FYI: I won't be around for a couple of weeks ...

[IamSam]

Glad you back and safe Tom! Sounds like you had a great trip! One I may have enjoyed a few years back.

Great photos, reminds me of where I live! I realize, of course, you've shopped the image to make it appear older, but the second Elevator, while being similar to the first, looks ancient in comparison to the ones we have around here.

Can't wait to see more photos!

 

[chrisdesign]

Welcome back Tom, must have been a great trip. I look forward to see more of your pictures!

 

[ibclare]

Thanks for the welcome home, V.

The reason for the color of the 1st one was that it was taken on a really gray, dreary, rainy day. I felt that if I left it in natural color, it would be just "blah", so I simulated (in PS), a old chemical technique called cyanotype toning to try to jazz it up
T

They came oput surprisingly sharp Tom. Personally, I don't think the first image is bland at all. I like the juxtaposition of the small building with the tall silos.

I look forward to seeing some of your other shots. I wouldn't be surprised to see some unususal vantage points like the thread you started once upon a time.

 

[MikeMc]

Dorothy loves them too!

 

[Tom Mann]

@Clare - The 1st one that I posted IS after processing. I was referring to the pre-processed version being bland.

@Mike - Dorothy did say something about not being in Kansas anymore when we passed through this spot in NE New Mexico just around sunset.

T

 

[ibclare]

Even Doeothy would've stayed in Kanszs if the colors were that cool, hot I mean.

 

[Tom Mann]

Obviously, I did crank up the saturation, but, believe it or not, the visual impression when we came through that valley was not all that different, but then, I'm very impressionable, LOL.

It's easy to see why O'Keeffe and other artists fell totally in love with New Mexico. The colors, shadows, sense of depth, and everything else just blows you away at times.

T

 

[Tom Mann]

I'm continuing to work my way through the pix from my trip. Here are a few from my iPhone and my little Canon P&S:

1. A nice sunset at around 6500 feet;

2. A pristine alpine lake at 11k feet;

3. The mandatory skull motif for that part of the country (ie, the mantle over the fireplace at a hotel we stayed at).

4. The cemetery of a mining town (Dawson, NM) shut down in the 1950's. The mining company tore down and completely removed the buildings, so almost nothing remains of this large town except the cemetery. It's very different compared to other towns (eg, Bodie, CA) that were abandoned but the buildings left in place (to decay).

5. A cattle fence line just before a storm hit. Incredible clouds and lighting. I have rarely seen such high contrast between a dark sky and sun-lit grasses unless substantially helped out with PS (which this wasn't).

6, 7, and 8. I fell in love with the high, sub-alpine, wide-open meadow areas up at around 8500 feet. In the last photo, the buildings in the background are an archeological site from the late 1800s, preserving an old cattle ranch that tried to make a go of it in this middle-of-nowhere location, 30 miles from the nearest paved road.

T

 

[ibclare]

Looks like you had some good times with your camera, as well as the visit as a whole.

My favorite is the cattle fence with the dramatic lighting(not that it was easy to choose just one) . Thanks again for sharing.

 

[IamSam]

That's my favorite as well Clare, awesome photo Tom!

 

[ALB68]

Tom, have you every thought of taking a photography course..with a little practice and instruction you might be pretty good!!

Jokes aside...those photos are just stunning! With an I-phone and a Point and Shoot you say...

 

[Tom Mann]

Yup, all I had to shoot on was my iPhone (5s) and my Canon G16 Point and Shoot - just check the EXIF info. In addition, I did have an ultra-light 6 inch high plastic tripod (with a velcro strap) that I used A LOT whenever I was out of the car so that I could drop the ISO to its lowest value for the best color, lowest grain, largest dynamic range, etc.

While most of the shots on the trip were just documentary shots, I got lucky with a few. The fence line picture is one of my favorites as well. The light was so fantastic, I think that was one of only two or three times that I asked my buddies to stop the car so I could get a good picture. They were more than willing to stop more often, but I really didn't want to wear out my welcome.

BTW, the truth be told, over the years, I've seen a couple of pix almost exactly like my fence line storm photo, so the composition wasn't exactly original. Unfortunately, I can't find the exact photo I remember, but there are lots of similar pix of storm fronts and fence lines in that part of the country, e.g.,

https://jaygoodrich.com/wp-content/uploads/Thunderstorm-Colorado-1.jpg ; and,

http://www.wallpaperup.com/uploads/wallpapers/2013/01/08/28395/f123e479bfef585b8bb5e6ba72032e5e.jpg

Also, barbed wire fences are a big thing in cattle country. There was one cowboy roadhouse that we stopped in with a display like this:
http://www.n69s54a.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/IMG_8078.jpg


More later,

Tom

PS - Larry, that's a funny comment about taking a course, LOL. I know you said it in jest, but unfortunately, on a serious note, about 10 or 15 years ago, I signed up for pretty much exactly that: a fairly expensive one-on-one workshop / tour with a well known Colorado landscape photographer. She has lots of nice pix to her credit, was very pleasant, knowledgeable, and she led me around to lots of neat places, but somehow, I felt weirdly constrained and just couldn't get myself into the right state of mind to do good photography with her around. The pix I took during the several days before I met up with her were much better than those I took during her workshop/tour, and I could never figure out exactly why, so I don't think I'm a candidate for organized photo workshops / tours. I wish I were.

 

[ibclare]

Tom: "BTW, the truth be told, over the years, I've seen a couple of pix almost exactly like my fence line storm photo, so the composition wasn't exactly original. Unfortunately, I can't find the exact photo I remember, but there are lots of similar pix of storm fronts and fence lines in that part of the country"

But itsn't it so satisfying to make one of your own. It is vertical too, compared to the others, which gives it its own flavor. You can't talk me ot of liking it.

 

[MikeMc]

Organized photo tours.....If I remember ! brick each Kodachrome, Ektachrome, Plus-X. Tri-X...$200.00 cash for gas and food, we slept in the van...We made three weeks before we were broke and sunburned.....Priceless!!!


I know I shot at least 3 rolls in that bar in leadville........can't seem to find them now ........

 

[Tom Mann]

Hey everyone, thanks for the kind and fun comments!

I hope I'm not boring people by posting a few of these pix every night, but don't get worried, I'm almost at the end of the set. Be warned, tho, if you don't watch out, next I'll start posting my endless series of Bollywood movie posters.

Anyway, here are four that I thought looked pretty good in B&W. In case you are wondering, the 1st is a late afternoon shot of the Veterans' War Memorial in Angel Fire, NM.

T

PS - Mike and V, about your urging that I should have brought my big camera system, now that I see how unbelievably great this area looks even in just a bunch of rushed snapshots, I think you were right. I couldn't have brought my big rig on this trip, but if I can swing another trip out there (especially, by myself, for just photography, with no hard deadlines to meet someone in the middle of nowhere that you can't communicate with), you can bet I'll be a lot more serious about photography.

 

[MikeMc]

Yessir Tom, But now you know! I love shooting scenics out there !

Some sweet shots though!