Hello and welcome back! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! This week’s photo was taken in September 2012 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. “New Mexican” was shot with an aperture of f/6.3 and shutter speed of 1/640, at ISO 320.
Many people talk about their “happy place” and the significance it plays in their life. For me, Santa Fe is one of my happy places. I grew up traveling back and forth from Denver to Santa Fe to visit my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, so the city is like a second home. When I think of Santa Fe, I think of unique architecture, delicious New Mexican food, beautiful galleries, and a rich history, which, along with countless happy childhood memories, has set Santa Fe apart as a special place in my life. No matter how many times I visit, it always feels sort of homecoming in a sense, even though I have never actually called the city home.
I shot this image in the living history museum of El Rancho de las Golondrinas, which translates to “The Ranch of the Swallows.” The ranch dates back to the early 1700s and originally served as a pitstop for people traveling along El Camino Real, or Royal Route, from Mexico City to Santa Fe. The ranch features colonial buildings and houses including a schoolhouse, cemetery, chapel, mill, country store, and blacksmith, which sit on 200 acres of arable farmland. Whether you’re visiting Santa Fe for the first time or the fiftieth, a visit to the ranch is an absolute must. The museum provides visitors with the opportunity to see how people lived some 300 years ago and experience the art, architecture, and culture of the Southwest in a dynamic and interactive fashion. Because the museum brings history to life, I found the experience to be far more rewarding than a standard passive viewing of a traditional museum.
This scene caught my eye for a couple of different reasons. First, I noticed the simplicity of the wooden window and timber framing that protruded from the building’s wall. Then, I zoned in on the texture and color of the aged adobe. Finally, I took note of the contrast between the brown color of the adobe walls against the bright blue September sky. By drawing from each of the intriguing elements of the scene, I ended up with this image: very simplistic in composition but, for me anyway, indicative of the history and austerity of the ranch.
Thank you for reading! Have a great week and don’t forget to check back next Monday!
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