The Eye

This is a shot from Lower Antelope Canyon outside of Page Arizona. I call it The Eye but it could also be called Birds Head. Slot canyons are one of those overshot icons of the Southwest but they are still a wonderful place to visit and photograph. The light is constantly changing not only during the day but by season as well. Upper and Lower Antelope are the two most famous slot canyons but there are numerous others in the Southwest. I have also visited Water Holes, Spooky and Peek a Boo. Give them a visit someday.

Urey Lemen

Route 66

One of my colleagues at the gallery and co-op suggested that I make more matted images of my Route 66 pictures because during her shift at the gallery some visitors had asked for matted prints of one particular image in various smaller sizes. I thought that was a good idea so I'll add a few new images to my collection at the gallery during the next week or so.

She suggested that I add pictures of the old hotels that dot Albuquerque's Central Avenue and that's also a good idea. Most of them are pretty worn. Their neon lights are broken or don't work at all, but they do reflect a bygone era when most travelers drove across country on the "Mother Road." In Albuquerque, Route 66 actually approaches and pass through the city from four directions; east-west, which is the route we typically think of, but also north - south from Santa Fe to the South Valley which was the pre-1937 route.

Even though I've photographed a lot of these old buildings, there's still lot's to photograph. Wish me luck.

Climbing Up

Copyright V. Isenhower Photography

Climbing Up is one of a series of ladder pictures I took at the Pecos National Monument. I wanted to tell tell a story of a journey. This picture was taken part way up the kiva ladder. At this stage in the journey the climber can see the sky, but still has to commit to finishing the journey. The floor is still closer than the top. Two questions this picture asks are, "What is at the top of the ladder?" and "Do I want to climb into the light or stay in the safety of the kiva?" This photo is one of 11 photos chosen to appear in the May/June 2010 issue of Alive Now, a devotional magazine published by Upper Room.

On Guard

I took this shot near my house in Corrales last spring. Burrowing owls are small owls which nest in holes or burrows to raise their young. This guy and his mate were nesting in a burrow in the side of an arroyo near my house. It used a fence post as a look out to guard his nest. If you got too close it would scold you! By summer the young are old enough to leave the nest and the owls move on. They usually come back to the burrow to nest again the following year.

Urey

Light

After chasing around for the better part of an afternoon looking for "iconic" snow pictures in the east mountains, I was driving home when I looked to the east again and saw the Sandias being bathed in what many artists coming to New Mexico looking for; late afternoon golden winter light. In the past, I have tried driving to the end of the road -- as it were -- to work up close. But traffic at that time of day can really get bogged down. And, there really is no way to plan for this light. Either it emerges, or it doesn't. Fortunately, I've found a short distance "go to" place pretty near my home. It gives me at least 30 minutes of late afternoon working light.

Aside from posting it on this blog, I'm showing the framed image at The Albuquerque Photography's Gallery in Old Town, Albuquerque starting today and lasting through the month. This little, compressed image really doesn't do the scene justice. The framed print does. It's called "Hallelujah," on the back of the marvelous performance by Justin Timberlake on "Hope For Haiti Now."