Photogenic sites in New Mexico?

[Pat Kearns]

Dan, you are going to one of the most photogenic areas of the US. Just get in the car and go North, South, East, or West, it won't be long before you stop and pull out the camera. My suggestions: in Albuquerque, at Old Town after you have photographed the front of the cathedral (like everyone else)go to the rear parking lot of the church where you will find a very large cottonwood tree. Photograph the Madonna that was carved into the trunk about 60 years ago. To the West of Albuquerque: Laguna Pueblo, Acoma Sky City, El Morro National Monument, Petroglyph National Monument, Chaco Canyon. To the Norteast of Albuquerque: take the Old Turquoise Trail to Santa Fe through Madrid an artist community now and very unique. Pecos National Monument, Las Vegas, Fort Union. Drive from Fort Union through Mora over the mountains to Rancho de Taos and try to photograph the rear of the cathedral without the gas meter in your shot. Taos pueblo is nice but get there early it closes at 4:30. If you are planning to visit Ghost Ranch forget it, they usually require a two month advance reservation but the landscape in the surrounding area is worth the drive. A word of caution, if you stop to photograph Camel Rock on the north side a Santa Fe there are two small hills that offer a good view shooting from the west but this summer there were swarms of flying ants that didn't like tourists. As I said earlier, just get in the car and drive, there isn't any bad location in new Mexico. Have fun and good shooting. Pat.

[Jay Piper]

Added to many great places - go SE and see the missions on E side of Manzano Mountains, go NW to include the paved/dirt loop S of interstate past Acoma around to Ventana arch and El Moro. (parts of this may be wilderness since I've been there - lava tube ice caves and cinder cones in area called El Malpais), If time permits, Angel Peak is a nice side trip or overnight campout to combine with entering Chaco Canyon from the north. Enjoy your visit - you'll want more!