Revisiting New Mexico and Mesa Verde

[Almazar80]

I've been processing some more pictures from a four year old trip to New Mexico and Colorado.

1. San Francisco de Asis, a collage (the church is Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico)



2. The Cross and the Window, El Santuario de Chimayo (in New Mexico)



3. Hiking down to the Cliff Palace Dwellings, Mesa Verde




Thanks for looking.

[mvanrheenen]

I like #2 most for the idea and composition. The 2 main subjects oppose each other in shape (cross and square with diagonal lines) and in color (white and black). Also the reflection in the window looks almost drawn with a pencil. You can see a little cross in there as well. Very well done.

The third image is nice too. The structure is so immense in size it almost looks like a miniature mockup in this photo.

Thanks for sharing. You should check your old images more often

Mark

[David Kilpatrick]

You should submit the cross and window shot to Cameracraft for the gallery section, I'd probably be able to use it - lovely treatment.

David

[sury]

Great shots. I agree with Mark. You should check your old shots more often
and treat us to such visual delight.

Sury

[Dr. Harout]

B&W is superb.

[Almazar80]

Thank you for the comments. The cross and window photograph was taken in a small (but oft visited) church in Chimayo, New Mexico. The soil inside the room where the window is located supposedly has miraculous healing properties. When we were there, we ran into a man from Chicago who was visiting for the fourth or fifth time. I asked him why. He told me that he was a four time cancer survivor and the soil from the room cured his cancers. It was interesting, to say the least.

Chimayo is on the high road to Taos (from Santa Fe, New Mexico). The drive is spectacular. I love Santa Fe. Taos, not as much, but there is the Taos Pueblo and one of the most photographed mission churches in America - San Francisco de Asis. It is said that Ansel Adams, among many famous photographers, took photographs of the church. My collage was a way to celebrate the new head of the Catholic church this Easter - Pope Francis. I guess my subtlety was obtuse, even by my own standards.

Back to Chimayo. It's a nice small town and there is something about the church that makes it a special place. I don't know, one feels a little bit more reverential there, in awe of the world, so to speak. Maybe it's just the psychology of the place. Strange thing is, we didn't know anything about the stories when we stoppped by the church.

You can take soil from the room home with you. I asked the people there why the soil hasn't "run out." They told me that they replenish the soil supply from the mountainside and that the replenished soil also has miraculous healing properties. I am relaying the story as it happened. It's a fascinating tale. And the town is very friendly. Quite a visit.

[sury]

Thank you for that narrative. Very interesting and intriguing. As for your homage to the new head of Catholic church, yes, it was far too subtle
for me, I confess.

Sury

[Almazar80]

I forgot to say that the church in Chimayo is known as: El Santuario de Chimayo

Here is the wikipedia article on the church:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Santuario_de_Chimayo

As I said earlier, we had no idea that this church was anything but a church in a small town in the mountains.

[Birma]

Great shots Almazar - thanks for sharing