Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Landscape Photography Locations => Topic started by: st326 on August 23, 2006, 01:24:25 am

Title: Locations near Albuquerque, NM
Post by: st326 on August 23, 2006, 01:24:25 am
I'm visiting Albuquerque in early September, so I will have some time over the weekend to do some landscape shooting. Can anyone recommend any locations that are within reasonably close traveling distance?

I'll be taking medium format gear, so I'm not stuck to shooting close to the car, but not *too* much walking would be preferred.

Thank you in advance...
Title: Locations near Albuquerque, NM
Post by: ericaro on August 23, 2006, 09:39:50 am
Quote
I'm visiting Albuquerque in early September, so I will have some time over the weekend to do some landscape shooting. Can anyone recommend any locations that are within reasonably close traveling distance?

I'll be taking medium format gear, so I'm not stuck to shooting close to the car, but not *too* much walking would be preferred.

Thank you in advance...
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=74176\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Drive  for one hour west on I believe highway 10 to Acama pueblo where the approaching roads are surrounded by great scenery.I don't think they allow photography on the pueblo itself though.Of course,White Sands is not so far away.
                             Louis Bouillon
Title: Locations near Albuquerque, NM
Post by: larkvi on August 23, 2006, 01:00:13 pm
Quote
Drive  for one hour west on I believe highway 10 to Acama pueblo where the approaching roads are surrounded by great scenery.I don't think they allow photography on the pueblo itself though.Of course,White Sands is not so far away.
                             Louis Bouillon
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=74216\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

You can buy a photography permit for the Acoma Pueblo for an additional $10 with the tour fees, but you will have to get there very early to avoid harsh light and the locals, while not begrudging photographers pictures of them (you do have to ask permission), have some religious and other slightly obscure objections to photography in a large part of the Pueblo. Namely, the church in Sky City, any landscape photography that reveals details of the valley below Sky City (there are religious sites there that they keep secret: the Acoma follow a strange, but Papally-sanctioned, amalgam of Catholic and Animist belief), and the graveyard before the church. In my nine-day trip across the country, this was in fact the only place I did not take a camera (harsh mid-day light when I was there) but I still found it a worthwhile visit.

Southwest of the city is some nice scenery and a bunch of sites that might make for some interesting photographs, though I only visited El Malpais National Monument, which was a fun backcountry drive and caving destination, but which I would not characterize as particularly photographically impressive. If you are interested in rock inscriptions, El Morro National Monument has 'Inscription Rock.' Note that I never saw it, due to running into a common problem in the Southwestern National Parks/Monuments: because they protect cultural artifacts, they close, and they often close early, so check ahead and plan accordingly.
Title: Locations near Albuquerque, NM
Post by: st326 on August 26, 2006, 07:48:36 pm
Quote
Drive  for one hour west on I believe highway 10 to Acama pueblo where the approaching roads are surrounded by great scenery.I don't think they allow photography on the pueblo itself though.Of course,White Sands is not so far away.
                             Louis Bouillon
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=74216\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Sounds good. I'll have (non-photographer, professional botanist) other half with me, so keeping travel time sensible is a definite plus. (Which is also why I'm taking the MF gear -- working faster means a better chance of staying unyelled at!) :-)
Title: Locations near Albuquerque, NM
Post by: jdlevy on August 27, 2006, 02:17:28 pm
Quote
I'm visiting Albuquerque in early September, so I will have some time over the weekend to do some landscape shooting. Can anyone recommend any locations that are within reasonably close traveling distance?


Right in Albuquerque is Petroglyph National Monument.

Within an hour, north on I-25 to Cochiti, is Tent Rocks.
Title: Locations near Albuquerque, NM
Post by: budjames on August 27, 2006, 03:46:56 pm
Check out Bandalier National Park for some really cool ancient indian cave dwellings. No permit required.

It's a shame that you can go in Oct during the Balloon Fiesta. I was there last year and it was awesome to see 700+ hot air balloons make a mass ascent at dawn. I have some unbelievable images.

I also went to Acoma. They indians there are nasty. They threatened to confiscate my camera because I stopped at a designated look out and took a few pictures on my way to the visitor's center. We took the tour of the Acoma village with about 15 other visitors. The native tour guide made numerous racist remarks about the "white man". I was very disappointed.

Sept and Oct are great times to visit NM. Enjoy.

Bud James
North Wales, PA
Title: Locations near Albuquerque, NM
Post by: Larry C. Price on September 28, 2006, 06:22:14 pm
Drive 54 miles north to Santa Fe.  Walk Canyon Road and photograph around the Plaza.  Lots of nice exotic street photography potential.  

Larry C. Price
www.pricephotography.com
Title: Locations near Albuquerque, NM
Post by: cup on November 13, 2007, 01:32:03 am
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It's a shame that you can go in Oct during the Balloon Fiesta. I was there last year and it was awesome to see 700+ hot air balloons make a mass ascent at dawn. I have some unbelievable images.

The Albuquerque balloon fiesta this year was amazing, there were several extremely interesting balloons.
http://www.myairballoonsbuddies.com/albuqu...fiesta-331.html (http://www.myairballoonsbuddies.com/albuquerque-balloon-fiesta-331.html)

If one can manage to get in a balloon and take some pictures from above - this should be a different league.