Growing larger and larger and larger

This is another picture from my hot air balloon ride. The picture was originally in color but I though it would be cool to do it in black and white to put more of an emphasis on the shapes of the balloons and the contrast between the two. The lighting was also were weird from that morning that I darkened the shadows and increased contrast.

Color v. Sepia v. Black and White

So yeah its late at night, but I can’t sleep because of the rain from Hurricane Hanna. So i thought I would post a picture, or in this case three. So this is a picture from St. Francis of Asisi Cathedral in Taos, New Mexico. And to make the picture more interesting I took it once in color:

Then I took it with my camera useing the Sepia tone (which made it oragnier then it usually turns out when you are doing it with a physical plant.) I did this to give it more of a old photographic feel because the church is old.

And lastly once I had it up on my computer I made a black and white copy of it which I like the best. It takes away the touristy feel of sometimes a color photograph has and gives more of an artistic feel and it is a stronger photograph.

Hot, Hot, Hot

Yes those chilis are real, they aren’t plastic althought they look a tiny bit like it. Its a bunch of dried chilis that we found EVERYWHERE in New Mexico. This was a church that we stopped at inbetween Santa Fe and Taos.

Time for my Closeup!

So I love taking close up pictures of already interesting things. For example this bell from The St. Francis of Asisi Cathedral in Taos New Mexico:

By changing the angel and by zooming up the object and picture becomes much more interesting!

Taking Pictures of Churches

Whenever I take pictures (a ton might I add) of religious monuments I get a little nervous that I am offending that church by taking so many pictures of it, and often not of the whole thing. But I get on the zone, play around with my camera and end up enjoying taking pictures. The following picture is of a church in Taos New Mexico, St. Francis of Assisi.

 

Another Hot Air Balloon.

Our pilot was telling us that when hot air balloons go out they try not to go out alone. That was the same in for our ride. This is a picture of the other ballooning lowering into the Rio Grande Gorge while we raise above it.

Hot Air Balloon Ride…Setting up.

So for my dad’s birthday present my sisters and I took him on a hot air balloon ride at 5:30 in the morning. During the set up I got some of the coolest pictures. (using my dads Nikon D 80…by the way, i am in LOVE with it!).

Out West….Again

So two post in one day….making up for my once again MIA for the past what feels like two weeks. But first my screen to my computer is not working and I am in New Mexico celebrating my father’s birthday. Fist we spent a few days in the FABULOUS Santa Fe (kinda touristy, but still a cool place). And now we are in Taos, where we went on a hot air balloon ride today (get excited for those pictures).

The following picture is from the Bandelier National Monument. First a little history about the Bandelier park. In ancient times (I think) the cliff dwelling houses were inhabited by people that are linked to the Pueblos.  

This is a picture of looking down onto the first ladder climbing up (out of four) and last climbing down to the Alcove House. I’m no quite sure about more information at this time but if you have any more questions, post them and I will look through my guide books to answer them.