Photomas

Burning Chrome

noreply@blogger.com (Photomas) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 06:11:00 +0000

Sunday (9/20/9) I came across a classic 1960's era Pontiac GTO with it's massive chrome front grille from a bygone era and before I knew it the day turned all Salvador Dali -ish on me.

I had so much fun shooting the chrome of the old GTO that I decided to finish up with the chrome of a 21st century Ford Fusion.

... to be continued.

Water, Water Everywhere

noreply@blogger.com (Photomas) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:32:00 +0000

Yeah, we live in a desert here in New Mexico, but there's actually a fair amount of water to be found. You just have to know where to go look for it.

Rio Grande River, Lemitar, NM.

Fine Arts Pond, New Mexico Tech, Socorro, NM.

Railroad Crossing, Escondido, NM.

Thunder Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Photomas) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 16:07:00 +0000

... Rides Again !!!

Off to another adventure.

Judy "Hoodie" Lovelace of Socorro, New Mexico and her beautiful Thunderbird.... "Thunder Chicken".

Odds and Ends

noreply@blogger.com (Photomas) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 18:11:00 +0000

Actually, mostly just the odds.

Geodesic Tree

Midway Elementary Playground, Lemitar, NM.

Radio Active

Cell Phone Tower, Socorro, NM.

Space Oddity

Vents for gasoline tanks at a Quik-E-Mart in town.

Water World

noreply@blogger.com (Photomas) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:11:00 +0000

Hidden Pond, Lemitar, New Mexico

We may not have much water in NM, but what we do have sure makes for some great reflections of the spectacular skies we enjoy here.

Especially around sunset.

"The Upholder of the Cycles which supports the whole of Life, is water. In every drop of water dwells the Godhead, whom we all serve; there also dwells Life, the Soul of the "First" substance - Water - whose boundaries and banks are the capillaries that guide it and in which it circulates. More energy is encapsulated in every drop of good spring water than an average-sized PowerStation is presently able to produce."

-Viktor Schauberger

Bridges of Socorro County

noreply@blogger.com (Photomas) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 18:11:00 +0000

Rio Puerco Bridge
Bernardo, New Mexico

... at sunset.

The Rio Puerco Bridge at Bernardo, NM, is located about 50 miles south of Albuquerque or about 30 miles north of Socorro just off of I-25. Go west at the Bernardo exit about 1 mile.

Can't miss it. Really.

Enjoy.

For more information on the Rio Puerco Bridge and the community of Bernardo, New Mexico go >>>>> HERE.

As I'm shooting this series of photos I'm thinking, all I need is a DeLorean like the one in the "Back to the Future" movies to come roaring across the bridge from one dimension into another. Instead, I get a friendly vato puttering along in his old beat up red Toyota pickup, trying to get home before the storm hits. I took the picture but was a little bummed out at first until I looked at this particular photo later and realized how well the light flames of the sunset blended with the silhouette of his truck.

Perfectomundo.

I just figured it had to be some of that old New Mexico magic mojo at play. In this case covered in a red secret sauce paint job.

It works for me.

(to be continued)

Running Tree

noreply@blogger.com (Photomas) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 06:11:00 +0000

Lemitar, New Mexico

As you can see, from just the right angle, it appears that this massive and ancient cottonwood (it's over 150 ft tall) is running. Heading for the hills. Well, probably more likely towards the river and the relative safety of the Rio Grande.

I'd be running too, if I knew about the fate of my brethren... and thus ultimately mine also.

Somehow, somewhere along the line, a fairly large portion of the bottom of it's trunk split in two and as a result you can look right through the tree.

There's even room for a person inside. I know because I've climbed in there a few times myself.

I hope whatever it appears to be running from never catches it.

Sadly, it's one of the last of many cottonwoods that used to populate this middle Rio Grande flood plain that's now been almost completely cleared for agriculture.

Jimena

noreply@blogger.com (Photomas) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:11:00 +0000

It appears, that as expected, advance remnants of Hurricane Jimena are beginning to move into the Socorro, NM area. It should be a interesting weekend for storm clouds and moisture around here.

Hopefully, not too interesting.

Arturo's windwill, San Acacia, New Mexico.

My Wandering Eyes

noreply@blogger.com (Photomas) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 06:11:00 +0000

I've always had trouble staying focused on just one thing. This affliction of mine (attention dumbs@#t disorder I think it's called) doesn't serve me very well in most areas of my life, but when it comes to photography it seems to work for me. I can usually find something to shoot wherever I go or whatever the situation.

Or, it could be due to all the years I spent in the news business where photogs had to constantly make something out of nothing.

Ceiling of a metal grain silo, Lemitar, NM.

Storage shed window, Polvadera, NM.

New Mexico's state bird... the Roadrunner.

Street lamp and flags at New Mexico Institute of Technology, Socorro, NM.

Monkey bars, Isidro Baca Memorial Park, Socorro, NM.

"I can't help but spy from my wandering eye."

Net F/X

noreply@blogger.com (Photomas) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 18:11:00 +0000

Lost in the interwebs.

Hello Belarus.

NMT Golf Course, Socorro, New Mexico.

Full Metal Macro

noreply@blogger.com (Photomas) — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 18:11:00 +0000

The Isidro Baca Memorial in Socorro, with it's shiny brushed metal top reflecting the sun, trees and sky, provides a wonderful opportunity for a photographer like me, to as Steve Martin used to say... "get small."

Often I like to get in really close on subject. Really, really close and really, really small (well at least as close & small as my camera's macro lens will allow me) to see what I can find.

Because as we all know, it is a small world after all.

Hey, I've got a idea. Let's go get small.

San Miguel de Socorro

noreply@blogger.com (Photomas) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 06:11:00 +0000

Many believe Socorro, New Mexico, is home to the oldest Catholic church in the United States founded in 1598.

San Miguel de Socorro is the Catholic church in Socorro, New Mexico, built on the ruins of the old Nuestra Señora de Socorro mission. The old mission was built around 1626, but was destroyed in 1680 during the Pueblo Revolt. A portion of the adobe wall of the old church remains today and still can be seen behind glass just left of the altar. [...]

Although the village of Socorro was founded at this time, and the Nuestra Senora de Socorro was built in the 1600s, San Miguel itself was not built until the 19th century. The construction of the church was most likely completed by 1821 when the first church baptisms, burials and marriages were recorded.

Local legend has it that during an Apache raid, an angel appeared and scared off the invaders. Parishioners thus decided to name the church after St. Michael, the archangel who supposedly saved the village.

The last (pre-American occupation) governor of New Mexico, Manuel Armijo is buried at the church.

Wikipedia

Socorro Sunset

noreply@blogger.com (Photomas) — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 06:11:00 +0000

New Mexico Tech Golf Course, Socorro, New Mexico.

A late afternoon storm had just moved through and the sun was going down. The perfect combination for some pictures.

Odds and Ends

noreply@blogger.com (Photomas) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 06:11:00 +0000

It's time again to clean out my camera's memory chip.

Pattern Recognition

noreply@blogger.com (Photomas) — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 06:11:00 +0000

A Photomas Photo Tip...

Sunscreens & Window Blinds
can make great light filters.

Socorro's Monster Dreamcatcher

noreply@blogger.com (Photomas) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 06:11:00 +0000

I'm sure most of you have probably heard of dreamcatchers, well it appears (at least to me anyways) Socorro might have one of the largest ever right in our very midst.

1500 block of NW Frontage Rd.

It's believed that a dreamcatcher changes a person's dreams by allowing only good dreams to filter through during the night . . . bad dreams stay in the net, disappearing with the light of day.

Hopefully, our dreamcatcher here in Socorro is doing a good job grabbing all those mean, nasty dreams floating around out there and only allowing the good ones through.

When you achieve your dream
pursue another dream.
That's how to live a life of adventure.
~ Unknown

Sweet dreams Socorro.

More Flower Power...

noreply@blogger.com (Photomas) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 02:50:00 +0000

because the world could always use a little bit more.

From the beautiful flower gardens of New Mexico Tech.

Silently a flower blooms,
In silence it falls away;
Yet here now, at this moment, at this place,
The world of the flower, the whole of
the world is blooming.
This is the talk of the flower, the truth
of the blossom:
The glory of eternal life is fully shining here.

~ Zenkei Shibayama.

My Hat

noreply@blogger.com (Photomas) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 18:11:00 +0000

It's been out in the blazing New Mexico sun a lot lately.

It seems to be showing the side effects.

Actually, so am I... but not nearly as well.

Flower Power

noreply@blogger.com (Photomas) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 18:11:00 +0000

...is alive and well

...on the New Mexico Tech Campus, Socorro, NM.

Flowers have spoken to me
more than I can tell in written words.
They are the hieroglyphics of angels,
loved by all men for the beauty of their character,
though few can decipher
even fragments of their meaning.
~Lydia M. Child

A Day at the Rodeo

noreply@blogger.com (Photomas) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 01:36:00 +0000

Magdalena, New Mexico
July 11, 2009

The annual three-day village party returned for its 38th year of fun with rodeos, music and, of course, barbecue.

Magdalena has recently been trying to transform itself into an art center and cultural destination. The opening of at least a dozen art galleries, a woolery, the renovation of the Bank West Building and the Magdalena Hall Hotel have all made their mark on this mountain village. Several rock and mineral shops have been around since the mining boom days. The ghost town of Kelly, and 2 important festivals: the Lady Magdalen Art Walk, and the Old Timers Reunion and Rodeo bring tourists to the area.

Wikipedia

More on... Magdalena, New Mexico.

Socorro Calling

noreply@blogger.com (Photomas) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 05:53:00 +0000

· · · — — — · · ·
Inhabitants of the outback regions of Socorro County (of which there many) will often jest that the telegraph of over a century ago probably had faster connection speeds than their web service today.

In many cases they're not exaggerating. They're right. I know from personal experience.

However, for many of us, it's just part of the subtle, offbeat and at times frustrating charm of this place, that we've largely come to expect and accept.

Many, like myself for instance... like ...love even, the off the beaten path, let's not take things too fast approach here. It's always been that way. It's Socorro's history and it's in it's DNA. There's a bit of "the land time forgot" vibe to this place. Most, you will find here are very proud and protective of it.

Live and let live.

Odds and Ends

noreply@blogger.com (Photomas) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:11:00 +0000

From around the Socorro area this past week...

San Jose Mission Church in San Acacia, New Mexico.

Windmills of Lemitar, New Mexico.

Sunset over Strawberry Peak (7,021 ft.), Socorro, New Mexico.

Old gas station sign Socorro, New Mexico.

Sign, sign everywhere a sign
Blocking out the scenery breaking my mind
Do this don't do that can't you read the sign?

Tractor Nebula

noreply@blogger.com (Photomas) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:22:00 +0000

Newly discovered by the Photomas Space Telescope....

Further examinations and explorations are planned.

El Morocco

noreply@blogger.com (Photomas) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Polvadera, New Mexico
May 27, 2009

The Desert Ghost Bar

It's Only Rock n Roll

noreply@blogger.com (Photomas) — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 15:49:00 +0000

...But I Like It!

The Rhythm Prophets
Capitol Bar, Socorro, NM
June 12, 2009

Just another wild and crazy friday night at "The Cap."

I was asked recently what was my favorite part of running The Capitol when my wife and I ran it back in the 90's.

It was definitely booking music and getting the place rockin. Nothing was more fun than when it all came together. The band, the crowd, the moment.

Rock On!