The Enchanting New Mexico (Part 1)

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A long-time fan of plastic cameras, Argentinean writer and photographer Lorraine Healy is the author of “Tricks With A Plastic Wonder,” a manual for achieving better results with a Holga camera. In this article, Healy tries to piece back together a 2002 trip to New Mexico, from before the time she learned to keep good notes when she traveled.

As with the other two (horizontal) images below: I took them in New Mexico with my Canon A-1, it was 2002, but I don’t remember the names of these places!

During this year’s push to put my photographic archive in order, I sent out an enormous amount of negatives to be scanned. When they came back, I discovered lots of so-so images that I would rather not post. If you read the article on my three-week backpacking time in Joshua Tree National Park, you have heard my whines about not having been a better photographer then to take full advantage of such a wonderful opportunity. I feel the same way about tons and tons of my photographs. But I also feel that through those less-than-stellar images, I am able to share these places with other Lomographers, share my itinerary, my tips, things that I learned, and any recommendations that can make your trip to these destinations a better experience.

Somewhere in New Mexico… Canon A-1.

In April 2002, I spent a week in the Northwest quadrant of New Mexico. Starting with the gorgeous Santa Fe and a short day trip to Abiquiu and San Ildefonso, I drove in a sort of loop: first the High Road to Taos, then route 64 west to the town of Farmington, a detour to the amazing Chaco Canyon, on to Los Lunas, and ended up in Albuquerque. I left New Mexico with an enduring passion for salsa verde and New Mexican cuisine, and have been back for more. Next week’s article will be devoted to the second half of the journey, from Chaco Canyon to Albuquerque.

Adobe or mud ovens, somewhere in New Mexico. Canon A-1.

Santa Fe

The oldest state capital city in the United States, Santa Fe was founded by Spanish colonists in 1610 and remains a place with strong Spanish undertones. When driving towards the city, the first thing you notice is what you don’t notice. Though home to more than a half a million people, you can barely discern any buildings as you approach the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The great majority of family homes, in fact, the great majority of the city itself, is built in the traditional adobe style that blends itself with its environment.

San Miguel Mission in the city of Santa Fe, NM.

Walking around downtown Santa Fe is a delight. Yes, it can get pretty crowded certain times of the year, but it is an ideal place for walking and there are photographic opportunities everywhere you look. Perhaps the one issue about photographing in Santa Fe, in all of New Mexico for that matter, is finding an original, personal way to photograph anything. Painters and photographers have been coming here for years. Georgia O’Keeffe, Ansel Adams, Eliot Porter, have all been here before us, only to be followed by masses of other creative people. It is hard to try to photograph anything in this area and not feel like you are copying one of the greats.

Two views of the Art Museum in Santa Fe, new Mexico. Canon A-1.

In Santa Fe, I discovered a place that sold old architectural pieces, like old doors and window frames, wrought iron rejas, and the demolition detritus that became perfect accent pieces and can now cost thousands of dollars. I was not about to buy any doors (although I would have wanted to!) but they provided for Santa Fe photographs of a different flavor.

A collage of Canon A-1 images from the architectural demolition site in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Abiquiu

A lovely day excursion from Santa Fe is a drive north through the artsy town of Tesuque and onto the area of Abiquiu and Ghost Ranch, Geogia O’Keeffe’s old haunts. Ghost Ranch, O’Keeffe’s actual property, is now a retreat center, which can be visited by anyone. The drive to and from Santa Fe takes you through some breathtaking landscapes. You can certainly understand why Ms. O’Keeffe chose to leave New York City and settle in this then-remote outpost in the Sangre de Cristo mountains.

(1) On the drive up from Santa Fe to Abiquiu, Georgia O’Keeffe’s chosen country. Canon A-1. (2) An abandoned adobe dwelling near Abiquiu, New Mexico. Canon A-1.

Before getting to Abiquiu, there is the intriguing Penitente Morada, (recently restored but dating to the 1700s), a small chapel for the exclusive use of the members of an ancient Catholic group originally from Spain. The name translates as “The House of Penitents.”

Morada de los Penitentes, near Abiquiu, New Mexico. Canon A-1.

San Ildefonso Pueblo

On the way back to Santa Fe from Abiquiu, if you are willing to drive a few more miles overshooting the capital city, you can visit the lovely San Ildefonso Pueblo. The founders of San Ildefonso, the Kewa people, as with most of the pueblo nations of New Mexico, are the likely descendants from the Anasazi people who lived in Chaco Canyon for centuries.

San Ildefonso Pueblo, New Mexico. Canon A-1.

Old High Road to Taos

If you can, give yourself a couple of days to drive this fabulous stretch of road. Small towns with ancient churches and a hard-to-believe landscape will make you want to stop again and again. The famous Sanctuary of Chimayo, the beautiful San José de Gracia in Las Trampas (built in 1780, one of the best preserved Spanish Colonial buildings in the country) and of course the stunning massive structure of San Francisco de Asís in Ranchos de Taos, which you will easily recognize.

Top row, from left to right: Sanctuary of Chimayo, the church of San José de Gracia in Las Trampas, and a corner of San Francisco de Asís in Rancho de Taos. Below, the front of San Francisco de Asís in Rancho de Taos. All four images Canon A-1.

It has been many years since I did this trip, and unfortunately, it was before I learned that it was a good idea to take notes when I traveled and photographed. I have tried to identify all of my images, trying to make sure I was not making idiotic mistakes. However, there were several I was not able to identify. For that and any mistakes in labels, I apologize profusely. Drop me a note if you can detect a mistake in my captions!

San Ildefonso Pueblo, New Mexico. Canon A-1.

Lorraine Healy (@lorrainehealy) is an Argentinean writer and photographer living in the Pacific Northwest. A long-time fan of plastic cameras and she is the author of “Tricks With A Plastic Wonder,” a manual for achieving better results with a Holga camera, available as an eBook from Amazon.com.

written by Lorraine Healy on 2017-01-04 #places #lifestyle #travel #35mm #new-mexico #color #us #santa-fe #albuquerque #pueblos #taos #canon-a-1

5 Comments

  1. gueaut
    gueaut ·

    Great pictures, beautiful place. It's one of my dreams to visit New Mexico and Arizona. The USA has some really beautiful places for landscape photography.

  2. lorrainehealy
    lorrainehealy ·

    @gueaut both states are fabulous! I hope you get to visit them soon. I'll be looking forward to seeing your results!

  3. honeygrahams224
    honeygrahams224 ·

    I have never considered New Mexico, but my I have family in Arizona. Maybe I should take an extended trip sometime. It looks unreal!

  4. tribaluxe
    tribaluxe ·

    I think the Magic Sky sign on the red building is behind the famous Rancho de Taos church that has been a must-see stop for every photographer and painter who has visited the southwest in the last hundred years.

  5. tribaluxe
    tribaluxe ·

    Oh, one correction: we only have 70,000 people in Santa Fe - not half a million! (There are only 2 million people in the entire state.)

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