Ideal clouds for rural land real estate photography in New Mexico
On another rural land real estate photography assignment in Socorro County New Mexico for Hemingway Land, the clouds were finally close to ideal! It was a long 8-mile drive down dirt roads to reach this property, which is already in a remote area west of the town of Belen. I actually know this area very, very well having photographed at least 10 properties in this general area before, but never quite this far south. With that much dirt road to reach the property and that far from where I have been previously, it always makes me nervous about what the actual road conditions will be, or if someone will have put up a gate! Fortunately, this was as smooth as a rural land real estate shoot gets and I had time enjoy the views in between getting these fantastic photos for the client, which is my aim for each and every client of Jason Collin Photography.
Revisiting photos I took at the Santa Fe Ski Resort as part of a car show with the BMW Car Club from the last day of summer last year, I found this landscape photo I had not yet shared. This area is where the ski lift would drop you off at in snowier times, but I hiked up to this viewpoint in the pleasant afternoon sunshine. Would you think this was a photo taken in a mostly desert state? Santa Fe is its own island world in New Mexico.
It was my pleasure to return to one of my favorite places in New Mexico this week, El Morro. I was on another assignment for Hemingway Land which took me past El Morro National Monument itself, to a very remote area 6+ miles down dirt roads. I chased clouds with my Sony a7R IV as soon as I arrived. By sunset time, only a very few lingered for me to frame for the final shots of the day. El Morro is a very special place I recommend visiting if you have never been before.
Looking for an interesting place to go off-roading with a specific destination during my Florida friends visit in December, searching Google Maps I found these rock formations called the Toadstool Hoodoos far west of Rio Rancho in the desert area I often do rural land real estate shoots. The toadstools were further west than even I had been before, so it would be a new adventure for me. We all got in the Jeep Renegade Trailhawk and set out not knowing what to expect. Using Google Maps as a guide, it was stop and start to find the best road in, with some warning signs that might defeat less bold explorers. In the end, we made it to these rock formations just before sunset and there was no one around for miles and miles. I was able to treat my friends to a real New Mexico Truedesert exploring experience!
Boulders and Exploring the foothills of the Sandias
Every time I go up into the foothills of the Sandia Mountains I think the same thing, I need to come here more. There are so many different trails to approach the Sandias from that it will take you quite a long time to exhaust them all. Like this time, I found this rock wall that was great for bouldering and general climbing and exploring. It was even dog accessible! If you have not gone out to the foothills of the Sandias in a while, take some time this weekend to get a very different view of Albuquerque.
A random stop lead to exploring the Sonoran Desert in Tucson, Arizona for the first time. When most imagine what a cactus looks like, they picture a saguaro standing tall with its arms out. This section of desert had on display a wide variety of odd, tall, and even dying saguaro cacti. I was impressed by the size and boldness of a saguaro standing naked in the desert. Knowing they do not start to grow their first arm until age 70 really puts the longevity of these desert flora into perspective, especially when you see one with 4 or 5+ arms.
Back in Deming, New Mexico exploring both east and west of the Florida Mountains out on a rural land real estate photography shoot for Hemingway Land Company, my Jeep Renegade Trailhawk took me miles off road dodging tumbleweeds and avoiding thorny bushes. In a total of 6 hours in the desert over two days, I saw no human, just a few jack rabbits and a coyote. It was great! It was definitely a New Mexico True experience.
