I noticed the refraction of light caused by sun coming through a partially filled glass of claret, after only crumbs of chicken and dressing remained in the dish.  

Thanksgiving leftovers 2023 1

Thanksgiving leftovers 2023 2

My father once told me that his mother made pumpkin pie using carrots rather than pumpkin while his family was living in Canada raising wheat.  It makes sense.  Same color and texture after they are cooked and pureed.  And the traditional spices would probably make it impossible to tell the difference.  The pie slice in both photographs below was made with pumpkin puree poured into a homemade crust and baked.  Two different angles, with slightly altered natural light.

Thanksgiving leftovers 2023 4

Thanksgiving leftovers 2023 5

And last but not least, a gifted slice of pecan tart, as only the queen of these delicious desserts, Ingrid, can make it.  Layers of lusciousness!

Thanksgiving leftovers 2023 7

Thanks to Marilyn R., Barbara F. R., Kay C., Jean & Sam, Catherine, TTT, Lawrence, and Steve for commenting during this busy holiday week.

My hope is that everyone reading had the opportunity to celebrate, one way or another.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

The Farmers' Market was packed with vendors both inside the Market pavilion and outside under pop-up tents.  And even at 9 a.m., many folks were already busy buying, eating, laughing, and talking in a boisterous and festive way.  I joined in the fray because I was on a mission to purchase dried Chimayo red chile powder, cream cheese, and honey from a local vendor.

But the route to achieve the mission is hardly ever a direct one.  In the outside booths, I found the chile, and numerous intricately crafted wreaths and ristras. If you have ever tried to construct these beauties, you have a pretty good idea how much work is involved.

Farmers' Market, Santa Fe 2023 1

Farmers' Market, Santa Fe 2023 2

Farmers' Market, Santa Fe 2023 3

Entering the Market building, I spotted the Camino de Paz School and Farm table.  Located in Santa Cruz, the students and teachers make THE best cream cheese on the planet, as well as several varieties of "quark".  The chile powder is a Chimayo seed variety grown by Jesus Guzman and his partner, Kate, who gave good advice on the heat of each kind.

Farmers Market Santa Fe 2023 6

Feeling pretty good about scoring two out of three items in a relatively short period of time, I had to stop and chat with the owners of CLC Pecans in Hobbs, who happen to be neighbors, and were reveling in the birth of their first grand child.  Walking a bit further, I found Steve at Buckin' Bee Honey and Candles. His table was attracting a lot of attention, so it would have been rude to strike up a conversation.  Just asked him if I could take some photographs and he kindly agreed.

Farmers' Market, Santa Fe 2023 5

Farmers' Market, Santa Fe 2023 4  

 Another neighbor, Gustavo, raved about how perfect Steve's honey was on bread with butter, so I had to try it.  I also promised him a loaf when I bake next time.    
 

Thanks to Barbara F. R., Christina, Minna, Lluvia, Jean & Sam, Catherine, Ann A., TTT, and Steve for commenting this week and to all of you for reading throughout the year.  I am grateful and thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image© 

autumn leaves 2023 4

autumn leaves 2023 5

autumn leaves 2023 1

autumn leaves 2023 3

autumn leaves 2023 2

autumn leaves 2023 6

autumn leaves 2023 7

autumn leaves 2023 8

As you can see, nature is doing some truly weird and wonderful watercolor work on the trees.  Happy as a clam I am!

Thanks to all of you who commented this week, including Minna, Barbara F. R., Victoria, Dianne J., Jean and Sam, Terry T., Marilyn G., TTT, Steve, Pater Ingrid, and Rebecca.  With luck, all of you will be able to get out this week and enjoy the season, especially with your cameras and phones in hand!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

In addition to the Santa Fe Institute work and the other books on which I am been spending time curating, designing and writing, I have toyed for some time about using photographs for a black and white/food-themed set of coasters.  People still use coasters.  Whereas many have turned in their mouse pads and are using the trackpad/touchpad on their laptops, coasters are still part of the home dining and coffee tables.  I was also thinking in terms of food and beverages as part of the set.  Included in today's blog are some of the many possibilities.  The first is a beautifully cast door handle on the Bamberg Backerei in Bamberg, Germany.

A shop with numerous goodies in Bratislava, Slovakia

A New Mexico-made tart being served.

Ingrid's birthday tart 27 March 2022

Fancy dancing shoes deftly sculpted of marzipan in a Vienna shop.

Demel Eiscreme in Vienna

Glowing onions

A touch of vin rouge...

Wine

...with a touch of brie in Vienna

Just another sampling of the lovely randomness in a photographer's life. 

It was good to hear from so many of you last week including Barbara F. R., Tim A., Ann A., Lawrence J., TTT, Marilyn G. Steve, Catherine, Rebecca, and Carol.

I hope that the upcoming week contains some creative and interesting photographic adventures!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

That project aside, here is a selection of photographs for one of the books on flowers.  The image below was made in Arizona during a spring time bloom.  California poppies and owl clover are the dominant flowers.  

Foxglove saturated with fog in Point Reyes, California

Tulip and clouds

Salmon-colored poppy

Polish Spirit clematis

For this particular book, I wanted to feature flowers in both interesting natural settings and in quirky and traditional still life-inspired settings.  Curating like mad tends to focus one's eye on what might truly be interesting to others.  Which means you may see another blog of this ilk in the near future.

Thanks to Christina, TTT, Jean & Sam, Marilyn G., Catherine, Steve, and Rebecca for commenting this week.  In New Mexico, we have moved from what has been one of the most spectacular autumns ever to early winter, overnight.  Hope all of you have been able to keep warm.

until next week,

DB

a passion for the image©

If you see a tree that is screaming red in New Mexico, it is probably a maple of some sort.  In years past, the leaves on this particular tree had more burgundy hues.  This year, orange and yellow are emerging.  Perhaps because of the dryness.  I don't know.  Regardless, it is quite the specimen.

Rather than having the sun behind me on this shot, it was in front of me, showing the backlighting on the leaves.  

Leaves on ash trees here are the first to fall.  They develop what I call "skirts" or layers of leaves that remain on the trees while others are blowing in the wind.  The leaves on this particular skirt went from pale yellow to a ruddy gold.  These first ash tree closeups begin to provide some elements of impressionism.

The aspen tree reflections in the images below definitely move closer to the small pinpoints characteristic of impressionistic brush strokes.

I suspect there will be additional photographs in future blogs featuring autumn.  It is evolving before us, and, after all, these were just "first impressions."

How wonderful it was to hear from so many of you last week, and especially to see the photographs you sent of the eclipse designs you saw on both the ground and walls.  I loved the fact that Connie used a colander as her pinhole camera.  In this world that sometimes seems very nearly insane, creativity abounds, and brings joy.  

Thanks to Char, Dianne F., Barbara F. R., Marilyn R., Minna, Claudia, Connie, TTT, Tim A., Brenda, Jean & Sam, Christina W., Victoria, Rebecca, Steve, Carol, Terry T., and Marilyn G. for writing this week!  It appears that in many places across the globe, the weather will continue to provide great opportunities for photography, and I hope you will be able to take advantage of it.  

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Some of you had asked earlier in the week whether I was going to photograph it.  I am not an astronomy photographer nor do I have the equipment to venture into the realm.  I leave that to the experts in the field and there are many amazing dark sky photographers who were out shooting with perfect placement for the eclipse.  But the eclipse morning had surprises waiting for us.

As we do during the weekend, we walked over to the middle school track about half a mile from our house to do our martial arts workout and a couple of jogs around the track.  Thought it might be interesting to do our routine during the eclipse, just to see what would happen and how it would feel.  There are 25 different forms we do, and about halfway through, I noticed that the big elm tree under which we practice was not exhibiting its normal shadow patterns.  In actuality, the shadows were becoming the shape of a three quarters or a waxing gibbous moon.  My original thinking was that I was imagining things.  The patterns were fascinating.  There were several people around the track who were awaiting the eclipse so I ran over to get them and show them the shadows.  Kid in a candy shop that I am, it seemed my responsibility to show people what was happening.  We kept on doing our forms when up walks our neighbor, Rebecca, and we showed her.  At this point the patterns were becoming thinner and thinner, revealing the fact that the sun was quickly being obscured by the moon, leaving slivers of light and shadow.  The tree leaves were acting as a pinhole camera, directly focusing the light.  Luckily, she had her phone and was kind enough to loan it to me.  I was totally unprepared for the occurrence. 

Annular eclipse 2023 1

Annular eclipse 2023 2

In this image, you can see the trunk and limbs of the trees in addition to the leaf shadow effect.

Annular eclipse 2023 3

Annular eclipse 2023 7

Given a bit more contrast, the slinky like shadows take on a rolling look.  Having heard that the our part of New Mexico would have roughly 86% darkness, it was interesting to witness the light in the sky very gradually change from the bright, autumnal light to what I would term semi-dark.  There was something about the eclipse that was deep and stirring.  Something from the early days of human evolution.  The event was both "smile" and "sigh" worthy.   

Annular eclipse 2023 4

Granted, these shots are not quite as sexy as the ring and darkened sun that many astronomy photographers got during the eclipse.  But thanks to our neighbor, I was able to capture a different take on this extraordinary event.

By the way, here are two screen shots of the sun being tracked by our solar panels.  In the first, a nice bell curve reflecting a normal, sunny pattern. 

Screenshot

The dip in the bell curve show below was the precise time when the eclipse began to happen over us.  

Screenshot

Thanks to all of you who read and commented on last week's blog, including Barbara F. R., Tim, Minna, Marilyn G., Jean and Sam, Claudia, TTT, Geula, Steve, Ingrid, Christina W., Sara, and to Rebecca for providing the tool to record the Saturday's eclipse.    So many of you have extremely busy lives while others are experiencing so many extenuating circumstances that my appreciation of your comments has increased exponentially!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

But I happily spent the weekend at the Santa Fe County Fairgrounds for the Mountain and Valley Wool Association's 40th Wool Festival, as support staff for my husband, Fred, at his display space.  Photographic opportunities were in abundance and I took advantage of as many as I could.

As a casual observer, I could tell that many visitors were totally overwhelmed by the abundance and variety of fiber products, and an "inland sea of color".  Looking closer, one begins to sense the number of different skills present at the Festival.  Eric Wilson, a fiber artist from Cortez, Colorado, had (as his business card puts it) had hand-spun yarn, crochet and knit goodies, handprinted yarn and roving, and lastercut notions. Watching him work throughout the weekend, I would guess he spent a minimum of eight hours spinning a very fine yarn.  I asked if his foot and leg get tired.  His answered "You get used to it."

You can see how fine the wool is between his thumbs in this photograph.

Minna at Lana Dura renders wool into felt, using natural wool colors.  

The festival truly is a celebration of animal fiber, and the llamas and alpacas are always show stoppers, particular for children.  I finally got a simple answer about the visual differences between the two statuesque and beautiful animals.  Llama are taller but their ears look more like bananas, while the alpacas are shorter and have pointed ears.  The llama below is a magnificent creature, designed for roaming the pampas of South America.  With their long necks and flexibility, they are able to reach food wherever they find it.  

I loved this alpaca and its top knot, ever curious, always mewing to the world as if saying,  "Hmmm, what is going on here?  Is there something to eat?  Do I know this person?" 

Sheep shearing was also a featured element of the festival, and Tom Barr - an institution in sheep shearing around New Mexico and southern Colorado - has a skill like no other.  Upper body strength and flexibility are essential here, as you can see by his positions working with the sheep while shearing.  He has one of the sheep's legs in his left hand while shearing under parts with his right.  His knees are keeping the animal under control as well.

I always worry a bit about the horns...

Another thing I pondered as the Wool Festival ended Sunday afternoon, is how incredibly flexible all the vendors are.  From using all the fiber they can in any way they can, and not wasting a thing. to taking apart their exhibits, it was like a tribe of plains Indians, moving their camps across the prairie.  The process is quick, efficient, and part of who they are.  Not something most people recognize when they attend a fair.  But the fiber community, in many ways, is like a family of like-mind people who believe in what they do.  

Thanks to Barbara F. R., Steve, Catherine, Christina W., and Char for commenting on last week's blog, and all of you who stopped by the exhibit space this weekend - friends old and new!  And kudos to the vendors for their creativity and sharing it with the wider world.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

I photographed this dancing gent eleven years ago when photographer and friend, Steve Immel and I had cameras in hand, exploring Santa Fe. Here are the "then" and "now" photographs. 

One mission was to shoot a decent photograph of a piece of obsidian, for one of the books in process. Much more difficult than I thought it would be.  But here is a test shot and finger selfie.

Because the statuesque Ponderosa pine trees have a mention in one of the books, I feature one here.

And the topping on the cake of randomness, is a hummingbird trumpet or zauschneria.

Zauschneria "Hummingbird Trumpet" 1 2023

Sincere thanks to all of you who commented last week, including Barbara F. R., Victoria, Connie, Kathryn and Gene, Anne O., Marilyn G., Lisa S., Tomas, Brenda, Steve, Ann A. Ingrid, and Catherine, and a huge debt of gratitude to Christina W. who provided a new home for Rug 386 this week.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Fred has been busy preparing work for the festival.  This week's blog features 8 of the 20 rugs he will have on exhibit.  The event is a good opportunity to see his work in the flesh and feel the ample texture and colors of rug-weight Navajo-Churro wool.    

Rug 344

Rug 370

Rug 370 product picture 1

Rug 375

Rug 375

Rug 381

Rug 381

Rug 386

Rug 386

Rug 391

Rug 391

Rug 392

Rug 392

Rug 393

Rug 393

The 40th MAVWA Wool Festival will be held on Saturday, October 7 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, October 8 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.  The juried show is free and open to the public, and features the fiber work of 58 different fiber vendors as well as food vendors offering snacks, beverages, and lunch items.  

Thanks to Tim A., Christina, Barbara F. R., Jean & Sam, Deb R., TTT, Lucia, Terry T., and Steve for commenting on last week's blog!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

While talking and eating, we could watch the world to the south, and a storm developing.  Since one hardly ever knows where and when it will rain in New Mexico, we watched and waited.  It ended up being quite the storm, complete with probably two inches of rain and hail.  As happens here, after the sky had opened and literally poured its contents onto the land, the sun emerged.  And as good documentary filmmakers do these days, our host pulled out her drone and computer system, preparing it to fly.  While it was taking off, I took some shots of it before it left our sight.  She flew the drone over the arroyos, and we watched in real-time as the water tore through them and over the land to end up, eventually, in the Rio Chama.  The drone looks rather alien in nature. 

drone 2

drone 3

drone 1

As with any aircraft, take offs and landings are the most tenuous times.  On this particular day, not landing in the water was also a priority.  Notice in this image that the propellers are still in motion, as they are in the other photographs.

drone 4

Because the storm had been a good twenty minutes in length, the hummingbirds needed to eat after it exited.  Got to keep those tiny bodies and hearts going.  I suspect these are all female rufous hummingbirds, although they could have been broad-tailed, except I did not hear the audible trilling of their wings that is one of their identifiers.    

hummingbird in Medanales 2

hummingbird in Medanales 1

hummingbird in Medanales 3

And after the rain, and the flights of the hummingbirds and drones, I still marvel at and appreciate the great mysteries of how both fly.

Thanks, Cristina, for the wonderful real-time show.

And thanks to TTT, Larry & Carol, Charleen, Jean & Sam, Marilyn G., Steve, Christina, Pater, Lisa S., Ingrid, Catherine, and Marilyn R. for your comments on last week's blog. Enjoy the changing seasons, wherever you are in the world.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Araneus gemmoides or the cat-faced spider, is part of a family of orb weavers.  The lifespan is said to be a few weeks, but this particular female must feel quite comfortable and happy here because we have been watching her for at least a month.  We know it is a female because of its very large abdomen, as you can see here.  She was skillfully moving around her web and drinking water from the strands.  The cat-faced spiders' legs are quite long and spindly, and although I did not capture her using her legs for weaving, you can see how see they are used to construct the web.  The photographs were made over three days and late evenings.  

spider, cat face 4

You can see how very delicate the fibers appear but they are incredibly strong.  The "hairs" on the spider are actually trichobothria or sensory organs. The abdomens has spinnerets or spigots from which the protein is emitted to create a silk that is so strong it withstands wind and rain, and human idiots walking through the web.

spider, cat face 2

spider, cat face 1

spider, cat face 5

And the pre-Halloween special is this odd image created with a flashlight after sundown.

spider, cat face 6

The reason it is called a Cat-Face spider

spider, cat face 3

Many thanks to Barbara F. R., Christina, Jean & Sam, TTT, Catherine, Pat L., Carolyn, Steve, and Lucia for commenting last week.  It looks like we may have, surprisingly, a rainy week in northern New Mexico, offering its own opportunities for photography.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Today, the holiday is so beloved that huge numbers of people are on the highways and in the skies, taking advantage of the three day weekend.  I doubt the workers involved in labor rallies at that time imagined such a thing, or foresaw sales on sofas and other stuff as part of the holiday.  But the fight for decent treatment of workers prevails, as members of SAG, the Screen Actors Guild, and the Writers' Guild of America continue their strike action.  Even though many think of these strikes as being frivolities, there are serious issues involved, including the use of artificial intelligence to replace actors' images and to write scripts. Copyrighting work is almost always an issue for artists.  I am glad people are still fighting for their rights in the workplace, wherever that may be.  

In addition, there is a huge amount of work in America being done by a relatively unrecognized group of people - volunteers.  Quietly, but steadily and efficiently, these people perform labors of love every day in almost every area, including in schools, libraries, hospitals, animal shelters, food banks, gardens, within the national park system, and numerous non-profit and emergency aid organizations.  Given last week's blog on Valles Caldera, I thought more information was called for about the volunteers or near-volunteers who have contributed to the restoration of the area and other wilderness and ranch locations damaged in years past by humans, other animals, and machines.  

Renea Roberts - producer, editor, and director for R3 Productions - along with her team and contributors, are putting together a five-part documentary series on water restoration titled Thinking Like Water.  It features renowned forester and water wizard Bill Zeedyk.  Zeedyk is author of Let the Water Do the Work:  Induced Meandering, an Evolving Method for Restoring Incised Channels.  Anyone who has lived in the Southwest has seen channel cuts, also called head cuts.  Many people see it as erosion, which it is, but it can be fixed.  Zeedyk and numerous volunteers he has mentored over the years, have worked on restoring these cuts, including at Valles Caldera.  Zeedyk's restoration strategies have been adopted by many government agencies, paid contractors, and private landowners, in addition to the all volunteer Albuquerque Wildlife Federation. The Thinking Like Water website is well worth exploring. https://thinkinglikewater.com/ along with the trailer for Thinking Like Water, front and center on the link.  At just over twelve minutes long, it is a great introduction to Zeedyk and volunteer restoration work in the Southwest.  You can learn more about and support the project, and spread the word about it.  I raise a glass to all of you who volunteer! 

East Fork of the Jemez River, a good case for meandering

Valles Caldera East Fork of the Jemez River 5

It was exciting to see how many of you have visited Valles Caldera in years past and were just as enchanted by the place as I am, including Barbara F. R., Victoria, Donna and Dave, Catherine S., Claudia, Tim, Ingrid, Ann A., Lawrence, Jean and Sam, M. Fred B., Marilyn G., Terry T., and Steve. Thanks also to documentary filmmaker Cristina McCandless, who among others, is doing drone footage for the series and alerted me to it.  

Since today (in addition to being Labor Day) is the first Monday of meteorological autumn, I hope all of you are ready with cameras in hand to take advantage of the special light that comes with the season.  

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Valles Caldera and Cerro La Jara 2023  

We New Mexicans appreciate all water features.  The East Fork of the Jemez River, which some from the wetter parts of the country might call a creek, runs through the caldera.  The image below is looking east. 

Valles Caldera East Fork of the Jemez River 1 2023

Looking west along the river, you will notice other volcanic features.

Valles Caldera East Fork of the Jemez River 2 2023

Grasses being laid down by the water in the East Fork of the Jemez River.

Valles Caldera East Fork of the Jemez River 3

Coots and their chicks take advantage of the water.

Valles Caldera East Fork of the Jemez River - coots - 2023

I suspect many of you reading this have hiked extensively in the caldera, whereas my experience is relatively new and limited.  But it is an extraordinary piece of New Mexico.  With luck, you will be able to visit, walk, and hike Valles Caldera at some point in the future.

Thanks to Lawrence, Victoria, Barbara F. R., Jean & Sam, Marilyn G., Earle, Lisa S., Steve, and Catherine for following along and commenting last week!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Some 51 years ago, we first encountered the Indian Market on a rainy August afternoon in Santa Fe.  We had just been married and were taking everything in, not really knowing what it was.  It has grown and expanded remarkably since then, with the 2023 market featuring more than 900 American Indian artists.  Our visit this year was primarily to enable Fred to meet one of the weavers in the Rainbow Fiber Coop, along with seeing the work of others featured on Instagram.  From my 31 July blog, you might remember the beautiful Navajo-Churro wool that Fred purchased in lustrous indigo and cochineal. Here is Zefren-M, the weaver (and jeweler) who dyed the wool, styling in his reversible pancho.  

Zefren-M 1 Indian Market 2023    

Zefren-M 2 Indian Market 2023

Zefren-M 3 Indian Market 2023

Fred finally was able to start Rug 393 last week, using Efren's indigo and cochineal-dyed wool, along with Rainbow Fiber Coop dark grey.

Rug 393 detail 1

Rug 393 detail 2  

And Indian Market would not be complete with a surprise or two, one of which came in the form of a swallowtail butterfly in a puddle of water on Palace Avenue.

Swallowtail on Palace Avenue

Thanks to Tim A., Char, Barbara F. R., Claudia, Jean & Sam, Steve, and Catherine for your comments this week. 

until next Monday, 

DB

a passion for the image©

"Two narrow and unusually high tunnels were cut through Precambrian granite in the 1920s to facilitate passage of logging trains through this particularly rugged and constricted section of Guadalupe Canyon, known as the Guadalupe Box. Logs that were harvested in the western Jemez Mountains in the 1920s were taken by narrow-gauge railroad to a sawmill in Bernalillo. The tunnels were enlarged in the 1930s to accommodate logging trucks."  (geoinfo.nmt.edu). Not only was I impressed by the size of the tunnels and the colossal rock of the area, but by the work that must have been required to find a suitable area and survey it in the first place, and then to blast and clear rock, without having the luxury of fossil fuels and trucks to haul materials.  The original road to the area was probably sketchy to say the least.  Like many of the tunnels in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California, was well as other places around the world, human power made the project possible.  The image below is of the first tunnel you would approach driving from Jemez Springs on Highway 485.

Gilman Tunnels 2

Two closeups of the tunnel ceilings and walls

Gilman Tunnels 3

Gilman Tunnels 1

I insert this detail of the southern part of the Guadalupe Box detail as a demonstration of the massive rock and complexity of it.  Some of the rock sheets seem to be shaggy and ready to slough off at any time.  Notice a cave forming in the center of the bottom third of the photograph.  

Gilman Tunnels/Guadalupe Box 2

shooting north in the Guadalupe Box

Gilman Tunnels/Guadalupe Box

"The lower stretch of the Guadalupe River canyon exposes a thick section, including Permian redbeds of the Yeso Formation, Glorieta sandstone, and Triassic Moenkopi and Chinle strata, capped by thick exposures of Bandelier tuff." (geoinfo.nmt.edu). I can guarantee you my memory won't hold all this information, but the photograph, again, demonstrates the incredible and complicated (not to mention beautiful) geologic history of the area. 

Gilman tunnels - Guadalupe Box 1

As the seasons begin to change and move toward the equinox next month, I hope you are able to get out and take advantage of the special light.  The trip to the Gilman Tunnels is well worth your time.  Although Highway 485 is the former railway grade and bed, it is well maintained and an easy drive.  If you continue further into the Guadalupe Box region, the road which carries the number 376, requires a four-wheel drive vehicle.

My thanks to Tim A., Connie T., TTT, Barbara F. R., Jean & Sam, Marilyn G., Catherine, and Steve for commenting this week.  

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

hummingbird abstract 2018   

These red columbines that were growing along a waterfall on the Aspen Vista Trail near the Santa Fe Ski Basin are remarkably similar to the Aquilegia "Little lanterns" columbines I planted in our yard.  They are, no doubt, related.

Columbine, red 1 2023

The shooting stars, also growing near the same waterfall, were a refreshing surprise.

Shooting Star 1 2023

Both sides of the trail were covered with Richardson's geraniums.  Ever wonder how the bright red house plants and these are related?

Richardson's geranium 1 2023

I am considering the images above and others for one of the books I am designing.  The other book will feature some geological portraits in New Mexico and southern Colorado.  Naturally, the Ghost Ranch area near Abiquiu will be an integral part.

O'Keefe Country landscapes - still life by nature

O'Keefe Country landscapes designs in sandstone

Who knows what will evolve during the week in the world of writing and photography for all of us?

Thanks to Connie T., Robert, Terry T., Barbara F. R., Jean & Sam, Marilyn G., Robert, and Kelli D., for commenting this week.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

"Rainbow Fiber Co-Op is a Diné-led agricultural co-operative established to improve the financial sustainability and equitable market outcomes for the remaining flocks of Dibé dits’ozí (Navajo-Churro sheep) on the Navajo Nation. Our mission is to close the gap between rural Diné shepherds and an e-commerce marketplace for their wool."  You can find more information, see their product, and even shop online by looking at their website linked here. https://rainbowfibercoop.org/pages/about-us

Using one of my favorite references on color The Secret Lives of Color by Kassia St. Clair, I was able to expand on my knowledge of both colors, which in the case of cochineal was that the dye is made from a bug.  

Rainbow Fiber Coop indigo and cochineal

It never ceases to amaze me how things are discovered and put to use in human lives.  According to St. Clair, the insect from which cochineal is made, was not actually identified as an insect until the 17th century, when its confirmation was made under a microscope.  Dactylopius coccus, specifically the female, is no larger than the size of a pinhead.  Dactylopius dines voraciously on the prickly pear cactus, where they can be found in "snowy white clusters on the sunny side of the prickly pear cactus leaf...If you were to pluck one off and squeeze hard enough to crush it, your guilty fingers would be stained bright crimson."  It is one of the most brilliant and flexible of the natural dyes.  St. Clair adds that "it was used as a dye in Central and South America from at least the second century B. C. and became intrinsic to the Aztec and Inca Empires."  In the hands of a skilled dye master, including Zefren Anderson based in Shiprock, who dyed the wool shown here, the color shines in all its glory.  It is called Navajo-Churro Zefren's Red Cochineal.  The wound balls are the Co-op's dark gray, which I found to be quite reflective of the light in which it was photographed.  Perhaps that is because the Navajo-Churro sheep wander through the many colors of their environments?

Rainbow Fiber Coop cochineal and charcoal grey

Rainbow Fiber Coop cochineal

Shifting now to indigo or the seed mentioned in today's blog title.  Indigofera tinctoria or true indigo, is a member of the pea/bean family - Fabaceae. St. Clair, again in The Secret Lives of Color, indicates that although its origins were thought to be in India, the Middle East and Africa, it grows in many areas world-wide and its discovery and use for dying could have been made in numerous places.  Apparently, it is notoriously difficult to render and create the dye, and thus was given great value.  "Males of the Tuareg tribe in Northern Africa are given tagelmusts, or headscarves, at a special ceremony that marks their transition from boy to man.  The most prestigious in the community wear the glossiest indigo tagelmusts, whose gloriously resonant hue is developed through multiple rounds of dying and beating.  Because it has always been so highly prized, indigo has, from as far back as records and educated guesswork allow, been a bedrock of global trade."  The gloss or patina in the indigo from Rainbow Fiber Coop is quite apparent in the images included here.

Rainbow Fiber Coop indigo, cochineal, and charcoal grey

Rainbow Fiber Coop indigo

Rainbow Fiber Cooper indigo, charcoal grey, and cochineal

Fred has not yet used the cochineal or indigo, but the dark grey field from the co-op was used in Rug 391.

Rug 390

Thanks to Connie Taylor, Zefren Anderson, Kelli Dunaj, Nikyle Begay, and all the artisans, herders, spinners and dyers who are involved in the Rainbow Fiber Co-op and its mission, and of course the Dibé dits’ozí (Navajo-Churro sheep).

TTT, Ann A., Barbara F. R., Jean & Sam, Marilyn G., Steve, and Marilyn R. commented on last week's blog and I thank you for your words.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©
 

As someone who appreciates gardens as a source of that good energy when things are busy enough to keep me out of the mountains or desserts, I turn my camera on them.  My continuing missions this week included selecting photographs for a couple of different collections I am honing for books, and rug photography for Fred's portfolio.  But at this time of year when some flowers are starting to wane, the knockout garden standby is a plant that always pleases from the moment its first leaf pokes through the soil until the frost take holds. That is the hosta.  Because many of the varieties have ample leaves that are variegated, beautifully shaped and delineated, the leaves rather than the subdued flowers are the stars. Although the flowers are nice surprises when they do appear.  The leaves create an automatic backdrop for the light purple flowers. 

Hosta 2023 1

Hosta 2023 4

Hosta 2023 2

Hosta 2023 5

Showing off the leaves are hostas' speciality.

Hosta 2023 6

Hosta 2023 7

I almost missed these flowers, sheltering under a neighboring leaf.

Hosta 2023 8

It was intensely gratifying to hear from so many of you last week in regard to the agave bloom stalk life cycle.  It is still in bloom, with just about all of the bloom pods fully opened.  Some of you mentioned that you had seen blooms this year, including in Arizona, Oregon, and California.  So thank you, Christina, Victoria, TTT, Sandra B., Barbara F. R., Ross, Claudia, Charlie, Ann A., Susie, Terry T., Debbie, Marilyn G., Robert, Steve, Ingrid, Catherine, and Bob S. for your input and comments!  May your week be filled with nature's delights!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

The agave likes heat.  It can grow in desert, high desert, and tropical climates, and many of its species have subdued and lovely shades of verdigris, making them perfect elements for New Mexico gardens.  Below is an image of the plant featured in today's blog two years before it evolved into its alien stage.

Because most agaves have many years on them before they arrive in a garden from their native habitats
 - as many as thirty or more - one can never really know its age or when it will bloom.  So when the bloom stalk appeared one day in a local garden around the corner, and continued to grow literally feet every day, we looked forward to seeing its progress on our daily walks.  This image was made on 4 June.  How much taller would it get?

Just 11 days later, on 15 June, I used a friend's height for scale (Robert says he's just shy of 6') demonstrating how much the stalk had grown.

agave bloom spike 2023 1

Another 15 days later, it had gained possibly another four feet and the bloom pods were starting to reveal themselves. 

agave bloom spike 2023 2

agave bloom spike 2023 3

Each one of these branched inflorescences will explode, exposing bright yellow flower parts.

agave blooms 2023 1

The images below were made yesterday, another 16 days after the pods started to appear.  The bloom cycle lasts 3-4 months, and happens just once in a lifetime.  New agave-lets appear in the bloom bundle and fall to the ground.  Under the right conditions, they may grow into new agaves.  Which is the point, since, unfortunately, the agave has put its life energy into the process and then dies.  I feel lucky to have witnessed its life cycle.  As you can tell, this agave has not quite finished its presentation.

agave blooms spike 2023 4

Numerous stamens are waving in the breeze loaded with pollen.  The bees had already discovered the newly unfurled pods.

agave blooms 2023 3

agave blooms 2023 2

Hope all of you in the northern hemisphere are able to deal with whatever weather conditions nature presents this week.  Thanks to Debbie & Steve, Marilyn G., TTT, Barbara F. R., Steve, Jean & Sam, and Lawrence for commenting this week.  And thanks to Ann for growing and caring for this agave, and to Robert for giving the bloom stalk scale.  

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Nearly every photo shoot I do involves some sort of backdrop for the subject, whether it is natural or human made.  To photograph the peonies featured in today's blog, I chose three colors as possibilities - grey, white, and black.  Two different black fabrics were used.  All three colors demonstrate how different a subject can be, dependent on texture and color of a backdrop.

The first two photographs show why so many photographers use a neutral grey for portraiture of any kind.  It is soft and capable of producing a lush color spectrum.

peony on grey 2 2023  

peony on grey 1 2023

White changes everything. The pink peony in the first photograph below  (which reminds me of the artwork of Charles Rennie Macintosh - architect, designer, and artist - who influenced Art Nouveau and the Secessionist Movement) has a pink tinge to it.

peony on white 3 2023

White on white has a lightness to it that is completely different from the grey.

peony on white 1 2023

peony on white 2 2023

Finally, black can be quite dramatic when used as a backdrop.  It is bold and pulls the eye from the backdrop, leaving only the subject for the viewer to peruse, as shown here, and in the image of the base of the peony.  

peony on black 2 2023

peony on black 4 2023

I "pulled" the shadows a bit in the image below to show just a hint of the texture provided by the black lace fabric.

peony on black 3 2023

Despite the fact that it was the 4th of July weekend, many of you commented on last week's blog including Mary Pat., Ann A., TTT, Terry T., Jean & Sam, Lucia, Christina, Steve, Marilyn G., Carol and Larry M., Barbara F. R., Robert, and Pauli.  Your comments are very much appreciated!  By the way, "Seating for One" seemed to be your favorite from the entrants for Shadow and Light Magazine.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

I also devoted time in the past month curating images for Shadow and Light Magazine's Color It Red special issue competition.  Below are a few of the images I included.

"Seating for One"

"Shade Sails"

Vivac Winery Shoot 2022 for blog 5

"weaving detail"

Rug 349 detail.jpg

"Amaryllis"

Flowers - amaryllis 29 2022.jpg

"Bromeliad"

Flowers - bromeliad 1 2023

"Carol's peony"

Peonies - Carol's 2023 3

And I wish I had made the competition deadline with this beauty, but perhaps next year.  

"Peony on black 1"

Peony on black 2023 1

I hope all of you in the United States have a safe and beautiful Independence Day holiday.  

Thanks to Barbara F. R., Jean & Sam, Paule M., Victoria, Marilyn G., Catherine, Lisa S., Marilyn R., Steve, Ingrid and Dianne J. for your kind and most welcome comments on last week's blog.  My gratitude also goes to Cristina and Carol for providing the blooming inspiration!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Mountain streams and waterfalls in New Mexico are petite compared to those in other locations around the world.  Nonetheless, they are gems. Using roughly 1/30 of a second shutter speed gave a most interesting photographic effect.  At first blush, the shutter speed slows down the water just enough to give a nice blur, as shown below.

Aspen Vista refractions 2  

But focusing in, the water appeared, at times, to be one sheet of shrink wrap flowing over the rocks.

Aspen Vista refractions 3

I hope your screen is big enough to see a couple of things in the shot below.  The lens captures the water, making it appear that it was frozen in time.  Also, in the bottom third of the shot, toward the center, there is a diagonal line of five dots that appear to have been applied by a white pen.  There are a couple of other places in the bottom half of the photograph where this happens as well.  It is water literally stopped in frame.

Aspen Vista refractions 1

Pulling back offers an image of the sequence of three drops of the falls.

Aspen Vista refractions 4

Not only did the waterfalls fascinate me, but the resulting slower water as it crossed the trail/road captured my attention.  Water gently moving over rocks and sand.  The sequence of photographs below were captured at 1/170 of a second at f8, allowing refraction to be caught in the most interesting ways. According to the Concise Oxford English Dictionary, a ray of light can be refracted by water, air, or glass which causes the light ray to change direction when it enters at an angle.  There was so much happening in several places that I spent a good amount of time watching and photographing the light and water dance.  Viewing the results was the equivalent of finding jewels in the water.  

Aspen Vista refractions 8

Aspen Vista refractions 5

Aspen Vista refractions 7

Aspen Vista refractions 6

Knowing full well that there are many of you reading who are in the throes of very uncomfortable heat, my hope is that it won't last long and allow you to enjoy summer.  Thanks to Lucia, Barbara F. R., Jean & Sam, Peggy, Steve, Claudia, TTT, Marilyn G., Catherine, Karla P., Charlie K. C., M. Fred, Veronica, Lena D., and Bill & Sue for kind comments this week.  

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Rug 389 detail   
 

He dyed four pounds of a natural oatmeal color from iiiDogFarm in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque - two pounds a Flame Red from Greener Shades and two pounds of the same red along with a pinch of Greener Shades Sunshine Yellow.  Thanks to Andrea Harrell and Lulu, Cody, Gabe, and Bubba for sharing their wool.  The pure Flame Red-dyed is on the left hand side of the image, the natural oatmeal on which it is dyed is in the middle, and on the right side are the skeins dyed with Flame Red and added Sunshine Yellow.      

Navajo-Churro wool, hand dyed by Fred Black

The last time I featured Fred's weaving here was in March while he was working on Rug 384 in which he used remnants from last year's weaving.  Because all the wool he uses is hand-dyed, dye lots vary, and thus, each and every rug is different.

Rug 384

Rug 385, below, is in the Moki style, which utilizes narrow stripes.

Rug 385

Rug 386 is as close as Fred gets to a pictorial weaving.

Rug 386 detail

Hanging over a balustrade or wall, an observer can see "weather" in the rug - stylized clouds with rain or virga above the mesas and canyon, and a river running through it.   

Rug 386

Rug 387 is in the style of a Navajo Chief's blanket (Phase II)

Rug 387

Finally, a blending of six different dye lots of the same red - Chile Colorado (from Tierra Wools in Chama) - using the ombre or shading technique, make Rug 388 pop.

Rug 388

It was great to hear from Bill and Sue, TTT, Connie, Barbara F. R., Christina W., Charlie, Sam & Jean, Marilyn G., Steve, Ingrid and Marta this week!

Hope your week, and particularly the Solstice on Wednesday, bring extra light to your photography and your lives.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Poppies - salmon 1 2023  

Poppies - salmon 2 2023

The white of the poppy below does not diminish its beauty in any way, with the large blotches of inky color at the base.  An orchestra of nature is playing furiously in the middle of the flower. 

Poppies - white 2 2023

a black and white photograph showing more of the inner workings

Poppies - white 1 2023

I had never seen this color of poppy before.  Depending on the light, the color ranged from mauve to plum to purple.  Each is stunning.  

Poppies - purple 3 2023

Poppies - purple 6 2023

Poppies - purple 4 2023

Thanks to Victoria, Lisa S., Barbara F. R., M. Fred, Kay, Christina W., Ann A., Steve, Marilyn G., and Catherine for commenting this week!  I hope you find some excellent subjects to photograph during the coming week.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

The flower stalks of the yucca go through quite an evolution before coming to full bloom.  Emerging from the bottom of the plant, surrounded by green leaf spikes, they look like alien creatures.

The brown/burgundy color begins to lighten as the blooms start to open.

Thread-like filaments curling along the leaves' edges are pure design.

The blooms are quite delicate and lovely, counterpoints to the needle-sharp leaves.

Yucca blooms have a sheen that makes them look like ripe fruit.

I must include here the mammoth bloom stalk of an agave plant I noticed for the first time this morning.  Watching it evolve is going to be very interesting!

Thanks to all of you who commented on my Memorial Day blog and the meaning of the day, including Victoria, Barbara F. R., David O., Phyllis, Jean & Sam, Connie, Brenda, Ann A., Sara, Earle, Orlando, Steve, and Ingrid.  

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

"In honor and recognition of all of our fallen service members, the Congress, by a joint resolution approved May 11, 1950, as amended (36 U.S.C. 116), has requested that the President issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe each Memorial Day as a day of prayer for permanent peace and designating a period on that day when the people of the United States might unite in prayer and reflection.  The Congress, by Public Law 106-579, has also designated 3:00 p.m. local time on that day as a time for all Americans to observe, in their own way, the National Moment of Remembrance."  

President Biden proclaimed today, May 29, 2023 as a day of prayer for permanent peace.  "I further ask all Americans to observe the National Moment of Remembrance beginning at 3:00 p.m. local time on Memorial Day."

Memorial Day has become a collective day of remembrance of all who have died and passed from our lives.  There are sometimes heated discussions about why only military members are remembered and not peacemakers and conscientious objectors to war.  But one thing I suspect most people can agree upon is the idea, wish, or prayer for permanent peace.

In the spirit of remembering and peace, I am including photographs that seem particularly peaceful, each for different reasons, but that conjure those feelings. As is the case with the bench image below, surrounded by leaves in a cemetery, the images can be in urban or more natural settings.

A reflection of the Grand Teton in Jenny Lake, with stones

A dried lotus blossom among leaves draws in both the eyes and the spirit.

There is nothing like a healthy, open ponderosa pine forest and the smell of the sun-heated bark emitting a butterscotch/vanilla fragrance. 

Williams Lake on the way to Wheeler Peak in New Mexico is the perfect resting spot.

KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA

Looking up through an aspen canopy of fall quaking leaves settles the soul....

Trees - aspen 2021 4.jpg

...as does the sight of a columbine flower in deep shade.

Columbine - Rocky Mountain (Aquilegia caerulean) 2 2023

I hope that each of you has a Memorial Day filled with good memories of those who have passed and with new memories of those with whom you celebrate!

Thanks to Ingrid, Barbara F. R., Connie, Steve, Catherine, Jean and Sam, Heather H., and Bill and Sue for writing this week.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Columbines - Rocky Mountain (Aquilegia cerulea)KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA

Like breeds or species of all stripes, columbine come in different sizes, colors, and shapes.  To begin the parade is the columbine "Little Lanterns". In Latin, Aquilegia canadensis is diminutive.  Rather than unfurled petals, the little lantern hangs down from the stem, like a lantern, and more like a bud.  The spurs come together at the top of the flower.

Columbines - Little Lanterns (Aquilegia canadensis) 2 2023

The image below was taken in the morning after one of this week's rains the evening before.

Columbines - Little Lanterns (Aguilegia canadensis) 4 2023

Next in size is the columbine Origami Red and White Aquilegia caerulea, the same species as the Rocky Mountain Columbine, with similar structural features, but different color and size. 

Columbines - Origami red and white (Aquilegia x caerulea) 2 2023

Columbines - Origami red and white (Aquilegia x caerulea) 4 2023

The next two photographs are of a columbine Swallowtail Aquilegia species.  It has not yet completely opened, given the cooler temperatures.

Columbines - Swallowtail (Aquilegia species) 2 2023

Columbines - Swallowtail (Aquilegia species 1)

Finally, McKana Giants Aquilegia mckana hybrida columbines, are the largest as far as the actual plant is concerned, with a maximum size of 36 inches in height.  It was a fascinating challenge to try to photograph these amazing flowers, inside the depths of the petals, outside the petals, and complete with spurs all around.

Columbine - McKana Giant (Mckana hybrida) 9 2023

Columbine - McKana Giant (Mckana hybrida) 13 2023

It was great to hear from so many of you last week, including Victoria, Barbara F. R., Char, Jean & Sam, Steve, Catherine, Marilyn, Connie T., Heather F. H., Lluvia, Robert, and Lawrence J.   I hope all of you are finding wonderful things to ponder and photograph on this exceptional planet of ours.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image© 

I made this photograph of the geological jumble along the west side of the highway.  The pillars in the top of the image (could be maar deposits) give way to red sandstone layers of a different type and consistency.  It is vintage Jemez.

Jemez Country geology 2023 1     

Layers worked by water and wind and time abound.

Jemez Country geology 2023 5

Jemez Country geology 2023 2

These resemble a human-constructed dwelling.

Jemez Country geology 2023 4

Jemez Country geology 2023 3

Sandstone guardian

Jemez Country geology 2023 6

Thanks for Barbara F. R., Lisa S., Jim & Louise W., Steve, Geula, Catherine, Steve, Christina, Robert, Paule, Claudia, and Pauli for writing this week.  

Who knows what next Monday will offer?  

until next Monday,

DB 

a passion for the image©

Since the beginning of April when temperatures began to warm, the small towns of San Ysidro and Jemez Springs, New Mexico, experienced flooding from the runoff of excellent winter mountain snows.  The snow melt prompted warnings about not pulling off the side of Highway 4 because of the rushing water.  Every time I checked the state of New Mexico highway conditions map, indications were given about the highway being patrolled and police telling people they would not be allowed to utilize the shoulders for parking.  But the latest warnings were from the third week in April and I decided last week might be a good time to take a photographic trip to Soda Dam, north of Jemez Springs and Jemez Pueblo.  The drive would be enjoyable even if pulling off was not allowed.

As it turned out, the day was perfection, and the small parking area near Soda Dam was not only open but empty short of one vehicle.  For at least forty-five minutes, we had the place to ourselves.  I mentioned the sensory richness of the Jemez earlier.  As we opened the car doors, the smell of sulphur took us back, I am not certain where or even to what time, but it was the start of a heady experience - a delicious stew of smells and sounds.  The roar of the water made me realize why the authorities cautioned people not to go near the river.  Although there are many more public swimming pools in the state than during my childhood, there are still a good many who do not know how to swim.  The speed and intensity of the water would have taken even skilled swimmers for quite a ride. 

It is best to begin with a full shot of Soda Dam and the Jemez River going through the calcareous rock.  Layer upon layer of history deposit themselves in the formation, which, according to Atlasobscura.com, is fifty feet high and fifty feet wide at the bottom.

Soda Dam, New Mexico - 2023 15

Within the body of the dam are small caverns and gnarled, contorted layers, shaped and worked by nature.

Soda Dam, New Mexico - 2023 21

Soda Dam, New Mexico - 2023 24

The noise of the water rushing through the opening was impressive, shown in the trio of progressively closer images.

Soda Dam, New Mexico - 2023 1

Soda Dam, New Mexico 2023 7

Soda Dam, New Mexico - 2023 5

The other-worldly nature of these formations cannot be overstated.  It is seriously complicated by forces geologists can identify but the likes of me cannot.  

Soda Dam, New Mexico - 2023 18

A detail of the lower right hand part of the formation (travertine deposit) in the image of above makes me think of a wood burl.  

Soda Dam, New Mexico - 2023 28

Finally, since Soda Dam is part of the Jemez area, filled with geothermal features, and the dam is fed by 117° water from Valles Caldera, several types of algae or cyanobacteria, thrive here.

Soda Dam, New Mexico 2023 30

Thanks for coming along for the ride, and my appreciation goes to Bill P., Barbara F. R., Christina, Lisa S., Jean and Sam, Steve, and Catherine for commenting last week.  Some very uniquely layered red dirt will be the feature of my next biog.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Flowers - tulip 2 2023 2

Flowers - tulip 3 2023 3       

Like every person who has taken their phone or camera out to capture snow on patio furniture, after the recent, wonderful snowfall, I made my way outside, camera in hand, as the sun was beginning to melt the snow in the late morning light.

Flowers - tulip and snow 2023 1

Flowers - tulip and snow 2023 3

As the tulips declare "Happy May Day", I thank Barbara F. R., Terry T., Catherine S., Jean & Sam, Steve, Bill P., and Larry & Carol for your comments on last week's blog!  I like to imagine all of you out and about with your cameras/phones this week, making photographic magic happen!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

First featured are assorted flowering plum tree blossoms that have been in bloom for several weeks.  It was during one of my first shoots of those trees I realized that the buds were equally perfect subjects.  Here is an image of buds and blossoms providing color rather than focus and form. That is left to the branch shadows on a stucco wall generating a bit of an abstraction.

Flowers - flowering plum and shadows 1

Below is a single flowering plum tree bud.  It is why I pursued buds this week and why it was well worth the time.

Flowers - flowering plum bud 2023 1

Here is another flowering fruit tree bud.  I have no idea what type of tree it graces, but am guessing it could be a crabapple.

Flowers - flowering fruit tree bud 2023 1  

The buds here that are beginning to open are actually on the same tree as the bud featured in the previous photograph.

Flowers - flowering fruit tree bud 2023 2

Pulling away from the closeups gives an entirely different  perspective.

Flowers - flowering fruit tree bud 2023 4

The tulip buds I photographed took their time in opening.  Here is what I would call phase 2, when the color begins to appear.

Flowers - tulip bud 2023 2

The bud here is poised to open.  In addition to the flower, I liked the waves created by the tulip leaves at the base.

Flowers - tulip bud 2023 4

It opens.

Flowers - tulip bud 2023 5

It was terrific to hear from so many of you last week, including Barbara F. R., Sandra B., Bill P., Lisa S., Jean & Sam, Ann A., Steve, Catherine, M. Fred, and Ingrid!  With luck, you will make some wonderful discoveries when you are out and about this week.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

The daffodil "Ice Follies" was featured in last week's blog, but the way light and shadow enveloped the ruffled cup shown here, made it a feature this week.

Flowers - daffodils - Ice Follies 2023 8  

The same is true for this King Alfred daffodil.  The structure of the cup looks so sturdy that it seems to be able to hold almost anything.

Flowers - daffodils - King Alfred 2023 1

On the other hand, the Thalia daffodil shown below has petals and a cup that, in proportion, seem much longer and more delicate. 

Flowers - daffodils - Thalia 2023 2

The stamens look like a starfish contained within the cup.

Flowers - daffodils - Thalia 2023 1

Finally, the Tazetta daffodil or minnow, has very diminutive flowers, measuring one inch or 2.54 centimeters.  It was on-the-ground photography for this one. 

Flowers - daffodils - Tazetta 2023 2

Thanks to Christina, Barbara F. R., Lisa S., Ingrid, Catherine, Marilyn G., Steve, Lawrence, and Susie for commenting on last week's blog.  Yours words in addition to the flowers, are a breath of spring!

I hope you and your cameras will be out and about this week, discovering the evolution of life!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Two varieties are included in today's blog.  The Ice Follies bulbs produce a medium-sized flower with white petals and a yellow cup.  Here is a group I photographed in bright, late afternoon light.

Flowers - daffodils - Ice Follies 2023 1

The photographs that follow were made between 8:30 and 9:30 in the morning, when available light was bright but softer in feel.

Flowers - daffodils - Ice Follies 2023 6

The cups are filled with pollen, a veritable flow of it.

Flowers - daffodils - Ice Follies 2023 4

There is mystery produced by the shadow and light in the two images below.

Flowers - daffodils - Ice Follies 2023 2

Flowers - daffodils - Ice Follies 2023 3

Every single part of the cup is apparent in this image.

Flowers - daffodils - Ice Follies 2023 5

A smaller daffodil or narcissus bulb carrying the name Tete a Tete, produces flowers with a combination of yellow petals and orange cups.  This one is nodding until the warmth of the sun helps it unfurl. 

Flowers - daffodils - Tete a Tete 2023

Thanks to Ross, Ingrid, Barbara F. R., Steve, Catherine, and Charleen for commenting this week.  Happy Trails to Cristina, and Robert as they return home from their travels.  And may all you photographers who are reading this find more than ample subject matter to photograph as seasons change in both the northern and southern hemispheres.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Echo Amphitheater is part of New Mexico's Carson National Forest.  Most people who enter the area do so to experience the acoustic wonder. Below is an image of the amphitheater itself that produces the great echoes.  

Echo Amphitheater 1  

Listening to people whispering, yelling, whistling, clapping their hands and making assorted noises and then hearing the sound ricochet is compelling.  But to me, the formations around it are the most amazing elements of the place.  You can almost see the original artist at work, layering the sandstone and applying  desert varnish over the centuries.

Echo Amphitheater 2 (1)  

Formations surrounding the amphitheater are stunning in their layering and color palette.

Echo Amphitheater 5

Echo Amphitheater 3

Weather shapes, softens, and alters the colors over time. 

Echo Amphitheater 4

One can see pillars forming in the monolithic masses of Jurassic Entrada Formation sandstone (pink to orange) and in the caps of Jurassic Todilito Formation limestone.  These are just the basics of a very complicated geological region, described further in an article from the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources.  https://geoinfo.nmt.edu/tour/landmarks/ghost_ranch/home.html

Echo Amphitheater 6

The geological region extends east of Echo Amphitheater, as shown here, and into the Ghost Ranch area.  Jurassic Entrada sandstone is found throughout much of the American West, including in Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona, in addition to northwestern New Mexico.     

Echo Amphitheater/O'Keefe County 1

Although Echo Amphitheater is currently closed for renovation, work is expected to be complete by late fall or early winter.  (The irony of the previous sentence just hit me!). You can still drive up to the bar gate and enjoy the landscape and quiet.  

Thanks to Barbara F. R., Peggy, Veronica, Christina, Catherine, Donna & Dave, Steve, Lisa S., Sara, and Jean and Sam for your comments on last week's blog.  

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

As you can tell from my regular use of the cabbage in numerous images, I find them weirdly photogenic.  Lots of nice, soft curves and variations in shades of color seem to make a single leaf a perfect backdrop.  Even as I placed and photographed the necklace, I could hear the question of a friend "What are you smoking up there?"  Nothing but imagination gone wild.

Still life - aquamraine & cabbage 2

By working with my macro lens, the cabbage background is a little more mysterious and the stone and necklace more pronounced.   Still life - aquamarine & cabbage leaf 1

Shooting it from a slightly lower angle, the stone and chain are almost like an oyster and pearl

Still life - aquamarine & cabbage leaf 3

Speaking of shells, I used a large clam shell for the presentation below.

Still life - aquamarine & clam shell 1

Far from being an expert on sea shells and marine life, I needed to do a bit of searching for this shell, a small conch.

Still life - aquamarine & conch shell 1

Using another angle of the conch and aquamarine, the natural light filtered through storm clouds accentuated the blue hue of the stone.

Still life - aquamarine & conch shell 2

Happy Birthdays and Anniversaries to everyone whose names are on calendar, and to those I may have missed.  I hope you have had grand celebrations and that the last week of March does indeed go out like a lamb.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image© 

This is the case for my husband Fred, who weaves six hours a day, using 125 pounds of Navajo-Churro wool, and producing 20-24 pieces of weaving (mostly rugs) annually.  Between the beginning of January and the Ides of March this year, he wove four rugs.

January brought Rug 380 from the loom room.  The rug's field is oatmeal grey, dyed black, cobalt, and chile colorado.

Rug 380

For Rug 381, a piece where arts and crafts tradition meet the Southwest, Fred used a light natural grey wool as the field, dyed black for the borders, and Ganado red.  It appears to the eye that he used a dark grey, but while weaving, he alternated light grey and dyed black, which produced the look of dark grey. Here it is in progress on the loom.

Rug 381 detail

Below is an image of the completed rug.

Rug 381

In the detail below, notice the single line or shot of light grey just beneath the top of the black border.  It is the last line of light grey, a way out, as it were.  This is used historically in Navajo or Dine' weaving, and is frequently called a "spirit line" or "weaver's path", according to Navajo historian Wally Brown.  In Navajo or Dine', ch'ihónít'i - a weaver's path - is added to a bordered rug in order to keep the weaver's mind from being locked up inside the rug by the solid border.  You can read more about this and other traditions at Mr. Brown's website here.  https://navajotraditionalteachings.com/
 

Rug 381 Spirit line detail

In the third piece of 2023, Rug 382, Fred used a very dense and luscious natural charcoal grey, along with dyed wool in cobalt blue, chile colorado, and Tierra Amarilla.  It feels supportive and spongy underfoot.

Rug 382

The quartet is completed by Rug 383, with wool dyed at Tierra Wools in brown heather, red heather, rust heather, calabasa, Tierra Amarilla, turquoise, and iron springs.  

Rug 383

I brought the pieces together with some of the wool used in them.

Rugs 381,382,383 and wool 1

A slightly different angle

Rugs 381,382,383 and wool 2

Today is the spring or vernal equinox, a time of emergence.  I hope it is also a time of unbridled creativity for all of you!  Thanks to Barbara F. R., Melissa M., Terry T., Steve, Catherine, and Robert for commenting this week!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

As I have indicated before, when you prepare something for photography but intend to eat said subject, timing is of the essence - both to make the photograph and to eat the dish in a timely fashion.  I had pondered backdrops and locations, using them at a variety of times during the week, with both natural and other lighting, and made lists of which images in what conditions worked and which did not.

Because of the higher temperature and shorter potential window of time that presents itself when making a pizza, (a pesto pizza) I only used two locations. The first was on a pizza stone and table in some nice controlled natural afternoon light.

pesto pizza 1

In the second shot, some natural light was filled with LED lights.

pesto pizza 2

Below is a shot of green chile enchiladas.

green chile enchilada

Homemade bread using natural light from the south and west

homemade bread

Finally, an image utilizing an iris and chocolates gifted to me some years ago.  My lack of adequate documentation leaves me without the local chocolatier's name.  The designer chocolates could have been from either Chocolate Smith or Kakawa Chocolate House.

Thanks to Paule, TTT, Dianne J., Ann A., Ingrid, Carol, and Robert for your blog feedback this week.  Despite flooding and massive snow in California, spring seems to be bursting there, with blossoms on fruit and ornamental fruit trees bombing every disaster video.  Things are happening here as well, with the first sighting of migrating cedar wax wings visiting the neighborhood this week.  I hope your cameras and binoculars are in hand as the week progresses.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Some of the first flowers to bloom on the mesas are ground huggers, and to capture a good image, photographers need to be equally adept at either sitting or laying on your back to achieve that.  The Easter daisies suddenly seem to appear at one's feet.  Wandering lazily, I sometimes stepped on them before I realized they were there.

Another ground hugger is the Santa Fe phlox, shown below.  In a good year after much snow and rain, it is everywhere, in what seems to be the worst, cracking soil.  

The cacti - including hedgehog and claret cup - throw splashes of brilliant fuchsia, red/orange, and yellow at your feet and in pockets of sandstone.

Very site specific and somewhat picky about where they grow, paintbrush can be real show offs in years with good moisture.

Finally, turning to the mountains just after the snow melts, at elevations between, I am guessing, 8,000-9,000 feet, wild iris are spectacular.  They are great fans of wetness, growing along streams or in somewhat boggy areas.  Huge fields of them cover parts of the Pecos Wilderness as well as areas along Highway 64 between Tres Piedras and Tierra Amarilla.   

Thanks to TTT, Veronica, Barbara F. R., Christina, Brenda, Kay, Pauli, M. Fred, Catherine, Heather H. and Steve for reading and commenting this week!  It is wonderful to hear from each and every one of you!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

In the image below, a healthy thunderstorm is developing over the western part of Taos County.  If you look closely in the bottom third of the photograph, there appears to be a black line.  That line or gash is actually the Rio Grande Gorge, concealing he 800 foot depth of the opening until one comes much closer. The photograph was taken from Highway 68.

Another broad landscape is produced by the lava flow and sandstone of which El Malpais National Monument between Grants and Gallup is comprised.

Malpais 1 2022

One can find the flowers known as paintbrush in many New Mexico locations, but not all come complete with a well-aged deer antler.

The Brazos Cliffs south of Chama

Brazos Cliffs New Mexico 2021 2

Native American corn

Ft. Union, in the northeastern side of the state, was once a crossroads for commerce, settlers moving west, and the military.

The boots below are a little fancy for the likes of Ft. Union, but they are a New Mexico tradition.

Buildings of religious significance - including Catholic churches and kivas - can be found in every town, village, and pueblo.  Here is a modern church in adobe style at sunset.

It was wonderful to hear from so many of you last week, including Christina, Marilyn, Lawrence, Ann M., Dianne J., Heather H., Steve, Catherine, Jean & Sam, Barbara F. R., Victoria, Brenda, Carol, and Ingrid.  ¡Muchas gracias!

until next week,

DB

a passion for the image©

Claret cup cactus on the Arroyo Hondo trail south of Santa Fe

Rio Grande Gorge

KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA

There is hardly anything more iconic in New Mexico than the geology of the Abiquiu area.

Cottonwoods found along rivers and streams in the state are trees for every season. 

The colors of chile are everywhere.

chiles for OCA

From the old world to the new, flamenco is also part of who we are....

...as are rodeos around the state.

As the hints of a slight change of season fill the air, I hope you have ample opportunity to enjoy and photograph the world around you!

Thanks to Victoria, Jean and Sam, Ingrid, Christina, Barbara F. R., M. Fred, Catherine, Robert, Carol, and Steve for commenting this week!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Bosque - snow geese 1

Because there were so many, the geese poured over onto the road, as if waiting for their closeups.  They always seem to be on a mission.

Bosque - snow geese 5

Bosque - snow geese 6

One of the most fascinating things about birds is their feathers.  They seem absolutely perfect.  The neck feathers look as if they have been braided or woven like a rope.

Water beads on the feathers.

Bosque - snow geese 3

Occasionally, they seem to form a flotilla, with most heading in one direction on the water...

Bosque - snow geese 2

...and the next minute, they are out on their own.  Ultimately, the group prevails.

Bosque - snow geese 7

By the way, many of you wrote during the week to say that wild turkeys are literally running wild in towns all over the United States, from the West Coast to the East coast, and are considered pests.  The same is true for both Canadian and snow geese, demonstrating the sometimes tenuous intersection of humans and nature. 

Thanks for Barbara F. R., TTT, Suz, M.Fred, Paule, Ann A., Steve, Luella, Orlando, Catherine, Heather H., Brenda, Christina, Robert, and Jean and Sam for your comments this week.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Bosque del Apache is known for being the wintering ground for sandhill cranes and snow geese, and both were still there in good numbers.  Our plan was to spend the day, and charge our electric Bolt along the way.  Since we did not spend the night in Socorro, I did not plan on catching sunrise and sunset shots of huge flocks of birds rising into the sky and/or flying in from other areas.  My plan was to look, and be surprised and content with what could be found and photographed.  I most certainly was.  

First, a photograph of a sandhill crane (Grus canadensis) in the field.  Other photographers with perhaps 300 mm lenses as opposed to my 70-200 lens, were shooting bursts of 5 shots at a time.  There was much complaining about the cranes having their heads down, enjoying the goodies in the fields, and digging the dirt with their ample beaks.  The sure identifying mark is the red on the crown.

Bosque 2023 sandhill cranes 4  

While shooting the sandhill cranes scattered throughout the fields, two Tundra swans took flight.  The docent at the gate told us we might see them.  Apparently, they have only been around the Bosque the last two-three years.  

Bosque 2023 - tundra swan

While touring the north loop of the refuge, I was surprised by a group of wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo).  As long as I have been hiking in New Mexico, I can count on one hand the number of times I have seen turkeys.  Here they were in all their glory.  I think these may be the Rio Grande variety.

Bosque 2023 - turkey 1

Bosque 2023 - turkey 4    

I am the first to admit my near-total lack of knowledge about water fowl.  When I saw these ducks, I thought they were mallards.  But after downloading the photographs and comparing the bills of mallards, I knew I was completely wrong.  These "dabbler ducks" are Spatula clypeata or northern shovelers, and I was totally enchanted by them.  Their thick, stout bills are designed for shoveling and retaining all the assorted bottom goodies found in shallower reaches.

Bosque - shoveler (northern) 3

My mission in the image below was to catch the shoveler's wake.

Bosque - shoveler (northern) 2

As with many of the birds we saw, they were doing one of four things.  Eating, sleeping, talking, or stretching and flapping their wings.  This shoveler was catching a quick rest, always aware with an eye open.

Bosque - shoveler (northern) 4

Here is a female shoveler, also at rest.  

Bosque - shoveler (northern) 5

I figure all of the birds are bulking up for breeding and nesting season.  Next week:  snow geese in abundance.

Thanks for Barbara F. R., Victoria, Paule, Jean & Sam, Lawrence, Ingrid, Steve, and Catherine for commenting on last week's blog.  

I hope that wherever you are this week, great photographic opportunities present themselves.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

The solids of this chowder or soup get cut first.  Unless a photographer has assistants, or is altering the food in some way, potatoes are time-critical because of oxidation.  I didn't spend much time dawdling.   Natural light and dimmed overhead light were used.

Cheese and vegetable soupl 1

The initial ladle of soup is shown here in two slightly different positions.  The golden hue of the cheese gives its own backdrop to the veggies.

Cheese and vegetable soupl 3

Cheese and vegetable soupl 2

Cheese and vegetable soupl 4

The accompanying muffin completes the light lunch.  

Cheese and vegetable soupl 5

Each time I photograph food, I realize what a true art it is, and that I have a lot to learn.  But what is cooking, photography, and life without a daily lesson?

Thanks to Brenda, Barbara F. R., Ingrid, Sandra B., TTT, Suz, Catherine, Steve, Kay, Robert, Christina, and Paule for your thoughtfulness and comments last week.  

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Shooting from the inside out, which backlit the snow and left the decorative uprights in shadow, brought the abstract shapes and architectural elements of the arts and crafts door almost equally into focus.  You can see a hint of color in each, courtesy of the stucco wall.  All the images in this series were taken with the Fujifilm X-T5 and 30 millimeter macro lens.

snow-flocked door 5  

snow-flocked door 1

Each glass panel creates its own abstraction. 

snow-flocked door 8

snow-flocked door 7

The graceful curve spanning the uprights gave the snow scene its own delineation.

snow-flocked door 2

snow-flocked door 9

A second image, similar to the one above, reminded me of a bow drawn with an arrow held on the rest.

snow-flocked door 10

Thanks to Barbara, TTT, Pauli, Steve, Brenda, Christina, Jean and Sam, Terry T., Victoria, Catherine, and M. Fred for commenting this week.  I hope that each of you has a chance encounter to photograph this week!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

cloud image 4 January 2022.jpg   

The Pecos National Monument mission church shadows with distinct shadow and light characteristics seemed a good choice as well.

The kiva ladder at Pecos has much more subtle shades of black, white, and grey.

The white Columbine below reflects a sharp white and leaves that fade to black.

And the rose in shadow harkens the early days of black and white photography.

Roses - Corliss 2022 2

Here's to you, Ben, with our admiration and thanks!  May you have fair winds and following seas. 

Thanks to Christina, Steve, Barbara F. R., TTT, Connie, Suz, Earle, Catherine, Jean & Sam, Victoria, and Ingrid for your comments this week, even though some of you had power outages and an excess of rain water knocking at your doors.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Rug 379 detail 3

The rhythm section is the warp - the strands of which can be seen here.  It provides the structural baseline of the weft or design. 

Rug 379 detail 1

Rug 379 is a variation on the theme of a Spider Woman Cross.  In many cultures it represents the gift that Spider Woman gave to humans, teaching them to spin thread and weave.

Rug 379  

Rug 380 has four movements separated by the same complex design including what are sometimes called hourglasses or Chinle stars - artistic elements used in weaving world-wide.  The melody is in the eyes of the beholder or the ears of the listener.  

Rug 380

Rug 380 detail 4

Rug 380 detail 1

Shooting the rugs and their details, provided some excellent exercises in the past month, learning about and using both the 30 mm macro and 16-80 XF zoom lenses on the Fujifilm X-T5 mirrorless camera.

Thanks to Barbara F. R., Ann M., Mary Pat, Veronica L., Connie, Steve, Catherine, Kay, Lisa, TTT, Andrea, Ann A., Dianne J., Maryanne, and Robert for your comments and inspiration this week.

until next week,

DB

a passion for the image©

Pomegranates and bromeliads were the unwitting subjects.  Luckily, they didn't mind.  As a fellow photographer said when I was working with her on a spontaneous photo shoot, "You shoot in circles around your subject".  That is true.  I circle it, change positions, get down on the floor or ground, shoot from above, basically trying to get as many angles as I can, and change backgrounds.  It is all a grand experiment.

The pomegranate's skin looks like a cross between a dyed, treated piece of leather, and a planetary surface.  The "crater" in this planetary image is the calyx, in which the stamens (male fertilizing organ of a flower) are housed.  

Food - pomegranate 1 2022

Here are a few of the backgrounds on which I placed the fruit, each showing different streaks and splotches of color in it.

Food - pomegranate 5 2022

Food - pomegranate 6 2022

Food - pomegranate 9 2022

The next subject is a bromeliad.  For most in the United States, these are houseplants, but in coastal California and desert areas, they are outdoor plants.  Much to my surprise, the bromeliad is in the same family as the pineapple, as well as Spanish moss and some epiphytic orchids.  They are native to the tropics and subtropical areas of the Americas, and one is native to tropical areas of west Africa.  (Thanks to the folks at Wikipedia for the information.) 

Although the above photograph shows what most people would recognize, I wanted to capture something different, and thus, went for the leaf stalk.  These are three different images made as I turned the pot in the incoming light.

Flowers - bromeliad 2 2023

Flowers - bromeliad 3 2023

The acuteness of focus is revealed in different parts of the inner leaves because of the shallow depth of field.  Thanks for your patience as I share, photographically, the reason I love the macro lens.

Thanks to TTT, Barbara F. R., Lisa, Steve, Kay C., Catherine S., Pauli, Robert, Sara, Char, Jean & Sam, and Ingrid for your comments on last week's blog.  

My wish for 2023 is that it is full of creativity and learning as you pursue life's secrets and challenges.

until next Monday,

DB

      a passion for the image©

Last night after dark, we walked around the neighborhood since we had been told many people were putting up farolitos.  The farolito is so simple and magical.  All it takes is a paper bag, the likes of which some of us carried to school filled with our lunches.  Make a nice cuff on the top of the bag to give it structure.  Pour enough sand or dirt to weigh down the bag and keep it from blowing in the wind (about one-quarter to one-third of the bag).  Place a votive candle on the sand.  That is it.  The gentle curve of a wall or linear character of a city sidewalk are only enhanced by the little fires.

Wall projections complement the farolitos in the next two images.

The outline of a patio wall draped with traditional lights cuts to the night sky.

Blue lights lend a mystical look to the stucco and stair rail.

I hope you are able to bask in the lights of the season as we move into 2023 next week!

Thanks to Barbara F.R., Steve, TTT, Ann A., Catherine, Carol, and Pater for your comments this week.  And a very Happy Birthday to Ben! 

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Most in the northern hemisphere have noticed that the days seem to be shorter and the nights longer.  It is true.  As we approach the solstice this Wednesday, 21 December, which is the day with the least light of any day of the year, each day becomes shorter.  For instance, today, the length of the day in Santa Fe, New Mexico will be 9 hours and 44 seconds.  Tomorrow will be 6 seconds shorter.  And that varies the farther north you go. The people in London, for instance, will have 7 hours, 49 minutes and 42 seconds of daylight on the solstice.  In Stockholm, the sunrise on the winter solstice is at 9:40 in the morning.  It sets at 2:18 in the afternoon.  That is a little over five and a half hours of daylight.  It gives me the chills just thinking about it!  

So in today's blog, I celebrate light in whatever form it comes, even if subdued.  Remember on Thursday morning, the days will begin their lengthening process as we move toward spring.  In northern New Mexico, our farolitos (and in central and southern New Mexico luminarias) serve as reminders of light and new beginnings.

We are lucky to have electricity that cleverly provides as much or as little light as one prefers.

And there are always candles that have lit the way for humans since their invention.

wine reflection

I end the week's celebratory blog with a photograph I made in March of 2013, of St. Francis de Asis church in Ranchos de Taos.  It was after a milonga (tango dance) at Old Martina's Hall, and snow had begun to fall.  I had my camera with me because I was taking photographs of pre-milonga dance lessons.  One of our tango buddies, Steve Villalobos said, as we all walked outside into a light snow, "Look at that.  The church is beautiful.  You have your camera.  Why don't you take some pictures?"  I was hesitant.  Too dark, I thought, and way too cold.  But Steve is always adventurous, and as an artist himself, knows a good thing when he sees it.  So, with camera in hand, I walked to the sidewalk and made some photographs with my trusty Nikon D800 and 70-200 mm lens.  The ISO was 6400 and with a shutter speed 1/25 of a second.  By golly, it worked, and the resulting photographs ended up being the few night shots of the church in winter, without farolitos.  Thanks, Steve!

Ranchos church on a snowy night

As we go into the light of the holidays and beyond, I thank everyone who commented this week including Pauli, Barbara F. R., Catherine, Ann, Lisa, Ingrid & Robert, Steve, and Christina.  Happy Birthday to Marilyn R., Lena D., Dave K.,and  Jessica F.  And the happiest of holidays to all of you!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

But back to today's blog.  While walking during the Christmas season, outdoor decorations pop up little by little, day by day, some even before Thanksgiving.  There are human-sized snowmen, with air pumping inside at a steady flow, that seem to frighten even the boldest and biggest dogs. And being New Mexico, bagolitos (the plastic, all-weather version of the traditional farolito made of paper bags and candles) appear on the roof parapets at a rapid pace.  Two more houses were outfitted yesterday.  But a real surprise appeared around Thanksgiving - a beautiful, good-sized blue spruce tree in the front of a guest house that is gorgeous at all times of year, had been dressed for the season.  The first time I saw it, my thought was that a designer and crew had done this, which is possible.  Sporting a dazzling variety of baubles and balls in many finishes and colors, the tree is definitely a knockout.  I knew eventually I needed to photograph it.

The sun stars and reflections on the glossy balls were impressive.

The strings of matte-finished balls I had never seen before.  Light fell on them and radiated in a completely different way.  They were all fascinating.

Just one more reflection might say "And to all a Goodnight!"

Thanks to Phyllis, Catherine, Jean & Sam, Brenda, Orlando, Lucia, Kay, Barbara F. R., Steve, TTT, Carol P., Dianne James, Ingrid, and Terry for commenting last week.  Feliz Cumpleaños, Fernando and Debbie.  I hope each of you is finding delight in the season!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

With every new piece of equipment, an old one might be jettisoned (or not), and a learning curve ensues, including the first steps.  "Before using the (fill in the blank), remove and identify everything in the box."  This in itself might require a YouTube search, which, thankfully, almost always answers one's question.  The new mirrorless camera that was added to the weaving side of the work space provided more excitement to this week's lessons in the technical.   It came with four different plugs for use in different countries around the world.  Of course, they are not labeled, so it is like playing with blocks and putting them together.  Even the dude on the YouTube video briefly juggled the plugs in his hand saying that the camera comes with plugs from different countries.  Clear enough.  I find the one that works in the United States while keeping the others in their plastic bags, to tuck in the camera bag for future travel usage.  Next.  Connect the wires, meaning determine whether the end that goes in the computer or USB hub is a USB A, B, or C cord, shift things around if the instructions say "Do not use in a USB hub but plug it directly into your computer."  OK. Shift things around in the hub and in the back of the computer.  Don't you just love the explosion of pasta running from point A to point B?

Some elements don't necessarily need a permanent home on a desktop, such as this wonderful scanner my sister gave me for Christmas.  You use it when you need a scanner and provide a home for it (as I do with my portable CD drive) elsewhere until the need arises.  One of my winter projects will be to select and scan the slides and negatives I will use the most.

Amidst the desk pasta, I find this setup totally comforting.  See those beautifully familiar dials on the top of the camera?  It is like coming home to my old Minolta single lens reflex film cameras from the days of yore.  Instead of going into a menu, you can set the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO/ASA from the top of the camera.  

The photograph below was made with the Fujifilm X-T5.  It is Fred's latest, Rug 378.  Both exemplify the combination of the technical and the beautiful.

Rug 378

The detail of Rug 378 here was made with a Nikon 5200 and 18-55 lens.

Rug 378 detail

Despite the brain conditioning required, I continue to be dumfounded and delighted with the improvements in all technical applications, and for the beauty in this world.  I am eternally grateful.

Thanks to Catherine, Barbara F. R., Pauli, Veronica, Christina, Marilyn, Steve, and Lisa for commenting on last week's blog.  Birthday wishes to Ingrid, Fred, Dan D., Fernando R., Debbie, S., Marilyn R., Sam D., Dave K., Jessica F., and Ben D. S.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the images© 

The second gift was a notification from Shadow and Light Magazine about their upcoming competition "Black and White".  Using black and white film, and developing and making prints from that film was how I worked in the field from 1994 to roughly 2005.  I loved working in the darkroom and found I developed some tactile and navigational skills from bumping around in complete darkness as well as low light.  But when I attended the grand opening of the then new Farmington Public Library building and encountered the local newspaper's reporter with four cameras on his body, all of which were digital, I realized the world of photography was taking a leap.  I needed to go along with it.  Photography is changing once again.  I recently read that there will be no more DSLR (digital single lens reflex) cameras produced by the likes of Nikon, Canon, Sony, Fuji or any of the other larger manufacturers.  Their new cameras will all be "mirrorless". That is a story for another day.

The images below are some of what I have selected as possible entrants for the "Black and White" competition.  Knowing this is a busy time of year, any thoughts or comments you might have regarding these would be much appreciated.

Clouds and walls

Pecos National Historical Park arches

Viga shadows, Pecos National Historical Park

Kiva ladder, Pecos National Historical Park

Aspen trees and clouds

Trees - aspen 2021 8.jpg

Rose red

Rose white

Sporan with all its regalia

And finally, Not the End of the Trail

Many thanks to Charlie, Veronica, Catherine, Ann A., Terry T., Jean and Sam, Steve, and Ingrid for writing about last week's blog.  

Special wishes this week to Ben, Cristina, and Wayne.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

corn images-2

Victoria's apples

New World order 2

50th anniversary gathering tapas 1

Lush greens like these were grown in home gardens, in-season.

Lettuce

Harvest set up 2

fingerling potatoes

turkey and dressingKONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA

Happy Thanksgiving!  

I am thankful for Victoria, Melissa, Char, Pauli, Steve, Catherine, Donna K., Robert, Dianne, Fred, and Ingrid, and all of you for following this blog and keeping in touch throughout the year.  

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image© 
 

Pickleball photo shoot Santa Fe 2022 8

Not knowing much about the game at all except that it is challenging enough physically and mentally, and just plain fun for people to quickly become obsessed by it.  And is a game that fits any personality, body type, age, or competitive spirit.  It can played with extreme intensity or at a more leisurely pace, which contributes to its popularity.  I spent part of a morning photographing our friend, Ingrid, her fellow players, and others on the courts at the Ft. Marcy Recreation Complex in Santa Fe last week.  Armed with both my Nikons with both the 70-200 mm lens and 18-55 mm lenses, I photographed only the second sport I have ever photographed (a rodeo in Aztec, New Mexico was the other).  I learned a lot, including the facts that I needed just a slightly faster shutter speed (used 1/1600), and that there are ample opportunities to get shots of derrières.

On this particular morning, it did not take long to discover that the people who were playing were all quite competitive and very active in their play.  I took over 200 photographs in half an hour, basically because I did not know what to look for, and I wanted to get some decent shots.  I will continue to photograph pickleball play, but here is a sampling of my first foray into the game.

Pickleball photo shoot Santa Fe 2022 18

Pickleball photo shoot Santa Fe 2022 21

Pickleball photo shoot Santa Fe 2022 11

Pickleball photo shoot Santa Fe 2022 20

Pickleball photo shoot Santa Fe 2022 5

Pickleball photo shoot Santa Fe 2022 19

  Pickleball photo shoot Santa Fe 2022 8

Thanks to Ingrid for allowing me to photograph her and the games, and to Barbara F. R., TTT, Steve, Catherine, Donna K., Phyllis, Ann A., Marilyn, Pater, and Lisa for commenting on last week's blog.  

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

The pears are diminutive and non-edible but lovely in their own way.

The leaves of this particular tree are quite fleshy and shiny, which may be the reason they hang on the tree longer in the autumn.

Discoveries such as these make a photographer's day, and my hope is that you have many similar encounters this week.

Thanks to Barbara F. R., Peggy I., TTT, Steve, Ann M., Jean and Sam, Catherine, Robert, Dianne, and Ingrid for writing about last week's blog!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Santa Fe actually does have a river running through it, albeit diminutive much of the time, and being neither broad nor wide, it is not always visible because of the trees that line it.  Those trees, including willow and cottonwood, provide habitat for myriad species of birds and other creatures, and cool shade during the spring, summer, and fall.  The tangles of trees and riparian species creates almost a fantasy landscape - light and ethereal with a touch of mystery.  Being Halloween, I felt El Parque del Rio or the river park that flows linearly through Santa Fe, would be a bewitching blog for today.  The photographs I made using my Nikon D800 with 70-200 mm lens, harken back to early oil paintings of the American West.

The image below puts one into the river's dreamscape.

Thanks to Julie, Barbara F. R., Robert, TTT, Jean & Sam, Veronica, Anne O., Char, Steve, Luella, Z, Dianne J., Paule, and Ann A. for your comments this week.  Happy Halloween and El Dia de los Muertos.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Santa Fe Rail Trail mural 2022 3

A friend steered me in the direction of part of the Rail Trail in Santa Fe this week, where he frequently bicycles, taking in a variety of views of the city.  Between Siringo Road and St. Michael's Drive along the trail is a work in progress.  Not a painted mural but one that is being lovingly made of mosaic tiles, along with other ceramic elements, including clay birds created by 5th grade students at Aspen Magnet School, and studded with gears, sprockets, and other bicycle parts supplied by Mellow Velo.  The mosaic is the brain child of mosaic artist Julie Deery, (shown in the image above) and it is a community project in every sense of the word.  Volunteers of all ages are encouraged to participate in the project, and with roughly forty linear feet of wall to cover, the more the merrier.  Titled "Generations", it already is a fascinating splash of texture and color.  

Santa Fe Rail Trail mural 2022 1

Two panels of concrete block wall are now covered, with mountains of expressions below and the sky above filled with mandalas.

Santa Fe Rail Trail mural 2022 12   

Santa Fe Rail Trail mural 2022 10

Under the direction of Deery, mosaics and other elements are applied in grout.  

Santa Fe Rail Trail mural 2022 14

Santa Fe Rail Trail mural 2022 11

Santa Fe Rail Trail mural 2022 22

Pulling back from the current part of the mural, one can see what passengers will be able to see from the Rail Runner train. 

Santa Fe Rail Trail mural 2022 6

If you are interested in volunteering or know of youth organizations or schools, or other organizations including bicycle groups who would like to participate or contribute, email Julie Deery at [email protected].  Check out her website at artsong.equalarea.com.  My plan is to continue photographing this community art project as it progresses.  Work will pause after the first frost but begin again in the spring.

Thanks to all of you who wrote this week, including Barbara F. R., TTT, Catherine, Steve, and Christina, and to Robert for keeping his eyes peeled!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image© 

Autumn 2022 - onion and leaves 4

Autumn 2022 - onion and leaves 3

I have always liked the way the head of the onion or greens look when they are cut off and the end dries.  Without having a functioning auto-focus, it was a bit of a challenge to hold the onion in my hand and have it adequately focus.  But what would still-life photography be without a challenge?

Autumn 2022 - onion and leaves 2

It is also interesting to see a black and white image of almost anything wherein the tones and light are the major features rather than the color.

Autumn 2022 - onion and leaves 1

But the bright green of the parsley nest pairs with the onion skin to make it pop.

Autumn 2022 - onion and leaves 5

Many thanks to Christina, Lisa, TTT, Steve, Catherine, BFR, Elida, Char, and Lawrence for your comments this week.  Since there is plenty of fall color in the lower elevations of the mountain areas and the river valleys of the west, I hope you are able to get out and enjoy it, with or without cameras or smart phones in hand!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

For photography, this type of sky is not necessarily ideal as far as brilliant panoramic views are concerned, but there is always something to shoot. I saw several people with cameras on tripods trying to capture the best of what the day had to offer.  And it was a splendid and damp day in the rarified air.  The gold in the aspen was spectacular.

Autumn 2022 7

Shades of red and orange were scattered everywhere.

Autumn 2022 5

Each leaf, dotted with raindrops, made its own statement.

Autmn 2022 1

I couldn't resist photographing raindrops that had landed and pooled like a ball of mercury into the middle of nature's gold.

Autumn 2022 2

My obsession with aspen trunks will probably be with me forever.  They are fascinating.

Autumn 2022 6

Autumn 2022 4

To me, the photograph below is the essence of "forest primeval", with layer upon layer of aspen trunks, leaves, and duff, emitting a fragrance that carries one's spirit back to the beginning of time.

Autumn 2022 3

The momentarily empty trail, edged with assorted color, reflected the dream-like state of a day in the high country.

Autumn 2022 8

Thanks to Charlie, Christina, Veronica, TTT, Victoria, Catherine, and Steve for writing this week!  I hope each of you will pack your cameras or smart phones with you wherever you go.  The whole of our world is worth documenting.  

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

The rodeo grounds have a number of buildings in addition to ample booth space, both indoors and outside, and barns for sheep, llamas, alpacas, rabbits, and other livestock.  Word has it that the grounds were packed on Saturday, and more people were arriving as we finished our reconnoiter on Sunday morning.    

The skies were leaden with the promise of rain, and the wind was picking up as we strolled the grounds.  Having experienced weather of every sort when the festival was held in Taos, our hearts went out to the vendors trying to keep their tents and products from flying away.  Case in point, the scarves and other apparel by Carol Garnand, shown below.

From indigo dyed fabric using ice to elements of nature including leaves and flowers, Garnand's pieces showed both interesting design and color combinations.

If you don't include the logo for the Mountain and Valley Wool Association itself, the Phoenix Fiber Mill wins the prize in my book for best logo.  

Not to mention the myriad socks available from the mill, some of which are shown below.

Just in time for Day of the Dead or Die del Muerto celebrations are these wool skulls created by Ellen and Eric Sibelius of Ellen's Wooly Wonders.  

Here is a combination of wooly wonders of the ocean variety.

Since fiber abounds every day in our home, here is a detail from Fred's latest rug, 376, featuring natural grey, Tierra Amarilla, Sangre de Cristo, yellow heather (the green color), dyed black, and Mora Mills blue and purple. 

I hope your first week in October brings abundant opportunities for interesting and challenging photography.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Below are a few images I took of Victoria inside the gallery, featuring more of the project results.  She was certainly better with those snakes than I would have been!

FOMA Gallery is located at 333 Montezuma Unit B in the Guadalupe Center, on the corner of Guadalupe and Montezuma.  For more information, contact the gallery at 505-660-0121.

Thanks to Victoria and Joe for allowing me to use photographs and to Victoria for allowing me to photograph her in the gallery.  And thanks to Steve, Marilyn, Catherine, Claudia, Lisa, TTT, and Ingrid for commenting on last week's blog.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Vivac Winery Shoot 2022 for blog 9

Liliana Padberg, Co-Owner and Certified Sommelier at the winery, was kind enough to allow me to roam the vineyards and make photographs.  I had not visited the winery since the tasting room opened in 2004.  My writing had been done too early for Vivac to be included.  It was high time for a visit.

As humans, we are always discovering and altering the the food we eat.  Even if most of us have some expectations about wine, we don't necessarily think about the experimentation that goes into making it.  This is long-range planning in the strictest sense of the word.  Vintners, especially those in New Mexico who are trying to work with our notorious late frosts in the spring and early frosts in the fall, are constantly trying to discover the best grapes for the climates and soils in which they plant their grapes.  While interviewing the late Henry Street of Ponderosa Valley Vineyards and Winery in 1998, I discovered he had a test plot of 420 new plants, 10 red and 8 white of 25 cultivars from the former Soviet Union to follow their vigor and hardiness at 5,800 elevation.  At Vivac, the elevation is similar - roughly 6,000 feet.  Among the rows of vines here are Pinot Meunier, planted in 2021.  A red grape, it is part of the grape trio used in champagne to add body and richness.  The gnarly juniper post adds to the character of the rows.  

Vivac Winery Shoot 2022 for blog 4

The oldest vines I found were the Riesling, planted in 2011.

Vivac Winery Shoot 2022 for blog 1

Vivac Winery Shoot 2022 for blog 3

Petit Verdot vines, a red wine grape, were also planted in 2011.  Netting protects the grapes that have not yet been harvested.  Barrancos Blancos, the sandstone mountain in the background, appears on the Vivác label.

Vivac Winery Shoot 2022 for blog 2

Vines for Grüner Veltliner, an Austrian white grape, were planted in 2013, followed by Arandell vines, planted in 2015.  Arandell is a red grape that is disease resistant and winter hardy in the Finger Lakes region of New York State.  

Vivac Winery Shoot 2022 10

What a lovely setting in which to taste wine!  
 

Vivac Winery Shoot 2022 for blog 5

Because I favor reds, I chose Montepulciano, Sangiovese, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon for the flight.

Vivac Winery Shoot 2022 6

The Syrah and Cabinet definitely had legs!

Vivac Winery Shoot 2022 for blog 7

Vivac Winery Shoot 2002 for blog 8

Although a major portion of the grapes used in Vivac wines are grown in the Deming, New Mexico area, all the winemaking happens at Vivac.  And grapes in three estate vineyards, "Fire Vineyard", planted in 1999, "1725" (2008 and 2010), and Abbott Vineyard, are organically farmed in the Dixon area.

"Vivác Winery, along with other growers in the area, are currently working to have the Northern Rio Grande Valley named as its own AVA (American Viticulture Area)."  Long term planning indeed.  

There is such an abundance of information and history about grapes, and wine growing and making in New Mexico, and on the history of the Padbergs and Vivác Winery that it cannot be covered in this blog.  I highly recommend an in-person or website visit to learn more.

Vivac Winery is located at the corner of Highway 68 and 75 and is open daily Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.and Sundays 11-6.  Summer hours are Monday-Friday, 10 a. m.-7 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m-8 p.m. and Sundays 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.  Call 505-579-4441 or cruise the website for additional information.
https://vivacwinery.com/about-us/ 
 

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Onions and garlic at a Vienna, Austria market

onions at Farmers' Market in Vienna, Austria

This very odd, texturally and vibrant fruit is a dragon fruit or Pitaya.  A new world member of the Cactataceae family, it originated in southern Mexico and Central America, but is now grown and cultivated world-wide.  I photographed it in the Vienna Farmers' Market at about this time of year.    

Home grown in Taos County a number of years ago.  The best tomato crop we ever had.

tomato crop
 

Assorted miniature squash and pumpkins from a friend's garden with a backdrop of Navajo-churro wool

Harvest set up 1

The Santa Fe Farmers' Market is also loaded with wonderful eye-popping veggies and fruit, including this bok choy. 

Farmers' Market bok choi

Also from the Santa Fe Farmers' Market are these purple radishes, the Jarrahdale squash, and the New Mexico chiles shown below in succession.

I was delighted to hear from so many of you this week about fathers and grandfathers, brothers, and spouses who belonged to unions or still do, or who were union organizers.  Thanks to Connie, Earle, Catherine, Steve, TTT, Christina, and Jean & Same for your comments and great stories related to last week's Labor Day blog.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image© 

Some background.  Two different McGuires - Matthew Maguire, Secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, New Jersey, proposed the holiday in 1882, while in the same year, P. J. McGuire, General Secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a co-founder of the American Federation of Labor, "suggested setting aside a day for a 'general holiday for the laboring classes' to honor those 'who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold.' "  The Knights of Labor and the Central Labor Union were promoting it as day to celebrate labor.  Numerous unions and organized labor groups were coming together around the idea of the day to insure a day off for workers.  Countries around the world have celebrated labor on 1 May as International Workers Day, but President Grover Cleveland was concerned that using that day would associate it with socialist and anarchist movements.  The first state to make it an official September holiday was Oregon, in 1887.  By 1894, thirty states were celebrating Labor Day.  My thanks to all those who labor in this world today, many of whom are working despite the holiday, including those at Wikipedia from which I gleaned much of the above information.  

I have known for quite some time that my maternal grandfather was a staunch union member.  An iron and steel worker and immigrant from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Dominik kept his union card handy at all times.  He joined the union in 1920, I am assuming, after becoming an American citizen.  I read somewhere that many of the first unions would not accept neither people of color nor immigrants.  Here is a copy of his 25 year membership certificate.

Below is the seal of the Grand Lodge International Association of Machinists Washington D. C.   It is now the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, an AFL-CIO/CLC trade union.  That union represents over 646,000 workers in the United States and Canada.  The backdrop for the seal is a wonderful spatula made for us by our good friend, Earle, who would have a lot to discuss with Grandpa.  A master metal worker in his own right, Earle builds custom cars, and designs and fabricates automotive parts. 

There are probably more than a few people who don't understand the big deal about labor unions.  This tidy paragraph by Deepa Shivaram of NPR says a lot.  "Do you enjoy not having to work weekends?  The 40-hour work week?  Having sick days and paid time off?  You can thank labor leaders for that."

Have a magnificent first week of September!

Thanks to Luella, Jim & Louise, Barbara F. R., Elida, Char, Steve, Jean & Sam, Lawrence, Catherine, Charlie K. C., and Steve for writing this week!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Upon our return and after downloading the day's work into the computer, my mission was then to take a stab at identifying the beauties.  Working my way through hundreds of online images, complete with identifying information, it was apparent there was everything from bracket or shelf fungus to Russulas and wax caps, to a whole slew of things I have yet been able to identify.  But it has been one heck of a fun ride.  Haven't had that many giggles doing a nature shoot in some time, and I am ready to go back for more.

Given the darkness of the forest and the grey skies, I used my in-camera flash about half the time.  First, I'll start with what I know - shelf fungus. The particular variety shown here is called turkey tail shelf or bracket fungus (Trametes versicolor).  The turkey tail is a Polypore and a wood decomposer, found on downed logs or trees.

As the hiker had mentioned, there were indeed hundreds of coral or rosy colored mushrooms in the mix.  Some are in the genus Russula, including the one below, shot from above.

This Russula rosea or Rosy Brittlegill (my best guess) had been broken off at the base by a forest creature, showing the gills beneath the cap.  There was a lot of fine dining happening in the forest litter.

One of the other things I know about mushrooms or fungi is that some have gills.  But when pouring through online material, I found they also can have pores, or teeth.  Mind you, I have no clue what this particular mushroom is, but the teeth are clearly visible.  Looking at many of the mushrooms and fungi, I thought I had landed on another planet.  Definitely other worldly.

There are also wax cap mushrooms.  The one below could be of that variety.

This particular one reminds me of what a neighbor said about one of her paving bricks being pushed up.  She thought it was a tree root until it was flipped over and a mushroom lay beneath it.

The mushroom below was on its side with gills in plain view.  They are part of the reproductive process.

I was having entirely too much fun, but here are a few more beauties.

I particularly love the design in the stem of the tiny variety below.   

It was abundantly clear to me that more research and intensive course work would be needed before I would ever think about harvesting and eating any mushrooms or fungi from the wild.  But my bet is that there was a combination of edible, poisonous, and hallucinogenic species in the forest primeval that day. 

I hope the final days of August are filled with photographic possibilities and exploration.  Thanks to Loretta, Jean & Sam, Suz, Christina, TTT, Steve, and Catherine for writing this week.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

In honor of the 100th, today's blog features some Native American art from years past.  The coral inlay bracelet shown here was made by Rod Kaskalla of Zuni Pueblo, holding a concho belt crafted by Robert Johnson, a Navajo silversmith from the Chaco Canyon area.  The backdrop is a rug woven by Shirley Dennison in the Teec Nos Pos style with wool made using natural, vegetable dyes.  She is a member of the Ramah Navajo Weavers Association.

Teec Nos Pos style rug, concho belt, and coral bracelet

Below is the same inlay bracelet along with another holding larger pieces of coral on a Ramah Navajo Weavers Association sampler rug titled "Storm" by Linda Nelson.  

Storm rug and inlaid coral bracelets

Below is the Navajo concho belt and the coral inlay bracelet on the "Storm" weaving.

Storm rug, inlaid coral bracelt, and concho belt

Robert Johnson's concho belt surrounding the Storm

Storm rug and concho

A necklace comprised of coral beads rests on a rug woven by L. Yazzie, of Ramah, in 1992.

coral beed necklace and Ramah Navajo rug

No Indian Market event would be complete without a squash blossom necklace.  This one was purchased from weaver Pearl Sunrise in 1971.  I suspect it was made by her husband Bill Sunrise.

squash blossom necklace

Thanks to Jean and Sam, TTT, Dave O., Char, Catherine, Luella, Steve, and Dianne for commenting on last week's blog.  I always enjoying hearing from you and appreciate your comments.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

For years, people have waxed poetic or railed against art.  Oscar Wilde, in the preface to The Picture of Dorian Gray (consider the context) "All art is quite useless."  But the quotation from John F. Kennedy in October of 1963 at Amherst College seems to aptly fit these times.  "When power leads man toward arrogance, poetry reminds him of his limitations.  When power narrows the areas of man's concern, poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of his existence.  When power corrupts, poetry cleanses, for art establishes the basic human truths which must serve as the touchstone of our judgment."   The only poetry included here is from nature, specifically flowers.  They can provide solace, a sense of calm, beauty, and sometimes excitement all in the same unfurling of a petal.  One of this summer's columbine plants is going through a second bloom cycle.  Lucky us! 

There is hardly anything at this time of year (short of the smell of chile roasting), that awakens the senses and spirit like a sunflower.

May art in its many forms, be part of your life this week!

Thanks to the artists and poets all who wrote about last week's blog including Charlie K. C., Lawrence, Victoria, Connie, Steve, TTT, Catherine,

Jean & Sam, Barbara F. R., and Marilyn.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

"With Pick and Pick you weave one weft in one direction in one color and then another weft in that same direction in another color to make a line instead of weaving in one direction and then back in the other direction."  What the technique does is set up a number of optical illusions from almost every direction.  Below are images showing two different details within the body of the rug.

Rug 373 detail B

Rug 373 detail A

As I watched Fred weaving this rug, I realized how much focus it took to get it right.  He couldn't even listen to music during the process.

Rug 373

Rug 373 colors

From left to right the colors are natural dark grey (warp), Tierra Wools-dyed chokecherry heather, Brazos Cliffs, Yellow heather (dyed on charcoal grey), red heather, and calabaza

And when we took it to Tierra Wools to sell on Saturday, I realized how much the colors in their own way spoke of the natural landscape.  Years ago at Fred's Taos Wool Festival booth, a group of people were talking at length about color theory.  After they left, one woman who remained asked the question "Does it occur in nature?"  A sublime and straightforward way of explaining colors and how they work.  It was fascinating to see how the yellow heather and red heather worked to produce a combination straight from the New Mexico landscape.

Thanks to Lisa, Barbara, TTT, Christina, Steve, Ingrid, and Fred for comments and contributions to this week's blog.  I hope the beauty of August presents itself for your viewing and photography throughout the week!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©
  

As I have said before, photographing weddings and other events requires the basics, i. e., viewing the venue to see what areas might provide the best shooting possibilities given time of year, light, etc., charging all batteries, and having cameras and other equipment, if any, ready. But one should also select clothes that are comfortable but appropriate given that you might be on the ground, climbing on furniture or dealing with animals.  Check out this totally spontaneous image, grabbed when Arlo joined in the fun.

Photographs during events run the gamut from spontaneous...

...to formal or more purposeful...

...to requests from attendees or organizers.  In this case, Marilyn, the family matriarch, wanted photographs with the grandchildren, including the one shown below.

One of the couples was looking for a Christmas card image.  I spent some time with them to find different possibilities.

And generally, a random opportunity for some quick modeling presents itself.  Possible web page materials?

Generations apart with shared gifts

Thanks again to the Auflegers for offering the opportunities to photograph them over the years.

My appreciation to those of you who commented last week, including Sue G., Victoria, Kay, Lisa, Jean & Sam, Diane D., Ann A.,  Dianne J., Barbara, and Steve.

Same time, different blog next Monday??

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©
 

Like weddings, family reunions hold different elements that need to be captured photographically.  There are specific requests from individuals - shots of couples with children, parents with children and grandchildren, spontaneous fun shots, and of course, one has to document the gathering with the all-important group photograph.  Sometimes, there is a non-human element that becomes an added personality.  In this particular event, it was hats, and thus, the "hat trick" below that only a 22-year old could pull off this well.

At the other end of the age scale is the beautiful matriarch of the clan, who donned the hat below with style and class.

The felt western fedora and top hat made a good pair for the day...

...as did the straw hat accentuating a coiffed beard and ink

Mother and Daughter glam shot

This week, I will be editing and rendering all the reunion photographs, and examples will be featured in next week's blog.

Thanks to Jean & Sam, Victoria, Barbara & Clyde, Geula, Maria, Larry & Carol, Christina, Steve, Catherine, Barbara, Marilyn, and David O. for writing this week.  A special thanks to the Aufleger Family for being creative and flexible during the shoot.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

The woman I hope to photograph later this summer or early fall is quite different from Jessica, seen in the images below.  However, the photographs make my mind think about different options - reality, fantasy, historic?

Family reunions are a little like weddings in that many people are gathered in one place for a particular purpose - getting together after years apart.

Then, the subject of landscapes pops up as the subject matter of Shadow and Light Magazine's upcoming contest.  My dilemma will be whether to go with verdant and green...

KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA

...stark and beautiful...

...or geology based.

KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA

KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA

Planning, pondering, and continually curating are all part of the photographic process, and a great way to work those little grey cells during toasty, sweat laden summer days.  You might want to subscribe to Shadow and Light Magazine online.  Although none of my images were chosen for the Color It Red contest, the images that did are quite incredible, and challenge me to be more creative.

Thanks to so many of you for commenting on last week's blog including Barbara F. R., Lisa, Connie, Victoria, Terry T., TTT, Charlie, Kay, Ronnie, Diane D., Steve, Christine, Carolyn S., Monica L., Catherine, Jean & Same, Andrea S., and Ingrid!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Fred will be participating in another art event, by entering the AGAATI Foundation Global Eco Artisans Award competition.  The "AGAATI Foundation is committed to celebrate and conserve handmade creativity, elevate visibility and the value of artisan made, leading to the socio-economic development of the global artisan communities."  The word AGAATI is from the Sanskrit word Agati meaning arriving or arising.  As with all competitions, a certain amount of preparation is required, including writing and photography.  So the local photography department enjoyed the challenge of shooting photographs of Fred's latest work, Rug 370, for his application.

The rug is made of Navajo-Churro wool, the black/blue/silver field of which is from Andrea Harrell's flock we visited in north Albuquerque in May. It has a lot of lanolin in it and is quite lustrous.  For the AGAATI Foundation, "work in progress" images were needed.  Here is a shot of the middle of a Celtic knot in "chile Colorado" and with a beautiful gold through line of "Tierra Amarilla" from Tierra Wools. The blue is from the mill in Mora, New Mexico.  The knot is pure math/geometry and beyond my comprehension.   

Here is an image of the completed knot, and below it, the finished rug.

Rug 370 detail

Rug 370 product picture 3

Fred uses several methods for finishing the edges of the warp or skeleton of the rug, resulting in the fringe at the bottom.  Here is a traditional Rio Grande treatment.  It is made by gathering four strands of warp together in a single knot, finished with a maritime cabling and one more knot.  It keeps the rug from unraveling.

On Rug 370 for the AGAATI competition, he used what is called a Damascus edge, a continuous series of square knots, again finished with maritime cabling.

Thanks to Fred and to everyone involved in the farm-to-finished piece process including, Andrea Harrell, Molly and Antonio Manzanares and Nathan and Toni at Tierra Wools, Connie Taylor, and the folks at the mills in Wyoming and in Mora.  

And thanks to everyone for reading last week's blog, including Ingrid, Barbara, Larry and Carol M., Kay, Catherine, Jean & Sam, Wayne, and Steve.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

"The second day of July 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more." (Wikipedia)

Short of the precise date, Adams made an apt prediction.  Last night when we heard what we thought was a bomb it dawned on us that, yes, it was the 3rd of July, the day before the official date of independence, and people love to start celebrating early.  I could not help going into my photographic vault or morgue, for a few shots of fireworks.

I am always surprised by the way fireworks are developed and how they "photograph".  Each has its own pyrotechnic material in order to achieve noise, smoke, light, and floating debris.  The trajectory on the image below creates a palm tree type effect given the slow shutter speed needed to capture it in the dark.  

The lily below has its own fireworks in the middle - stamens that reveal a metallic, almost day-glow color.  It qualifies as nature's firework, don't you think?

Aerial confetti abounds!

Thanks to Barbara, TTT, Ben, Wayne, Louise & Jim, TPLue, Catherine, Kay, Steve, Lisa, Ingrid, Jean & Sam, and Lawrence for your comments on last week's blog! 

Have a safe and delightful holiday.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

hollyhock raindrops 1 2022  

hollyhock raindrops 2 2022

hollyhock raindrops 3 2022

With every flower, there is an opportunity for an abstract or still life, and the two below fall into that category.

hollyhock raindrops 5 2022

hollyhock raindrops 4 2022

Finally, a hollyhock, as if leaning against the stucco, resting, full of raindrop joy.

hollyhock raindrops 6 2022

Thanks to Christina, Claudia, Jean & Sam, Steve, Catherine, Ingrid, and Wayne for your kind words about last week's blog.  

A quote from photographer Ansel Adams tops off this week's blog.

"Life is your art.  An open, aware heart is your camera.  A oneness with your world is your film."

Thanks for sending the Adams' wisdom, Victoria!

until next Monday, 

DB

a passion for the image©

I have never really experienced the joy of having a big shade tree under which shade-loving plants can grow until we returned to Santa Fe and inherited an ash tree.  It opened up all sorts of gardening possibilities, even for a relatively small space.

Although hollyhocks seem to grow in both sun and shade, the ones in the neighborhood and in the vicinity of the ash, are quite happy where they are.  It is always interesting to watch the sun and shadow play on their big flowers, and try to capture them with my cameras.

Although I did plant delphiniums before, these Pacific Giant Summer skies have exceeded all my expectations.  

The delphiniums also held a surprise for me, once I took a closer look.  They are extremely hairy.  And toxic.

Sometimes, plants that are green or variegated can be under appreciated.  Hostas might be in that category but this particular variety, with its white tipped leaves, give the visual feel of being brushed with paint.

Thanks to all of you who voted for the assorted images in last week's blog, including Ann A., Jean & Sam, Debbie S., Connie T., TTT, Charlie, Victoria, Steve, Kay, Marilyn R., Wayne, Stewart, Sara, Ingrid, Pauli, and Gail.  It appears there was a tie between the radishes and the Primary Palette, with the paintbrush in snow and the autumn leaf chosen as close seconds after that.  I will let you know if any of the images tickle the judges fancy.  

Have a terrific week and for those in New Mexico, let's revel in the rain together, and enjoy the longest day of the year, Summer Solstice, on Tuesday!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

If you have a moment, could you let me know which images you like the best out of the group?  That will help me cull the ones I will eventually enter.  Thank you!

radishes

radishes

autumn leaf

Indian paintbrush (Castellija spp). flowers in snow

rug detail

Rug 366

apples on autumn leaves

primary colors - sky, adobe, red canopy

Fred in Rug 347 at El Malpais National Monument

rose arch

pomegranate 

Columbine

Thanks to Barbara F. R., Christina, Kay, Steve, Jean & Sam, Dianne, Catherine, Ann A., and Wayne for commenting this week.  Have a great week with lots of photographic surprises!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

....followed by the Goldenes Kreuz (Golden Cross) Castle in the Old Town part of Regensburg, Germany, also featuring crenels.

There are thousands of examples in nature of crenation.  The yellow day lily, poppy bloom, and yellow and fuchsia-colored prickly pear (Opuntia spp) images below all fit the definition of crenation nicely.

But the final photograph of the pheasant's eye daffodil, with its highly notched center cup, really shouts the Merriam Webster definition.

pheasant's eye crenation

Seashells also come to mind when I think of crenation.  My knowledge of shells it not great but here is a type of scallop shell, which literally fits the definition.

As you can tell from today's blog, occasionally I establish and tackle continuing education assignments for myself, and this week's blog was one of those.  

Thanks to Heather, Christina, Debbie S., Barbara F. R., Wayne, Catherine, Marilyn, Ingrid, Charlie, and Donna C. for commenting on last week's blog.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Andrea Harrell of iiidogfarm

People who raise animals are perpetually busy and in motion.  Attending to their basic needs, including feeding, watering, and exercising, are only part of the day.  Procuring food, giving vaccinations, and in the case of Navajo-Churro sheep, shearing once and sometimes twice a year are part of life.  Andrea does her own shearing.  Lambing and general clean up make certain times of year busier than others.  From having Connie Taylor - head of the New Mexico Navajo-Churro Sheep Association and expert in the breed - as a neighbor for nearly twenty years, we had some expectation of what we would find upon meeting Andrea Harrell in the beautiful Los Ranchos area of Albuquerque.  As is true with Connie, Andrea is a woman of great energy and many interests, another wonderful overachiever.  In addition to being a neonatal nurse practitioner, and a great photographer - andreaharrellphotography.com - she and her husband grow crops in the fertile soil that skirts the Rio Grande.  She also has a flock of sheep including several Navajo-Churro.   Her "boys" include Bigs, Kam, and Fisher.  Andrea cares for them deeply, as is clear from the photographs below.  She enticed them with Baker's Bits treats.

Take a smell first.  Fred being introduced to one of the boys whose fleece will eventually yield a beautiful charcoal wool for one of his rugs.  Check out that gorgeous coat!

You can almost feel the lanolin in the wool.  Fred can't wait to weave with it.

Andrea with one of this year's lambs.  And she was a quick one.  Note Mama, always present, in the left hand corner of the shot.

Thanks to Andrea and all the sheep for letting us interrupt her very busy day (she is already working her twelve hour nursing shift as I write), and for keeping Navajo-Churro sheep alive in north Albuquerque.

Christina, Suz, Mary G., Kay, Steve, Wayne, Jean & Sam, Orlando T., TTT, M. Fred, Pauli, Barbara, TPLue, Claudia, Donna C., Marta, Victoria, Ingrid and Dianne for commenting on last week's blog.  Although the fires continue to burn in New Mexico, we are hoping the worst is in the rear view mirror, and the forecast for possible rain this week comes to pass.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

After walking the short trail up to the mesa where the remains of the Pecos Church stand, it is easy to see why people have lived here and why humans from the Paleoindians and Puebloans to the Spanish conquistadors to Mexican and Anglo armies chose this place.  It is on a mesa with nearly 360 degree views of surrounding mountains above and streams below.  Considering it is adobe on rock wall foundations, the church is a massive edifice on the grassy knoll. 

Smoke from the fire can be seen in the right hand third of the photograph, if you look left from the kiva ladder.

There is something about kivas.  More than simply a hole in the ground with a ladder, the smell and coolness of the earth and the latillas in kivas, in addition to centuries of ceremonial activities, give them a curious and comforting feel.  

The ladder reaches to the sky.

One of the most fascinating elements of the church itself is the archways.  It is unusual to see an arch in early Southwestern architecture.  Moorish influence may be at play here.  Arches provide openings from one room to another.  The second archway reveals a buttress with adobes stacked at an angle to support the wall.    

The shadows of different elements in the Pecos Church are fascinating.  Below, structural timbers frame the archway. 

Shot from almost any angle, the mass of the church is undeniable.

I would recommend a visit to Pecos National Historical Park to anyone, but particularly to those who live in New Mexico or are visiting Santa Fe.  It is a very short drive and worth the time.  You may also be able to see employees and interns mixing adobe bricks and plaster for continued stabilization.  However, while searching the Park Service site this morning, I was surprised to learn that two days after this photo shoot, the Park had been closed due to the Hermit's Peak/Calf Canyon Fire.  As always in photography, timing is everything, along with luck.  

Thanks, Kara, Wayne, Barbara, Jean & Sam, Marilyn, Catherine, Sandra, Lisa S. and TTT for your kind comments this week!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image© 

The Cerro Pelado Fire in the Jemez Mountains has also provided plenty of sky drama in the last month.  At 45,605 acres, the firefighters were able to gain more control over the weekend, when winds moderated.  

Except for the pyrocumulonimubus explosions above the fires, commercial airliners fly high above the smoke or around the formations, and contrails or vapor trails can be seen in both the third photograph as well as the one above.

This year reminded me of the two year period of 2011 and 2012 which brought the Pacheco Canyon Fire, the Whitewater Baldy Fire in the Gila National Forest (the largest in our history), and Las Conchas Fire in Los Alamos.  It made me wonder what the amounts of precipitation were in both years.  I distinctly remember seeing and photographing plumes from the Pacheco Canyon Fire, wondering how dire the situation would become. We had ashes on the roof of our house in Taos County, and very windy conditions existed into the middle of July of 2011, when the monsoon season came to the rescue.  We were more than grateful in 2012 when the monsoon began on 12 June with 1.22 inches of moisture, including 3 inches of hail.  Not knowing certainly does not prevent one from hoping there will be a vigorous monsoon season this year.  And a black-chinned hummingbird hovered at our sliding glass door this morning.  A good omen?  How do those .50/ounce to 1.5 ounce bundles of energy survive the wind and smoke?  

hummer black chinned

Many thanks to all of you for reading, and to TTT, Barbara, M. Fred, Steve, Pauli, Phyllis, Catherine, Lisa, Wayne, and Char for commenting last week.  Wherever you are this week, may your explorations feed your minds and your hearts!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

The Little Lanterns and Origami Red and White remind me of a sea creature like a squid in their bud stages, with the spurs almost propelling the flower forward.

Here is the Origami in bloom.

When purchasing a "pot luck" variety of Columbine, like McKana Giant Hybrids, one never knows what the flower color will be.  This first example falls in the broad coral color category.  The inner flowers are a delicate cream color while the stamens and pistils are bright yellow.  

The next three McKana Giant images show red sepals with a yellow cup formed by what are termed "blades".  

No blue Columbine flowers yet from the group of five I planted last year.  They are the Aguilegia caerules, which also happens to be the Colorado state flower.  They can be seen along streams in the mountains of northern New Mexico as well.  
 

Thank you Suz, Steve, Catherine, Ingrid, Greg C., Barbara, and Lawrence for commenting this week.  I hope you are enjoying nature in whatever season you find yourself!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

As anyone who falls into the category of spouses and other family members as well as friends of photographers, you learn fairly quickly that if you are with a photographer, especially one with a camera in hand, you are no longer safe from being dragged into a potential photo shoot.  You will be waiting.  And this is what happened yesterday.  Is that music?  Up to the office window, and what do I see but bagpipers in the cemetery parking lot - tuning up and preparing for what was a sizable event attended by many members of the Española Police Department.  I really wanted to photograph the pipers.  Really, REALLY needed to do it, so brunch guests or not, it was off to Rivera Memorial Gardens.  After watching the pipers and drummer a bit, with fascination and some hesitation, I finally made my move and asked if they would allow me to photograph them.  They were very kind and willing as they were tuning their instruments.  Trying to always be prepared, I had brought business cards with me and passed them out.  They walked away from the Kiva Chapel so they could tune without disturbing the service in progress.  I followed, and began to make images as they tuned. It was interesting to hear them talk about music in general, and proceed to tune the reeds.  Things had dried between the time the pipers arrived and the time they would be playing.  I did not know that Great Highland bagpipes have three drones within which wooden reeds are housed - one bass and two tenors.  The chanter, which also contains a reed, is used to play the melody.  The piece into which the piper blows is comprised of a mouthpiece, blowpipe, and blowpipe stock.  

It shouldn't have surprised me, but it did, to hear them working on the scales as part of their preparation, as other concert musicians do.  Here is Greg Cheyne and his pipes, and another member of the group tuning one of the pipes in the lower right hand corner of the image.  James Lamb, Pipe Major, is also shown with his pipes in the second photograph.  The chanter has holes in it, like a penny whistle, that are covered or uncovered with the fingers to play the melody.       

Fred Hawkins with his snare drum, methodically provides solemn percussion.

In this environmental portrait, both the pipes and Cheyne share the spotlight.

Brandon Davis, Pipe Corporal, his uniform, and pipes

A sporan which serves as a pocket, pouch, or purse, is worn with a kilt.  The kilt plaid is called "American Heritage".

No pipers outfit would be complete without a sgian dubh (roughly pronounced skeen doo) or dirk, which is a Highland dress knife, worn in the sock.  It must have come in handy walking the moors and highlands of Scotland.

In perfect order, walking back to the Kiva Chapel. 

Thanks to the New Mexico Fire and Police Pipes and Drums members Fred Hawkins, Brandon Davis, Greg Cheyne, and James Lamb for their willingness to be interrupted by a photographer.  They play music for events statewide and beyond.  Since the organization conducts services for fire, police, and military members around the state at no cost, donations help with travel and equipment costs.  To donate or for more information, check out their website.

https://www.nmfireandice.org
 

My thanks as well to Barbara F. R., Jean & Same, TP Lue, Steve, Ingrid, Ann A., Sandra B., TTT for commenting on this week's blog, and to And to Ingrid, Robert, and Fred for having part of their day occupied by photography.  

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

A neighbor's apple tree, complete with soft pint and peach-colored buds.

When I walked into a grouping of three trees in an open space, I noticed a din and originally thought it was traffic noise.  But tuning my ears, I realized the trees were full of bees and the sound they were making was fascinating.  With that many blooms to be worked, I knew there would be a photo bomb or two, as happened in the image below.  

This apple tree has gnarled and peeled bark, with an envelope area where a limb had been cut at some point.  It made for a story-book composition.   

I can see using this very soft focus image as a backdrop or illustration for a future wedding book.

The blue sky filled the spaces between the flowers, branches, and leaves below, adding to the color palette.

I am lucky enough to have a view of this tree from the office and it has offered a blast of fuchsia color for over a week.  It is always amazing that the blooms seem to stay attached, regardless of the 30-60 mile per hour winds that have been with us for what seems like the whole of April.

Finally, today's botany lesson.  The tree shown below is almost at the end of its bloom cycle, with the yellow anthers and white filaments, no longer surrounded by petals.  Anthers and filaments make up the stamen or male part of the flower.  To me, the design rendered by the stamens shows how much is involved in the natural world. 

I hope that this final week of April 2022 is full of wonders and photographic adventures for all of you.  Thanks to Lisa, Barbara F. R., Lawrence, Victoria, Ingrid, Steve, Kay, Heather, TTT, Jean & Sam, Wayne, Catherine, and Earle for commenting on last week's blog.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image© 

Rug 347 has a bit of a flying carpet look laying on the slab of sandstone, and in the second image beneath the massive, contorted and beautiful wall.

Since it is woven in the style of a Navajo Chief's Blanket, it seemed appropriate to demonstrate how it might be worn.

To me, Rug 344 is quite western, if there is such a thing, with geometric elements representing mesas and the reflected sky. It was not until we rolled it onto the sandstone that I realized one of the colors very nearly matched the rock.

​​​​​

Below is Fred's woven panel stitched to a jean's jacket.

Rug 344, 347, and the jacket panel are woven of 100% Navajo-Churro wool, both warp and weft.  Thanks to Connie Taylor for bringing awareness to and helping Navajo-Churro sheep thrive, and for dying the wool that Fred has used to weave since his first piece, made in 2003.  Thanks to Fred for his patience with this photographer, and to Barbara F. R., Lisa, Jean & Sam, Ingrid, Connie, Claudia, Louise & Jim, Marilyn, and Steve for commenting last week.  

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©
 

Our trip this week just included exploration of the Sandstone Bluff area, because it was also a test of the real-time range of our electric Chevy Bolt. Going to La Ventanna Arch might have exceeded our range, for returning to Santa Fe without stopping to charge.  But we enjoyed walking all over the rock, exploring the folds and colors of the sandstone.  Although some formations had calved or lost pieces, much was the same.  

The sandstone is a brilliant counterpoint to the lava, and the colors are so intense that on a sunny day, which it was, it feels like it is burning your retinas!

The oranges, rust, ochre, pink, and red are stunning.

While I was desperately hoping that some of the tinajas, or stone basins, would be holding water, not a drop was to be found.  Just grains of sand and gravel. Junipers hang on for dear life.

Although the wind was howling and I was practically eating my hair while shooting, we found a protected area to do a product shoot with several of Fred and his rugs.  Those photographs will be featured next week.  

Thanks to Jean and Sam, Barbara F. R., Jim W., Lisa S., Marilyn, Christina, Steve, and Char for commenting this week!  I hope each of you is able to explore the wealth of spring blossoms, despite the windy days.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Daffodils 2022 3    

Daffodils 2022 1

This particular variety named "Ice Follies" comes complete with a bright yellow cup and white petals.

Daffodils 2022 2

As is sometimes the case, the back with its sheath from which the daffodil emerges, is just an interesting as the front of the flower itself.

Daffodils 2022 4

The sheath also makes an interesting part of a  black and white study.

Daffodils 2022 6

A flower shoot is incomplete for me until I get down and dirty to get the intimate details.  I looked like a turtle that ended up on its back while photographing these.

Daffodils 2022 5

Dianne, Lisa, Ingrid, Debbie S., Steve, Catherine, Barbara F. R., Wayne, and Victoria were kind enough to comment this week.

My thanks for all of you! 

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image ©

Although rocks like these don't hold the color that roses do, they complement the different colors of roses below in fascinating ways. 

Thanks to Dianne, Donna C., Jean & Sam, Barbara F. R., Victoria, TTT, Connie, Ann A., Steve, Bill & Sue, Wayne, and Diane for kind comments this week, and to Ingrid and Robert for providing the inspiration!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image© 

Although my tendency is to try to second guess what judges may like, in a couple of categories I threw caution to the wind, as it were, because second guessing is nearly impossible.

The categories are:  Portrait, Wedding Day, Commercial/Editorial, Shot on Film, Group Portrait, Aerial Wedding, Creative Lighting, and Album Cover.  I entered the first five categories.  Only one photograph per category was allowed.

Since nearly every photograph I make - from people to animals to plants to landscapes - are portraits, I could have gone in any direction.  But I chose people. Trying to offer a combination of spontaneous, classic portraiture and the choice of black and white or color made it challenging.  I like the two images of Travis below.

The image of "Zorba" at the door of his restaurant on Crete is a study in spontaneity.  

But this photo of Jessica is evocative on several levels, so I chose it for the "Portrait" category.

Jessica

One of the group photos from Kara and Eero's wedding combined both formality and fun, so it seemed like a good entry for the "Wedding Day" category.

I was choosing between Ashley and Buf for the "Commercial/Editorial" category.

Buf is very photogenic and a terrific black and white subject,  but he was making something rather than advertising something, so I went with Ashley, modeling work at Taos Fiber Arts.

The next category "Shot on Film" took me back to a photograph I made with a Mamiya 1 3/4 x 2 1/4 format camera.  It was my first foray into any format camera larger than 35 mm, and it was before I began using Ilford HP 400 film, which I used for all my later portraits prior to digital photography.  This image was shot using Kodak Plus X Pan.  It was developed using the Sprint Developer offered at the Santa Fe Community College dark room.   Being a filmmaker himself, Walter Chappell was a compelling subject.

There were many possible entrants for the "Group Portrait" category.  The suggestion for the category was "we want to see those pre-COVID (or masked and vaxxed) group portraits featuring two or more subjects".  I have always been fond of this photograph of Paloma and Fred dancing at a Taos restaurant.   

But the word "subject" in the challenge instructions was the key.  It didn't say people.  I would love to see the reaction to my "Group Portrait" entry - good, bad, or dumfounded.  At least it might make someone smile.

Thanks to Victoria, Ann M., Barbara F. R., Paule, Jean & Sam, Steve, Catherine and Ingrid for commenting this week.  To hear from so many who were born before or during World War II, or had family members deeply involved was enlightening.  In the same vein, many stories are already emerging from Ukraine and Russia, as well as numerous bordering countries.  Nice to see Arnold Schwarzenegger's Twitter post, primarily addressed to the Russian and Ukrainian people in such a beautiful and respectful way this week.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

And then my mind goes to the countries my sister and I visited in 2014 that are receiving refugees.  Hungary, Slovakia, even Germany, and wonder how both the refugees and the citizenry of those countries are doing.  A military base in Ukraine only eleven miles from the Polish border was attacked on Sunday.  That, alone, holds wretched ramifications.  There are many people in the whole of Europe who remember personally or have heard from relatives and friends how life was during World War II. None of them want to repeat those days and are nervous about what else Russia has in mind.  Today's blog celebrates, in photographs, some regular people in these countries doing what they do, with the hope that they will be able to return to some semblance of normalcy soon.  And once again, have a place to call home.

In Budapest, Hungary local police do their jobs before a football match between a Hungarian team and an Irish team.

A street musician near the center of Budapest

Moving on to Bratislava, Slovakia, a shopkeeper at Folk Folk

Bratislava has a vibrant music scene and September is one of the biggest months for music in and around the city.  Try as I might to find the event to which these people were attached, I could not.   But energy, color, and much percussion abounded.

A driver was ready to take tourists around the area.

As a counterpoint to the drumming and dancing, a harpist played just around the corner.  

A tightrope walker on a rainy, grey day in Regensburg, Germany,  finishes this sequence.

My thoughts are with all who are without a home in these unsettled times.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Our modern electrical systems evolved thanks to the discovery and development of what is called direct current or DC power, and alternating current or AC power.  I don't pretend to have much comprehension of either, but having lived off-grid with a photovoltaic system for twenty years, I have learned a few things.  Since my intellectual capacity leans more toward memorization than technical understanding, I know the wattage of just about every appliance in the house.  How they work?  Well, bits and pieces take hold from time to time.  One is that DC energy or direct current is a one directional flow of electrical current.  We use many things in our daily lives that are powered by DC including cell phones, laptops, flashlights, and any kind of tool or implement that uses a battery.  AC or alternating current is what we use when we turn on a light or an appliance in our homes.  It literally alternates or, according to Wikipedia "reverses direction and changes its magnitude continually..."  

During the 1800s, numerous inventors were working on these strategies for energy production and communication, including Guglielmo Marconi, Alessandro Volta (his battery was the Voltaic pile), French physicist Andre' Marie-Ampere, Nikola Tesla, and Thomas Edison, to name a few. Two ironies emerged from the competition for electrical transmission in the United States between Tesla and Edison.  Ultimately, the nod for what we now call "the grid" , was given to Tesla who promoted AC.  However, the Tesla automobiles are based on DC energy, intersecting with and changed into AC to run Nikola Tesla's AC brushless induction motor.  Although Thomas Edison helped develop and promote DC energy, many of the power companies in this country are named after Edison, despite the fact that they use AC.

And what does all this have to do with me and photography?  Not a whole lot, except that I photographed the technicians and equipment from Positive Energy Solar as they installed two Tesla  Powerwalls this week in our garage.  Because of that delicate intersection between DC and AC, the process was actually more complicated and took longer than the original installation of the solar panels on the roof.  But the completed process would fulfill our plan to have a backup system in the event of an extended power outage in the area.

To begin the job, organization is the key, as the photograph below demonstrates.  

The first day was spent installing new circuit breaker and shut off boxes, both in the garage and outside, in preparation for DC and AC joining together.

On Day Two, the Powerwalls made their debut.

Powerwalls are two rather hefty solid state batteries, a variation of the types of batteries used in electric automobiles.  At 300 pounds a piece, a dolly and muscle was required to maneuver them into place.  The Powerwalls are made to fit together front to back, taking less space wherever they are installed.

It takes teamwork to do a great job, and they did!

It was like Christmas morning having these beauties installed and being able to read real-time energy production, use, and savings courtesy of an app.  One of the other bells and whistles are these Steam Punk green lights that pulsate when the batteries are charing. Probably a frivolity but we definitely get a giggle out of watching the lights.

Thanks for your indulgence as I tried to put into words and photographs a small example of the intersection of DC and AC.  

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

I saw elements of the work in the refracted light through the glass.

The position of the glass in relation to the overhead lights created a different "rose" in each image.

Using a slightly different shape of glass produced more of a flower base than unfolding rose.

The flares shown in the next two images are at such an angle that rainbow colors appear.  I also put water in the bowl of the glass, which impacted the outcome. 

Three lights, three flares

Thanks to M. Fred, Barbara, Christina, Geula, Lawrence, TTT, Luella, Jean & Sam, Wayne, Ingrid, and Steve for commenting this week as we enter the month of March with its feel of spring.  I hope you are able to explore all of it this week.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Weight and balance is essential in many sports and it reminded me of what Fred does for five to six hours every day at the loom.  In a way, he is doing his own sport, shifting weight from one treadle to the other.  For him and all weavers, the weather is not the variable but the wool with which he weaves. Depending on the quality of the warp and spin of the weft, he has to make adjustments. In the spirit of the games, here is the weaving game. Notice the impeccable equipment, the loom with a few extra bolts and the sandbags as ballast.  He is shifting his weight between the treadles as he throws the shuttle.
 

And the weight changes continue.

Here is a detail of Fred's new arts and crafts style rug, in what is known as the Glasgow Style.  Charles Rennie Mackintosh was among the designers, architects, and artists in the Glasgow School movement.  

Rug 363 detail.jpg

As I mentioned earlier, when a material like four-ply warp becomes one or two ply in spots, the weaver has to catch that and compensate, so there are no breaks in the body of the rug.  Sometimes, instead of doing rugs that are 60+ inches in length, he makes square rugs, like Rug 362, shown below.

Or he gets creative and weaves something totally new, like the bags or bolsas here. He wove two designs side by side.  They are all eleven inches high.  The two on the left are 11" x 7".  The two on the right are 11" x  9".  They are handwoven, hand-knotted, and hand cabled with no lining or clasps, and are open at the top.  All of his work is 100% Navajo-Churro wool, both warp and weft.    

Bolsas 1, 2, 3, 4

Fred's feet continue to shift from treadle to treadle as the weaving olympics continue.

Thanks to Barbara, Victoria, Dianne, Wayne, Ann A., Orlando, Lisa, TTT, Steve, and Ingrid for commenting this week.  

Feliz Cumpleaños, M. Fred and Diane!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Roses - August 2021 - 5

Even in rain or after drying, they demonstrate profound strength and a sometimes difficult to identify sterling character.

Happy Valentine's Day to all of you, complete with abundant joy and beauty!

Special thanks to Barbara, Connie, Luella, Wayne, Charlie (love the haiku), Jean and Sam, Dianne, Pauli, Steve, Ingrid, Catherine, and Marta for commenting this week!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

One of the more notable features of the area is La Ventana Arch.  I could spend a great deal of time photographing every detail of the arch.  The shot below is a bit of an illusion, as the arch is in the foreground and blends into other formations behind it. 

Holes and possible future arches can be found on both sides of the arch.  As the sandstone weathers, holes are created while other areas are varnished and smoothed.

The vertical wall on another side of the arch shows spectacular shades of desert varnish on the stone.  

El Malpais National Monument is roughly 72 miles west of Albuquerque off of Interstate 40 near Grants.  All trails are open but the visitor center is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and the caves on the west side of the monument are closed for a long deserved rest (the National Park Service calls it "resource protection and public safety").  

Thanks to Lucia, Kay, Barbara, Victoria, Ingrid, Larry & Donna, Wayne, Christina, Steve, and Jean & Sam for commenting this week.  

Birthday wishes to Sue P., Luella, Barbara O., M. Fred, and Diane D., and Happy Anniversary to Gigi and JJ, and Susie and Bogie, all celebrating during the month of February.  

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Most of the clouds forming were of the cirrus variety in the higher atmosphere.  All I knew is that they were on the move and I had to grab my camera to catch them as they moved from the eastern sky, tracking across the north to the west and then south.  Nearly every variety of cirrus clouds was on display.  

Although the color of blue skies and feathery clouds framed by the building walls is brilliant, I liked the idea of taking one image to black and white.

Once again, I felt compelled to use the sky as backdrop for the second bloom stalk of the amaryllis.

cloud and amaryllis 1 2022.jpg

cloud image and amaryllis 3 2022.jpg

After the wind, it did eventually snow.  Six inches in some parts of Santa Fe.  Our total was 2-4 inches,  measuring .21 in liquid after it was melted.   Here is a shot of the entire bloom stalked against snow, with blue tinges on the right side and pinkish on the upper left where the sun was beginning to reflect off the stucco wall.

I hope the skies wherever you are allow for some fascinating watching and photographic experimentation for you this week!  Thanks to Barbara, Char, Lisa, Paule, Wayne, Sandra, Pauli, Christina, Barbara O., Steve, Jean and Sam, Catherine, Veronica, and Dianne for getting in touch this week.  And Happy Birthday, Connie!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©

Although not on the traditional menu for a Burns Dinner, shortbread and tea would be a tasty but light afternoon repast before the big evening, and that is what we will be having, thanks to Fred's sister, who makes the finest shortbread this side of Edinburgh, with plenty of real butter.  Notice the fork piercings in each log of shortbread, a traditional marking.