descending, Taos Mountain in winter, Taos, New Mexico, C-41 color film print, January 2003, photo © 2003-2008 by QuoinMonkey. All rights reserved.
Taos Mountain sunset
holds a fading memory
yellow snaps of sage
-posted on red Ravine, Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008
-related to post: haiku (one-a-day)
redravine.wordpress.com 
beautiful picture in words
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The clarity in this photo is amazing, so typical of the quality of air and light in Taos at sunset. I can smell the smells of good food emanating from the kitchen at Mabel Dodge Luhan house. Mmmm…
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Thanks, scot & yb. I ran into these old C-41 color print photographs last night. I took them with my old Minolta film camera. Not only is the light clear in Taos, but the range of clarity and color I get from film is richer than the contrasts of digital photography. I miss that. And it makes me want to dig into my old film negatives and see what I can do with them.
yb, when I saw this photo, I was right back there behind Mabel’s, staring off at Taos Mountain. When I took this photograph in 2003, Natalie had just taken us on a walk back to the white cross. We are otherwise, not supposed to walk that land that belongs to the Taos Pueblo Indians. She gets permission for us to do so. It was a large talking workshop. But we were in silence for that walk. Heaven. It’s part of what made me want to take a silent workshop after that. And so I did.
I feel immediately calm looking at this photograph. There are two others I pulled out that I might post in the future. One of the Gorge Bridge. Something I also miss about film photography – you have to slow down and compose each shot. Film is expensive and more lumbering than digital. It adds to the practice. I wrote the haiku from the sensory memory of the feeling of being there.
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Both the photo and the haiku speak to me. They stirred a memory, which resulted in a Writing Practice during the wee hour of this morning. Being new to red Ravine, I wonder is there a space to put this writing? I have been working on a memoir about my Southern grandmother, and this haiku really opened a space within. I also wonder what type of camera is good. I have been pondering over the use of a digital in order to put on my computer; however, I keep hearing that digitals aren’t as true to the actual image. Being old school and having always used a film camera, I am wondering if it will be best to keep with what I know.
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Spiritdwel, thank you. How exciting that you’re working on a memoir of your Southern grandmother. And you were inspired to write a practice. An honor. I hope ybonesy answered your question in her Comment (#4 WRITING TOPIC – GROWING OLDER) about space for writing practices. It’s all evolving over time and we’re working on solutions.
About digital cameras vs old style film cameras. I think they both have their advantages. I do think film is truer to color and exposure. But the great thing about digital is the flexibility and speed with which you can take photos and have them posted. Or save them into files on your computer rather than boxes of old prints and negatives.
I like the contrast of digital. I miss the slow deliberateness of the old manual SLR’s. If you want to know the truth, I’d say hang on to your film camera. Then research and buy an inexpensive digital to see how you like it. It took me a while to get used to it. I think you’ll get a better of idea of what works for you. You might decide you like things about both.
I hope you keep us posted on the progression of your memoir. Love to hear more about it.
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