Cover Art

Check out the Winter 2010/11 cover of the internationally distributed Route 66 Magazine and you will find a stunning photo of the Route 66 Malt Shop by our own Melissa Lea.

Over the years, Melissa has turned her camera on the many, unique sights along Route 66. The subject has held a fascination for her since childhood when she traveled to California with her parents. In 2006, she drove the route solo from Chicago to Santa Monica. “When you travel Route 66,” she says, “you are able to see the uniqueness of America as it really is. It’s not like driving the interstate where you see mostly chain stores that look the same everywhere.” And she particularly likes the Malt Shop, because it is “still alive and taking a step toward the future. Most people only take pictures of the old and dying landmarks and don’t pay enough attention to the ‘Mother Road’s’ success stories.”

Melissa shot this picture at dusk with a tripod. Neon is a particularly difficult subject to photograph but she handled it like the master photographer that she is. You can view more of her Route 66 images in our gallery.

ANMPAS Show

We are proud to announce that all of our photographers at the Albuquerque Photographers Gallery will have one or more photos on display in the Annual New Mexico Photographic Art show. This is a juried show with an impressive collection of images by New Mexico photographers. The show opens to the public on Sunday, December 5th. Below is the information as it appears on the ANMPAS invitations. You are all invited!

"The second Annual New Mexico Photographic Art show is opening soon at the Fine Arts building at EXPONM! The talent that will be showcased at this one of a kind exhibit is not to be missed. Our gallery show will be open to the public from December 5, 2010 until December 28, 2010. The gallery is closed on Tuesdays, and will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas day. Gallery hours are 10 am to 5pm, and the Fine Arts Building can be accessed on the west side of the EXPONM grounds at the Copper/San Pedro gate. Anyone receiving this important notice is encouraged to forward it to everyone they know with a passion for fine art photography. Exeptional attendance at this month-long exhibit will ensure exceptional success to the many talented artists involved. We at ANMPAS are thrilled to be hosting this display, and look forward to showing all visitors the depth of talent that resides in New Mexico."

www.anmpas.com

A New Gallery Member

Every now and then we, at The Albuq - uerque Photo - graphers Gallery, make a few changes. Members sometimes leave for a whole host of reasons. Long time member Val Isenhower left to devote more time to various projects. So a new member joined us. Her name is Melissa Lea. This is what she has to say about herself.

"Everyone is born with a gift from the Creator. My gift is interpreting the energetic spirit of nature through the art of photography. My photography takes a person visually to a certain place in nature. In turn, it takes one further spiritually to that place to experience its essence. I feel blessed to experience the beauty and wonder that surrounds me on a physical, spiritual and creative level. And, I am excited to share these experiences with others through my photography."

Melissa has traveled through Europe, Canada and The United States. When she travels in The US, she mostly travels the "Blue Highways" and has focused on "The Mother Highway," Route 66. Her images have been published in Route 66 Magazine and American Road Magazine.

Join us in welcoming our newest member, Melissa Lea, to The Albuquerque Photographers Gallery, located in the Poco y Poco Plaza in Old Town.