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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5 responses to “Waking Up to Antarctica”

  1. Pepper Avatar

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

    Like

  2. Ronit Penso Tasty Eats Avatar

    At least you got these beautiful photos! 🙂

    Like

  3. Tim Harlow Avatar

    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!

    Like

    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.

      Like

      1. Tim Harlow Avatar

        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.

        Like

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

    These are wonderful. 😊👏🏽

    Like

  2. Tim Harlow Avatar

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

    Like

    1.  Avatar
      Anonymous

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

      Like

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

    Lovely contrasts of light and shadows. 😊

    Like

  2. Robin King Avatar

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

    Like

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

    Beautiful photos! Thanks for sharing.
    Happy Holidays! 🙂

    Like

    1. Santa Fe and Me Avatar

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

      Liked by 1 person

  2. Greta DH Avatar

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

    Like

    1. Santa Fe and Me Avatar

      Thanks and Happy New Year to you!

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Robin King Avatar

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

    Like

  4. Tim Harlow Avatar

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

    Like

    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!

      Like

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

        You’re welcome!

        Like

  1. Tim Harlow Avatar

    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.

    Like

    1. Santa Fe and Me Avatar

      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.

      Like

      1. Tim Harlow Avatar

        That’s awesome! Merry Christmas to you.

        Like

  2. Robin King Avatar

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

    Like

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

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

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Santa Fe and Me Avatar

      Thanks so much. Merry Christmas to you!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. AT SUNNYSIDE - WHERE TRUTH AND BEAUTY MEET Avatar
  2. Greta DH Avatar

    Perfect photography!

    Like

    1. Santa Fe and Me Avatar

      Thanks and Merry Christmas to you and yours.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Greta DH Avatar

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

        Like

  3. Tim Harlow Avatar

    Those are really beautiful photos! Happy Holidays to you!

    Like

  4. Pepper Avatar

    These are lovely. 😊

    Like

  5. Robin King Avatar

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

    Like

    1. Santa Fe and Me Avatar

      Thank you! And Happy New Year!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Robin King Avatar

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

        Like

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

    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! 👏👏♥️👏👏

    Like

    1. Santa Fe and Me Avatar

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

      Liked by 1 person

  2. Graham Stephen Avatar

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

    ▪◾◼◾▪▫◽◻◽▫▪◾◼◾▪▫◽◻◽▫▪◾◼◾▪
    ▫◽◻◽▫▪◾◼◾▪▫◽◻◽▫▪◾◼◾▪▫◽◻◽▫

    Like

    1. Santa Fe and Me Avatar

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

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Pepper Avatar

    Fantastic images. 😊

    Liked by 1 person

      1. Pepper Avatar

        My pleasure. 😊

        Liked by 1 person

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!

    Like

  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. 🤗

    Like

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!


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

    Spectacular photos!

    Like

      1. Tim Harlow Avatar

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

        Like

  2. Robin King Avatar

    Oh, 👏👏👏👏👏

    Like

    1. Santa Fe and Me Avatar

      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

  3. Robin King Avatar

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

    Like

  4. Santa Fe and Me Avatar

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

    Like

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Black and White Photography.
Santa Fe clouds. Monsoons.

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

    1. Santa Fe and Me Avatar

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

      Like

  2. Tim Harlow Avatar

    More beautiful photos! Thanks.

    Like

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

    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.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Santa Fe and Me Avatar

      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”.

      Like

  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

  3. Alessandra Chaves Avatar

    I agree with Stewart’s comment.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Tim Harlow Avatar

    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!

    Like

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.

    Like

  2. Santa Fe and Me Avatar

    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

  3. Tim Harlow Avatar

    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!

    Like

  4. Santa Fe and Me Avatar

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

    Like

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

    👌👌👌📷looks great

    Liked by 1 person

  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.

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Santa Fe and Me Avatar

    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

  4. Greta DH Avatar

    Your clouds are just breathtaking! What a match!

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Alessandra Chaves Avatar

    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

  6. kaylocksellers Avatar

    Beautiful imagery!

    Like

  7. Timothy Price Avatar
    Timothy Price

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

    Like

  8. Santa Fe and Me Avatar

    That’s because the subject matter is irresistable!

    Like

  9. Tim Harlow Avatar

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

    Like

Award Winning Photographs

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

    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!

    Like

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

    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

    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!

    Like

    1. Santa Fe and Me Avatar

      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

    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

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

    Like

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

    👌👌👌📷

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  2. Tim Harlow Avatar

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

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  3. mic Avatar

    👌👌👌📷👏

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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!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Inspired By Here Avatar

      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.

      Liked by 1 person

  2. Tim Harlow Avatar

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

    Like

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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