This is another instance of how my rural land real estate work allows me to see places I absolutely never would normally. On the way back from an extended series of property shoots in Chaves County New Mexico, just northeast of Roswell, while actually looking for another nature area but never finding it, this was a true stumbling upon (remember that site?) of Cocklebur Lake, a very, very dry lake. The skies were overcast so I knew then while making these photos I would ultimately convert them to black and white as the landscapes themselves were already nearly devoid of color. Walking on the dry lake bed, under a wide open sky, one could feel the yearning of the land for water. In that sense this dry lake felt like an old memory that you could only 5% remember. That’s what I feel a dry lake is to me.
While on the Road traveling for my rural land real estate photography work in New Mexico, with often long drives to and from locations, I like to break them up by visiting some of the off the beaten path attractions of the area. This time it was Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge, which judging by the very few other people there, is an overlooked natural landscape northwest of Roswell, New Mexico. I cannot say it was the most stunning wetlands area I have ever taken my camera too, but it was a nice break from the harsh desert and boring cattle land views on the long drive back to Albuquerque.
For me Sedona is a place of long time mystery and intrigue. It was a stop on my very first trip out west in 2000, where I ate one of the best meals of my life, a vegan chimichanga, while looking out at Snoopy Rock. I can only remember about 7 eating experiences in my life, and that is one of them. A second visit three years ago was all too brief and I could not find that chimichanga restaurant again, and lost my dog’s favorite traveling blanket. A third visit 1.5 years ago was more extended, where I got to drive my own Jeep offroad and over the most challenging obstacle I’ve ever encountered offroad. It was also the height of winter and in contrast to that amazing chimichanga meal, I had an outdoor meal (cannot remember the dish) that was one the coldest experience’s of my life. It was outdoor dining (even before Covid-19) in about 30F temps. It might as well have been 20 below. Still, I look forward to returning to Sedona again soon, this time with my mountain bike to explore the red rock like one only can from such an intimate machine. What are your Sedona experiences? Let me know in the comments below.
Infinite Sand for Infinite Photographs at White Sands
There are some natural wonders that a photographer could live at and basically photograph for the rest of their life. Places like the Grand Canyon are obvious. For New Mexico, there may not be an immediate obvious choice, but to me. the obvious choice is White Sands. I have been there three times and each visit I found something the same, but different to photograph. Then there is the unique, open world construct of White Sands. There are no set paths you have to walk on, no established iconic photo of White Sands, which frees a photographer to wander and find their own iconic view of this expanse of white sand desert, distant mountains, and endless sky.
If you live in Albuquerque, New Mexico, you are living in a pretty unique geographical and topographical setting. To the east, the border is the Sandia Mountains. To the west, the Rio Grande River. Then just beyond the Rio, you will see a few short looking black tips in the desert. If you did not know it, they are actually volcanoes. So in less than 20 miles you have mountains, river, volcanoes. Can you name another place like that?
In December I had two opportunities to visit White Sands National Monument, and they could not have been more different. The first was on a weekday late morning, and the desert was empty, the sand was pure free of footprints, and there was not a cloud in the sky. On the second visit it was near sunset time, the sands were covered in footprints as it was very crowded there (well for White Sands at least), and clouds added to the landscape story. Clouds and low sunset light shadows definitely add drama to photos of White Sands. However, there is nothing more mesmerizing to me than the footprint-free ridges of the sand dunes at White Sands for producing landscape photos. What set of photos do you prefer: these black and white footprints, or the stark white and blue footprint free dunes photos?
Clouds like coral over the Sandia Mountains in New Mexico
Having been to remote northwest Rio Rancho, New Mexico at least a hundred times over the past 3+ years for rural land real estate photography, I have made hundreds and hundreds of photos of the Sandia Mountains using a 70-200mm lens, with this shot being made by the amazing Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 G Master lens. One might not think a telephoto lens is good for landscape photography, but if what you want to photograph is very far away, it will just get lost in a wide angle lens. On this particular afternoon, the clouds above the mountains rivaled the mountains themselves for drama. To me they look like undersea coral? What do you think?
