And we thought Tri-X was good with an ASA of 400. Those pictures with the really long shadows (which totally entranced me) were shot with a SONY NEX-5r. I guess that’s considered a dinosaur by today’s standards, but I still enjoy it for its good image quality and small-enough-to-fit-anywhere characteristics. Also, every image on this site, and all sites, have been crunched and crushed to the limit. So you are never seeing the full quality of the original. If it looks OK here, it looks a lot better “in person”. With the NEX, I was using the much maligned “kit” lens, that 16-50mm. All lenses have their limits, but the idea is to find the optimal combinations for each lens. I love that lens for its petite-ness.

Well, enough tech-talk for today!

Landscape New Mexico

The advantage of always having a camera with me is that I can capture light and scenes that sometimes only last for minutes. As I have mentioned before, my camera of first choice is the Sony A6500. But, when I am skiing and involved in other outdoor activities like that, I still use the Sony HX99. It’s SO small, yet has all the adjustments of the A6500 or nearly so. I hope everyone out there in the Ether is staying safe. Cheers.

Santa Fe Railyard

Bad Weather. But I love that.

Just walking around, almost mindlessly, and yet on another plane, quite attentively, I can stumble upon some interesting scenes. These are from downtown Santa Fe and the Railyard area. I like moving around in bad weather. It’s helpful to have a camera and a lens that can tolerate these conditions. The Sony 6500, so far, has proven itself to be a Champ. Even so, I’m careful with it, sheltering it as much as possible. Maybe this is why equipment tends to last a long time with me. I use it hard, but treat it like gold.

Cowboys, Bikes, Walkers, New Mexico

I think, as I’ve mentioned before, that I don’t really start out with any particular intent regarding what it is I want to photograph. It comes to me, or it doesn’t. Sometimes, it’s just “no picture” and that’s all there is to it. Other times it’s like a flood. This is a very rural state, not many people and lots of wide open spaces. Even downtown Santa Fe isn’t really very big compared to other cities. I like that aspect of living here. No pollution. No crowds. But the light is often times, magical.

Cats, Steers, Snow, New Mexico

Sometimes I have no idea why I put certain photographs together.
But, I just let it happen

Ski The Wintersun in New Mexico

We’re not having the greatest Winter for skiing. But we have enough to go up and have some fun. Of course we’re known for our Wintersun. It’s true. We normally ski in bright sunlight with blue-black skies. I love that for black and white shots.

I get up there early and this time of year, the shadows are long and dark. It makes for some wonderful designs and patterns. I just visited Marcus’ website and read about how he feels like a kid in a sandbox when the light plays across some strong architectural features and he has camera in hand. I understand completely. And that’s how I see things when I get up into the mountains early. This is the best time of year to be up there and shooting. These strong dark and light patterns are seductive.

Don’t laugh too hard, but I like to carry the Sony HX-99 for these excursions. Purists might not take it seriously, but it makes carrying a camera into that environment possible. It does shoot RAW and that’s important, particularly for a camera that only has a 1/2″ sensor. But I am always amazed at what a good job it does. I don’t know how well the images would look if they were enlarged a lot. But for smaller prints, I bet they’d be fine. Considering that I was in motion on the ski lift for these pictures, I’m pleased with the results. I expected blurs! The HX-99 has all of the adjustments that I need and want and the layout of the controls is almost identical to the A6500 and the A7R3. It fits in the front of my ski jacket. If this camera were any smaller, I wouldn’t be able to operate it. It’s a miracle of miniaturization. Nice job Sony.

Santa Fe, New Mexico Christmas Lights

Every year, on December 24th, we look forward to the “Walk on Canyon Road“. This is a long and winding old street that is mostly filled with galleries, shops and restaurants. There are bonfires burning along the entire walk. In traditional New Mexico lore, the purpose of those fires is to light the way for the Christ child. All of the businesses decorate with lights and garlands. The galleries are open and often serve small sweets and sometimes hot drinks. It’s great to get inside, not just to look at the latest art, but to get warm! Santa Fe is cold on a December night. (Sadly, that Walk was cancelled this year.)

The picture up there of the kids in a tree house, is from one of the galleries. This is a life sized sculpture, nestled in the branches of a very old and very large tree.

This year, the entire Canyon Road Walk was cancelled due to you-know-what. I’m at the point of saying ENOUGH. It’s an outdoor event, in the bitter cold. No COVID would last for 2 seconds in that. We barely do. But, the event did not occur this year. So, last night I decided to go walk around anyway with a neighbor. There were some lights, hardly any people and no traffic. I still think it was worth it. Then we went over to the Plaza which was in fact brightly decorated as usual. We both agreed it was worth the effort.

Here is an image from last year.

I used the Sony A6500 with a Sigma 56mm f1.4 lens. That combination can literally see in the dark. I let the camera choose the ISO, and the highest number it “chose” was only 6400. I am amazed at how little grain there is. Cameras have come a long way since I started doing this. All this, in a very light and easy to carry package. The Sigma lens is also weather-protected as is the 6500. A very nice duo indeed!

Happy New Year to All! Here’s to a much better 2021.

Merry Snowy Christmas from Santa Fe, New Mexico!

i

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all. And a happy holiday to all, no matter what you may be celebrating. But whatever it is, I hope it’s fattening!

Santa Fe Street Scenes

This is my favorite photographic “haunt”—city streets. Most of these were taken in my home town of Santa Fe, New Mexico. But the two of them with the long shadows were taken in Telluride, Colorado. Telluride has EPIC skiing and is a wonderful village as well. The restaurants are also excellent.

Snow Time in New Mexico


Where we stop and eat.

I went skiing for the first time this season. We have little snow in our mountains and we’re limited to three or four runs. I don’t care. The views there are amazing and the snow was fast.

At this time of the year, the shadows are long and dramatic and I love the way they print the snow with strong linear patterns. I’m always attracted to those strong black and white, figure/ground scenes. For mountain activities, I use the VERY small Sony HX-99 camera. It fits in the front of my jacket where it can stay nice and warm. This camera has a tiny sensor (1/2 inch) but it shoots RAW. It always amazes me. And for anyone who doesn’t need to make large prints, give it a try. It’s a lot of camera in a really small package.

It’s unusual for the weather to be gloomy here. We ski in bright sunshine most of the season. But when it snows, it snows! Our snow is feather-light most of the time. That’s great for powder skiing, but it takes a while to establish a base as a result.

This is a land of geographical contrasts.

Santa Fe Architecture

These were all taken in my area, Santa Fe, New Mexico—with the exception of the picture of the tiled roof, which was taken in Sicily.

Sicily is truly a place of dreams.

Large Political Rally Santa Fe NM

Political opinion is not the purpose of this site. I document what I see when I am “street shooting“ and I do not care what the subject might happen to be.

I will simply document what I see. This was in fact a “first” for me because generally I stay far away from crowds. But this was too compelling and photographically rich not to explore it.

Heading downtown today, we were suddenly stuck in an enormous traffic jam, moving just inches at a time. And most of the time just standing still. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that this was a Trump Rally just getting ready to form up. Or call it a protest or however else you want to name it.

But it was in fact peaceful and disciplined.

The camera cannot convey how many people were jammed into the street on both sides—each one carrying a flag or banner.

As I have mentioned before, I always have the camera with me. Many days I don’t even get one shot. That’s ok. The 6500 is small enough that it’s never in my way and that encourages me to take it with.

This was not just one or two small groups of people. These shots above are just at the edge of it. There were people with bull horns and others shouting their message. No one gave me a hard time as I zipped around trying to get some good shots. There had to have been many thousands there.

  • I spoke with “Jay”. A so-called Proud Boy. He surprised me.

Regarding “Jay” (if that was in fact his name I don’t know) who I reference in the photo above. He wore a logo identifying himself as a “Proud Boy”. I’d heard only bad things about this group. But I decided to approach him and try to chat anyway. I’m a shrimp and Jay is HUGE. He could not have been nicer or more respectful to this geek (me) with a camera in hand, trying to strike up a conversation. He condemns racism and all forms of hatred, but he loves this country and deeply values law and order. That’s why he was part of this rally. He impressed me. It would be hard not to like him.

As I mentioned, I’ve never seen anything quite like this. The passion and fervor were palpable, and yet they were all disciplined, respectful and made a big effort not to block traffic. I just thought that it deserved to be documented. And even though I’ve let some color sneak through here and there, I still believe that it has a place on this website.

Street Scenes, Sicily and Santa Fe, NM

Above are pictures from Sicily and one of the Roman ruins. The city scenes are from, I don’t remember which Sicilian city exactly! And I didn’t take notes.

Below are street scenes from a city that I do remember, namely Santa Fe New Mexico. Good thing that I remember that since I live here. I just walk about with nothing particular in mind until something grabs me, or even just slowly presents itself. Sometimes I just perch myself somewhere and wait. This is a great hobby.

I might have been pretty good as a pro.

Botanical Abstracts and Critters

Sometimes when we get a good snowfall, I put on the xcountry skis and go out to take shots of the interesting and prickly plant population; but “Lines and Critters” pretty much says it all.

People are often surprised to hear that Santa Fe, New Mexico gets any snow at all. We do! It’s fluffy-light-weight, low-density snow, just the kind that skiers love! We are at 7000 feet and that changes things a lot. The surrounding mountains top 12,000 feet and our ski area is excellent. Plenty of good tree skiing even at 12,000 feet, due to our southern latitude.

New Mexico: Ski the Winter Sun!

Abstract Photos, Sicily and Santa Fe NM

Sometimes when I’m out shooting, all I can look at are patterns and shapes and textures. I seem to get captured by them. I’m supposed to be the one “capturing”, but most of the time, the tables get turned on me. I’m fascinated by things like “Figure/Ground” relationships, and maybe that’s why black and photography just seems to work for me. I keep thinking of another artist, Anselm Kiefer when I look at my abstract images of dirt, rocks, hay and brambles—not to insult Anselm. I like his work a lot.

The circle of rocks were just sitting there like that. It reminded me of one of my favorite artists, Andrew Goldsworthy. And maybe I like Andrew Goldsworthy because his work reminds me of the inherent patterns in nature—he just has a gift for amplifying them. Strong shadows also always pull me in—but then there’s that figure/ground thing going on—abstraction seems to be the result.

I guess there are different levels of “abstraction”. Sometimes I can’t even tell what the thing was or where it came from when I look at some abstract photographs. But these still have enough of the context within them, so maybe I should call them “Semi-Abstractions”. Who cares, right?