Cañada Camada

Hoodoos in New Mexico. Who knew? How cool.

And we find those Hoodoos in the Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, located somewhere between Santa Fe and the middle of nowhere. Then again, that describes many different locations in our wonderful state, but that is just part of our charm here.

This particular shot is from the Cañada Camada Overlook, which is more or less just outside of the National Monument. Or maybe still in it. The lines are a little fuzzy out there, at best, and so it is hard to say exactly–come to think of it, the roads are a little fuzzy, too. Either way, however, the overlook gives one a great view of many of the hoodoos of Tent Rocks.

What do you think about Black and White? Like it? Hate it? Love it? Think it went out of style with Ansel Adams? Let us know in the comments below!

This photo is available for purchase, in a variety of sizes and formats.

Silent Sentinel

Waiting. Waiting. Patiently, ever so patiently, it waited across the centuries, always on guard. The hoodoo, topped by its capstone, stands atop mesa, keeping watch below and above. Patiently. Ever so patiently.

And on days like today, when the storms roll in, it stands as a silent sentinel, watching as the clouds gather and thicken with the threat of severe weather. Not flinching, never moving, it stands there, on guard. Watching. And waiting. Patiently.

This particular sentinel is a lone hoodoo in Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument. Standing high and somewhat apart from its fellows, it reminded me of a sentinel as a storm began to gather. Like so many hoodoos, it has a caprock on it, a product of the centuries of erosion from wind and water. Who knows what events this hoodoo has seen, but given how long they take to form, it has certainly seen its share of happenings. The entire area is full of incredible formations–but this lonely one stood out amongst them.

Waiting. Watching. Patiently.

This photo is available for purchase, in a variety of sizes and formats.

Snowy Caldera

Originally uploaded by david

The Valles Caldera National Preserve is an incredible place. As National Lands go, this is on the newer side, and was just set aside a few years ago; it used to be the privately owned Baca Ranch, but luckily for us, it is now protected and open to the public. Nestled inside of a collapsed volcano caldera, the preserve features wide open spaces as well as stunning wooded areas. This photo is not the wooded area, however.

This represents another shot I have been waiting patiently for. I had the caldera, of course, but I wanted to show a panoramic scene filled with snow as far as the eye can see. And the eye can see really, really far in this photo, by the way. You might think this is “just” a snowy field. In that, you would be incorrect, I’m afraid. This particular scene measures somewhere around (as best as I can figure) two and one half miles from edge to edge. Miles. As in 13,200 feet (or just over 4,000 meters for you metric folks) from edge to edge. However, it gives you just the barest sense of the place; the grandeur, the beauty, the majesty are best experienced in person. Just be sure to breathe when you are looking at it, for it will take your breath away.

Alas, the small sizes of our monitors do not do justice to this panorama. It measures, in real life, several feet across when printed. But this gives you a good idea, at least. A couple of other notes of interest. This panorama is also the header of our main site, Fringe Innovations. And if you look on the left hand side, just in the shadow of the small hill in the middle, you can see Snowbound Ranch.

Borrowed Rose

Originally uploaded by david

Something Old,
Something New,
Something Borrowed,

Hey…. borrow… borrow… now that’s a fine idea! You see, the shot must be taken. And not having a suitable subject is seldom much of a problem when there is borrowing to be had. Once again I selected a nice little rose for my photography, and, ah, er … borrowed it. This little rose is very, very little. It measures under 1″ wide in real life… it’s quite small, but thanks to a little creativity, it is presented here for you larger than life. It is nominally part of a mini-rose plant (and yes, I left the rest of the plant intact, although there was a dicey moment in there where I thought that perhaps the plant itself was in the way, and eyeing a pair of scissors thought of a solution. Just as I was about to implement said solution I realized that this would not be a wise move, seeing as how I value my life, and quickly thought up another plan) and it just begged to have its picture taken. The Baby’s Breath (perhaps a tad past its prime, I’ll admit) added a little dimension to the photo, and here we have Borrowed Rose.

Something Old,
Something New,
Something Borrowed,
And now she’s Blue.

Uh-oh. My borrowing was just discovered. I need to run…

Dawnting Shadows

Dawn.

A time when the world’s energy is renewed by the rising sun. A time when the cobwebs of the night are chased away into their corners and a time when the new day stretches its wings to greet the sun.

But this is, too, a time of magic. A time when the dawn’s shadows still loom large and have not yet been vanquished; a time when the balance of the day has not yet been decided. For sometimes, the shadows are reluctant to give up their hold, and take extra effort to remove…

It was a difficult struggle for the sun today, for it had not only the deep shadows below it to contend with but also some stray clouds above it–the battle was waged on all fronts. It wasn’t but a few moments after this was taken, however, that the sun rose victorious into a clear blue sky, shining brightly upon a shadowless land.