Solstice

Those of us living in the American Southwest are spoiled.  We are blessed with massive amounts of sunshine.  So when it is overcast for any length of time, frequently, there is whining.  Little wonder why the ancients celebrated the lengthening of days, building structures that played with sun and shadow in such a way as to pinpoint the solstice.  For many, particularly those in more northern climates, the solstice celebration is more significant than any other during the winter months.

This year's solstice is Saturday, 21 December, and thus, here is my photographic toast to the season and the kinds of sunsets that only happen as longer nights envelope the daylight with mystery and hope.

Below is Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Taos with farolitos on the parapets 

a peaceful solstice to you

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image

snow puzzles

It has been quite the weather week all over the United States, not to mention Scotland, Germany, and Denmark.  Snow, ice, wind, hard freezes in the valleys of California (which comprise a large part of our nation's grocery carts), combined to keep people talking about the weather in not so positive terms.  Technically, winter has yet to arrive.  But try saying that to people in Texas who were without electricity due to ice storms, or those in more temperate climates with heat pumps that are not quite working as prescribed.

As a photographer, it is always tempting to tease and show images of tropical islands or lush gardens during this time of year in the northern hemisphere.  But there were some fascinating designs were created on the mesa this weekend from the effects of wind on snow and graupel.  I call them "snow puzzles" because the slight changes in elevations which make the surface look more three dimensional look like pieces of a puzzle.  If you click on the photographs, you will see a larger image as well as some of the details.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image

studies in monochrome

Winter storm Boreas brought the Southwest a nearly unprecedented period of overcast, featuring grey skies, fog, and snow.  The feeling and look seemed deeply monochromatic, which of course, is false given the meaning of the word.  The Oxford English Dictionary definition is: "containing or using only one colour" or "...light or other radiation of a single wavelength."  Monochrome is defined as "reproduction in black and white or in varying tones of only one color" and is closer, but perhaps it is the human brain and eye teaming together to give the landscape uniformity when an overcast sky combines with the snow-covered earth.

I will be out shooting later after the temperature warms above 20 degrees fahrenheit, but for the time being, the photographs here are, in my mind's eye, monochromatic.

No wonder the best-selling "novel" features multiple shades of grey.  They are everywhere.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image 

abstracts in ice

26 January 2013.  It rained.  In a "normal" January, precipitation comes in the form of snow here at 7,800 feet elevation.  Although it is not frequent, high country rain does fall in January.  This weekend, warm air off the coast of Baja, California pumped into New Mexico, and uninhibited by the Four Corners high pressure area that has been persistently blocking it, shed its moist cargo in the form of rain.  It worked its way into snow and ice that covered the ground, creating some fascinating abstractions.

Even in a confined space, rain water works its way under the ice, forming shelves, tiny caves, outlets, and wonderful bubbles. 

Undulations

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image

comforts of home

A bit of a cold snap has been with us since the beginning of the year in northern New Mexico.  Until this morning, the lows have all been below 0 F and the highs have yet to reach freezing or 32 degrees F.  Nothing  diminishes the chill like the comforts of home, in this case, the holiday rentals at Casa Gallina in Taos.  Owner Richard Spera makes sure his guests are embraced by their surroundings.  This room makes me want to dissolve into the chair and say "Ah."

The colors and shapes of the plaster in the stairwell of another casita is just one the surprises guests encounter.

Having graduated Cornell's Hotel and Restaurant Management School, and being the ultimate host, Richard makes sure that the casitas not only come with the most interesting art and furnishings, but with a sampling of wonderful snacks that welcome each guest.

With a name like Casa Gallina, it is all about the chickens.  Here is the welcome sculpture and a few of the real greeters.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image

Winter white

To the joy of just about everyone, winter finally arrived in New Mexico this week, with either snow or rain falling statewide.  A great thing, indeed, for a parched landscape.  This Friday, 21 December, is the Solstice and official opening of the season.

I offer a toast, then, to winter, Solstice, and the gradual lengthening of days on Earth, assuming the Maya simply ran out of room on their calendar.

Nature graced us with an incredible hoar frost this morning, the crystals of which were quite profound and stunning.  To make the images larger, click twice on each one.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image

remnant abstracts

Although the politicians and other powers that be in these United States of America desperately try to avoid the words "global climate change" or "global weather instability", and some still are quick to make jokes about "global warming", meteorologists ventured into muddy waters.  Quite a number dared to say that over 4,000 high temperature records were broken, in the quietest of ways indicating that something is amiss.  The record high temperature for March 21st in the town of Pellston, Minnesota, was shattered this week by 32 degrees fahrenheit.  In the high country of New Mexico, temperatures in the 70s made everyone feel that spring had indeed arrived.  We were enjoying it but feeling oddly uneasy.

Spring is always an unsettled season in New Mexico.  We had nearly the full bag of conditions this week - warm days, nights still be low freezing, spits of rain and snow, and naturally, wind and dust.  Despite the fact that mountain snow is melting quickly, there are still remnants of the winter season past.

These abstracts reflect all the weather of the first week of spring.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image

Winter remnants

The human brain is an amazing thing.  At some point during the summer, when the night breeze moves lightly over our faces, I will barely be able to recall the depths of winter.  But at present, it is not quite ready to vacate the mesa.

The elk seem to be very active right now.  A herd of about fifty animals, all cows and only one bull, were literally thundering over the land just before sunrise last week, kicking up the newly fallen snow.

I call this image "Snow Nude" because of the graceful way the snow fell and folded over itself in a drift.

And a sign that the snow does melt to nourish the land for the growing season.  

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image

Cheers!

The wind is howling and filled with powdery snow flakes landing only fleetingly on the window as I write.  Thus far, winter has provided an enormous variety of opportunities and canvas for art.  The latest was the previous week's snowfall, some of which is amazingly still cradled in the pinon and juniper branches and needles.

The two photographs below, however, feature snow and frost on aspen trees.  There was dense fog in the area when these were made, and thus, the backgrounds are almost monochromatic.

Many of you are or will be on the road or in the air, to join family or friends for the holidays.  May your days be joyous, safe, and warm.  Merry Christmas.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image

Hello, Winter!

Timing is everything, and the weather forecasters had a devil of a time predicting the latest winter storm to arrive in New Mexico.  Since its arrival on Saturday, some nice winter portraits have presented themselves.  I wanted to share a few with you.

Despite the fact that their pollen gives many in the Southwest heck several times of year, junipers have some of the most photogenic bark during any season.

On Sunday morning, branches not only held snow but the most amazing hoar frost.  Instead of being lacy, it attached itself in chunks, like rock salt, on the pinon needles.

The closer I got, the more interesting the details became.

Despite the cold, winter is a great season for photography.  Bundle up.  Tuck the old camera inside your jacket to keep the batteries warm, and head out to shoot!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image

Brush strokes

One of the elements I love in oil paintings other than the subject matter and the use of color is the brush stroke.  Last week, nature painted our windows with a frost featuring some of the most interesting strokes I have seen.  At first glance, as in the image below, it seems that the frost was composed of connected dots.

But closer examination shows that the dots were actually feathers.

And this is where it really gets good.  These are the original brush strokes - details from middle of the first photograph.  What a painting!

By double clicking on the photographs, you can see even more  detail.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image

I