Photocation: New Mexico
The yellow check engine light was burned into my vision after nearly 12 hours on the road the day after Christmas. The dealership told me it was a timing issue on one of the pistons and that the light should turn off on its own after a while. Those words were of little reassurance when the next closest town is over 80 miles away and breaking down means getting stuck on the gusty high plains in the dead of winter.
But I forged ahead. The university where I work as a graduate assistant was closed for the week and my restless leg syndrome wasn’t going to do well with me sitting idle for 7 days. An intervention was needed after coming off one of the most stressful semesters since I got the crazy idea to go back to school for a PhD. If academic stress was the problem, highway therapy was the solution.
So I decided to drive solo to New Mexico for a couple of days. NBD
Nearly 2,200 miles and 40 hours of solo windshield time over less than a week would make most people balk and re-evaluate their life choices. But for me the drone of tires on asphalt and the passage of an ever-changing landscape through the window is like medicine for my soul. It’s a time totally free of the distracting burdens of modern life and an opportunity for internal reflection.
As a photographer, this trip also provided an opportunity to capture new material in a part of the country I love but due to the pesky constraints of geography I’m lucky if I can visit perhaps once or twice a year. So the never-ending quest for content and to see spectacular landscapes ended up being the motivation which compelled me to seek out a few places that I’ve been dying to photograph for years.
With my trusted Kia Soul bogged down with camping and photography gear, I set out from my parent’s house outside Kansas City the day after Christmas and proceeded southwest towards Santa Fe – the first stop on my journey. US Highway 56 parallels the old route of the Santa Fe Trail that for many years of its operation ran the 870 miles across the plains between the Kansas City neighborhood of Westport before terminating at the Palace of the Governors in Santa Fe. The journey in the mid-1800’s would have at best taken several weeks to a few months, but in 2017 it can be completed in less than 12 hours at an average speed of 70 mph.
The faint remains of wagon ruts from the Santa Fe Trail dating back to the early to mid 1800’s.
My first photo opportunity came along a stretch of Highway 56 on the high plains between Clayton and Springer, New Mexico. Here the dry, semi-arid environment and lack of disturbance by agriculture has preserved traces of 19th Century trail ruts that can still be observed paralleling and then crossing the highway at a few locations. I happened to catch it just before sunset when long shadows cast by the shallow relief of the terrain provide the best lighting conditions to observe the ruts up close.
From the ruts, another two hours of highway time sat between me and a plate of green chile enchiladas at La Choza, arguably my favorite restaurant in Santa Fe. I’m happy to report that the 2017 crop of green chiles left a pleasant scald that will keep me satisfied and yet thirsty for more until my next plate in a year or two.
After catching some shut eye at a motel, I was up early the following morning to begin what was by all accounts a photographic marathon for me. A high-productivity day of photo-taking trying out new equipment and applying new techniques that I’ve learned since my last dedicated visit to the desert two years ago.
Starting the morning before dawn in Santa Fe, my final destination before the day was over would be the Bisti Badlands (pronounced Bis-TIE) in the northwest corner of the state. However multiple destinations would be visited along the way to and from Bisti, including Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, Ship Rock, and some location scouting for future trips.
My grandparents used to call the Santa Fe area home and so I became well acquainted with New Mexico from an early age. The state is aptly named the Land of Enchantment and for good reason – it seems like everywhere you look in the state, stunning and emotionally stirring views sit around every corner. I owe my love for the southwest to them and their decision to retire there, and so I dedicate the following presentation of images to them.
Sunrise at La Bajada – “The Descent”
Location: 18 miles southwest of Santa Fe
Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument – Slot Canyon Trail
Red Mesa
Location: Along U.S. Highway 550
Bisti-De-Na-Zin Wilderness Area – The Bisti Badlands
The Zodiacal Light
Sometimes called a false dawn, the zodiacal light is only visible during certain times of the year under very dark skies. It is composed largely of gas and debris that occupies Earth’s orbit and reflects sunlight in the pre-dawn hours. While I planned to take a few astrophotos while on my trip, I was not planning to capture this. Once my eyes adjusted to the dark, I looked off towards the east and immediately recognized the faint glow I was seeing was the zodiacal light. This image is a stack of 10 separate photos, blended together to smooth the image resolution and reduce the noise that accompanies photographs captured in low light.
Ship Rock
Parting Shot: Sunset over western Kansas
Interested in ordering a print for one of these images? I’ve curated the New Mexico: 2018 Collection as an easy way to find these photos in my store. Prints are available across a wide variety of sizes and print media!