My photography work in the past four years has taken me all over New Mexico, and now it is expanding into Arizona where I get the chance to check out more small towns, like Seligman, Arizona. This town is credited with being the birthplace of Route 66. It might be funny to think how a tiny town without a single stoplight would start the first great traveling road in the U.S. Of course, like all Route 66 towns, the hey day of Seligman is long past, but I still enjoy trying to listen and hear an echo of what once was
My own Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta jinx was finally broken after a span stretching three years, and on opening day I was able to see the Grand Ascension. Fog, traffic, Covid, all thwarted plans the past three years, but finally some luck in 2021. I must say though, I did not feel the usual energy out in Balloon Fiesta Park on a not too cold morning. Maybe it was just me? This year also marked the first time I rode my bike to the event, which other than a 7.5 mile ride in the dark, was the best way by far to get there. It also resulted in being able to get photos of the balloons along and landing by the North Diversion Trail, a dedicated, paved cycling path that goes essentially parallel to I-25 directly from Balloon Fiesta Park all the way to I-40.
Horses free in the world at twilight share a moment
At the end of a long day out in Cibola County, New Mexico on a pair of rural land real estate photo shoots, my evening end with a view of this horse dreamscape. I was rushing around to try and beat the increasing clouds that were blocking out the sunset, but I paused for a moment seeing these horses far in the distance, who I believe are looking right back at me. There was no fence between me and those horses, so I could have walked right up to them and touched them. That makes me think they are wild horses, free in the world. After a very hard day out in the field, for a moment, there was a shared moment of peace with those horses. We then each went our own ways into the twilight.
Driving up to Taos, New Mexico for a commercial portrait shoot on my second assignment (see the first) for an industry magazine, I had no idea that I would be photographing someone among his hundreds of accosting 12-string guitars. That is exactly the background I found myself in at the Larry Bell Studio photographing the famous Taos artist, Larry Bell. We went around to various places in his studio, including the 1950s sci-fi looking high vacuum device he has for creating his glassworks. He chose a special guitar from his collection for one of his commercial portraits. He bough the guitar decades ago for just a few dollars. He has subsequently spent thousands restoring it! Thank you Larry for showing me around your studio!
Early morning portraits from the 3rd hole at Twin Warriors
Events, especially outdoor ones, are starting to come back in New Mexico, and it was a great time making golfing foursome portraits on the 3rd hole of the Twin Warriors Golf Club as part of the 3rd Annual Jennifer Riordan Golf Classic. I was actually working for Junior Achievement of New Mexico who put on a great event and provided me with two great volunteers to help photograph 35+ foursomes that day. Thank you to Lindsay and Jeff for helping out with the photography and to Patricia for choosing me as the photographer for this event!
In 2020 I visited the Art Cartopia Museum in Trinidad, Colorado where I was treated to views of the most creatively decorated cars you can imagine. One year later I was back in Trinidad, and just happened to be there the very day that these cars and many more took part in ArtoCade ArtCar Festival 2021. Seeing the cars out in broad daylight and in motion is a very different experience than seeing them parked in a dimly lit museum. This was the way these artcars were intended to be seen! After the parade, they parked on the closed off main street so you could go and get a closer look and see all the details that went into making each car a unique expression of automotive art in motion!
Impressive modern headshots for med school in Albuquerque
Looking to impress on his med school application, Hesham visited the JCP Home Studio in Albuquerque, New Mexico in a sharp blue suit with a perfectly tied tie. We shot on a clean white background which is my default suggestion when a client is looking for a modern headshot. Hesham was great in front of the camera, so it took up very little of his time in his busy schedule, and the edited headshots were delivered less than two hours after our headshot shoot! Thank you Hesham for choosing me as your headshot photographer and good luck on your med school application!
