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FeedPicturing the Possibilities
Photo by Craig Varjabedian
Chimney Rock and Red Hills, Sunset, Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, New Mexico, 2006
Ask professional photographers to describe Northern New Mexico’s particular allure, and the replies are unfailingly similar: sprawling spaces, cultural and geographic diversity, and luminescent light. “Unlike many places, history is alive here,” says Craig Varjabedian, director of Eloquent Light Workshops. “Just walk down San Francisco Street and you’ll see where Billy the Kid holed up in jail.” But capturing this region on camera is not simply a matter of exploring with an open mind and open eyes. To make the most of its visual riches, join a workshop offered by one of our renowned local pros (see box, page 34). Then take your inspirations on-location at these picture-perfect places recommended for each of five photographic genres.
Landscape
In a state where expansive views are the norm, it’s tough to single out a top spot for photographing landscapes, but for one-stop shooting, Varjabedian favors the U.S. 84 corridor between Abiquiú and Chama, for its exposed red rock, lush river bottoms, and piñon-juniper plateaus all within easy driving distance of one another. “It’s a varied, magical landscape,” says Varjabedian, who suggests starting any photo safari at Ghost Ranch (505-685-4333, ghost ranch.org), just north of Abiquiú, for its accessible trails and high-payoff scenery. Be sure to register for a $5 photo permit at the office, and don’t shy away from foul weather, which adds texture and drama to any picture. “Stormy afternoons can be a photographer’s best friend.”
Portrait
If your subject is New Mexico’s human landscape, look no further than the Santa Fe Plaza. “It’s a kaleidoscope of people from all backgrounds, right under your nose,” says 
Baltimore-based photographer John Weiss, who teaches portrait classes at Santa Fe Photographic Workshops. “And it’s a congenial and communal space.” When approaching a stranger for a photograph, Weiss advises, introduce yourself and explain your intentions. Avoid the urge to rush the shot, and be prepared to ask the person to move to locations—beneath a tree or against a wall—where the light is more consistent. Whatever you do, says Weiss, who has relied on the same approach to capture some thrilling shots at the annual Taos Intertribal Powwow, “don’t leave until you think you’ve gotten the picture—one that gets past the false smiles.”
Art
New Mexico’s ubiquitous art can be surprisingly challenging to capture on camera. To respect Native American artists, for example, you’ll need permission from Pueblo governors and the artists—which can take even veterans years to secure. When shutterbug Karen Kuehn, also an instructor for Santa Fe Workshops, wants to immerse herself in the area’s quirky, inimitable creative style, she heads to Tinkertown Museum
($3, 505-281-5333, tinkertown.com), east of Albuquerque in Sandia Park. There the late woodcarver Ross J. Ward built a 22-room monument to kitsch, which he packed with his own carvings and eccentric Americana—all begging for a close-up. Ask for permission before you shoot, advises Kuehn, and be prepared to zoom in on the tiny and surreal.
Architecture
New Mexico’s adobe vernacular remains an earthy reminder of the state’s history and looks great against a wide blue sky. To train your lens on both the sacred and the secular, take a field trip to the 195-year-old St. Francis de Assisi church on NM 68 in Ranchos de Taos (505-758-2754, santafe.parishesonline.com), and then continue north to Taos’s La Hacienda de los Martinez (505-758-0505, taosmuseums.org), an estate dating back to 1804. “St. Francis is an architectural masterpiece,” says Varjabedian, adding that Ansel Adams and Georgia O’Keeffe were among the church’s many admirers. Architecture may be static, but the way light describes itself on solid form is anything but, so Varjabedian advises watchful patience. “You want to find that moment when the structure looks miraculous.”
Nature/Wildlife
Santa Fe–based lensman Don Usner has spent years stalking photo ops in Valles Caldera National Preserve (505-661-3333, vallescaldera.gov), the state’s best bet for spotting big game in a nearly pristine wilderness setting. A series of six interconnected valles in the Jemez Mountains west of Los Alamos—the remnants of a 1.22 million-year-old volcano—the Caldera is a well-watered habitat for elk, coyote, bear, and eagle. Because of its remote, high-altitude location, the air is exceptionally clear, with little light pollution. With such prime conditions, an amateur photographer’s biggest challenge is an artistic one: conveying the staggering scale. Usner uses boulders or trees as foreground and mid-range focal points, and recommends a 300mm lens for zooming in on elk.
