NORTHERN NEW MEXICO: "THE FARAWAY"

On a photographic trip in 1968, I was exploring northern New Mexico for the purpose of getting
some great photo shots for competitions in which I was engaged. (A most scenic, interesting, and
delightful trip, particularly in October, when the air is nippy and the leaves are turning-- is to go to Taos, turn eastward and take the state highway which winds through mountainous country
and reaches Eagle Nest. From there go to Red River, Questa, back to Taos, and down to Santa Fe. There are a lot of pictures to be had in this area!)

Georgia O'Keeffe referred affectionately to the northern New Mexico country as "the faraway."
My photo club partner and I were thoroughly photographing "The Faraway" that day!

On reaching Ranchos de Taos on our return, and driving around I saw the church, St. Francis,
Ranchos de Taos. It cried out to be photographed. I twisted a red filter onto the bottom lens of my Rolleiflex camera lens--otherwise the blue light of the sky would cause the sky to "wash out"
in my picture and there would be no contrast between the light colored adobe and the sky.
Little did I know at the time that I was photographing what would later be named one of "The
Fifty Most Extraordinary Churches in the World." (Google for an interesting trip!) Since my photo was made in 1968, I have discovered this church has been a subject for Paul Strand, Ansel Adams, and others. Georgia O' Keeffe painted parts of the church: "Bell/Cross Ranchos Church,"
1930. O' Keeffe: "Anyone who doesn't feel the crosses doesn't get that country."

She also has a partial view of the back or side of the church titled "Fragment of the Ranchos de Taos Church," 1929. She said in some of her writings that she found a partial view of something often to be more powerful than the whole thing.

This is certainly borne out in the lessons we learned in photography: "Crop, crop, crop, with the lens and in the darkroom for more impact."

A strange thing I have never figured out, is why Strand, Adams, O' Keeffe and others chose the square-looking backside of the church for their pictures. I much prefer dealing with the front, though there are nice angles and shadows at the back and sides.

In "The Fifty Most Extraordinary Churches in the World," the view of St. Francis is also from the back and rather lackluster, I thought. The Library of Congress photo of 1934 is almost
identical to mine.

In another post in the future, I am enthusiastically looking forward to telling you more about this trip across northern New Mexico and showing you my "SHEEPHERDER ON HIGHWAY"
photo.
See below: "St. Francis Church, Ranchos de Taos," 1968, by Mil.

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