El Dia de los Muertos Archives - Susan Brandt Graham Photography

November 5, 2017November 5, 2017

Sunday Musings

Sunday Musings

Sunday Musings: return to Standard Time, Marigold Parades past, the fascinating world of insects… First of all, today marks the return to Standard Time in the US. Although it is not quite so awful now that I am retired, I remember the long winter months of driving home in the dark at 5:00pm. Because daylight hours are already shorter, the long nights seem even longer. Regular readers here know I am a lover of light. So, the fall time change is not something I welcome. People ask why the Winter Solstice is not my least favorite day of the year. That is simple: the next day, the hours of daylight start to increase. But, enough of that…

The Marigold Parade

More Sunday musings: Albuquerque’s Marigold Parade tends to fall on the same day as the change to Standard Time. Now there is more than a bit of brightness. The South Valley has managed, so far, to keep it as its own. While some photographers focus on the wonderfully painted faces, I have always found the cultural statements especially fascinating. To me, the 2012 and 2013 parades were especially vibrant and creative. In contrast, the overall political mood just before the 2016 election dampened, in my opinion, the Marigold Parade. I have not publicly shown any of my images from last year. Here are a few “postcards” from previous Marigold Parades. To see large views, first click on the image. Then, on the new page, click on the dimensions shown, and you will see a detailed image.

Ofrenda (“altar”) at the West Side Community Center. I especially love the Sandia Casino bingo marker!

sunday musings marigold parade — Ofrenda

In the park before the start of the parade:

sunday usings marigold parade — Muertos y Marigolds

Painted Faces and Lowriders

Painted Faces, Low Riders, Ofrendas

I think every New Mexico parade has lowriders – “low and slow for show.” The Marigold Parade certainly features them.

Political Statements

Kids and Families Are Active Participants

sunday musings and marigold parade — Marigold Parade and Families

I did a series of Kindle ebooks about Albuquerque’s Marigold Parade and Dia de los Muertos obsrvances. These are at Amazon:

The Joys of Macro Photography

Another Sunday musings macro photography is fun. This summer I worked a bit more with macro photography. I have a few images that surprised me. You have already seen the hover fly. Although I did not know what it was at the time, I was pleased with the image from the time I first saw it on the computer. In real life, I could not tell what was going on. For all intents and purposes, it appeared the insect was making love to the flower. I took around 20 images, and this is the only one that clearly shows what was going on. The hover fly was gathering nectar from a tubule of the Mexican Sunflower. It was stabilizing the tubule with its front appendages, and drinking the nectar through its specialized “suctorial proboscis.”

I was very happy late last week when CanonUSA on Twitter tweeted

Canon USA Imaging

@CanonUSAimaging

We’re happy also! We love the detail! This photo has been selected as #CanonFavPic

This image has definitely been added to my portfolio.

Enough musing, time to get to work. I hope you are enjoying your weekend, and that we all get through winter and standard time without too much major depression. 😐

October 30, 2017October 30, 2017

Uniquely New Mexico

Uniquely New Mexico: Spirits of the Old Adobes

Uniquely New Mexico: old adobes, week of many observances across cultures of visiting spirits, and especially of Day of the Dead with Albuquerque’s – so far, not commercialized – Marigold Parade, Muertos y Marigolds. Several years ago, during more than one “photographic excursion,” Tim Price and I photographed a lot of old adobes, and Laurie sketched them. Those images sat around for a while, as did some images from a couple of Marigold Parades. I don’t remember exactly when I decided to make some composites. I do remember I had a lot of fun playing. My son really likes the series, so I decided to revive a few of the images. The Gallery, Spirits of the Old Adobes, is at my portfolio site. This seemed an appropriate week to share the images.

(Click to enlarge image.)

September 28, 2013

Dia de los Muertos at Las Laguna Gallery

Dia de los Muertos

“Day of the Dead”

From October 3 through October 31, artwork in a variety of media will be featured at Las Laguna Gallery, Laguna Beach, California.

Dia de los Muertos, the day the spirits of the dead are welcomed back, and honored with special foods and offerings at altars made especially for the occasion, is a major holiday in Mexico. Not surprisingly, it is also a major festive occasion in New Mexico and elsewhere in the Southwest.

I am pleased to have two images in this show:

composited image — Julie Saul (Juror) selected Spirit #1 for Honorable Mention in Professional Women Photographers’ Spring 2013 International Women’s Call for Entry.

The Old San Ysidro Church, Corrales, New Mexico

The opening reception promises to be a lot of fun. In addition to usual reception fare (wine, appetizers, music), there will be face painting for all ages.

If you are going to be in the Laguna Beach area in October, consider visiting the show at the Las Laguna Gallery.

September 17, 2013September 17, 2013

5th Annual Pollux Awards Announced

5th Annual Pollux Awards

The results of the 5th Annual Pollux Awards have just been announced, and I am very honored and happy that five of my images placed as Finalists in this year’s competition.

In the category, “People,” my image ‘Muertos, Marigolds, y Motorcycles 1’ was a finalist.

‘Spirits of the Old Adobes, Spirit 3’ was named a Finalist in Digital Manipulation.

5th annual pollux awards composited images — Spirits of the Old Adobes

Two images were finalists in the category, “Nature.”

finalist, Pollux awards — Life Cycle of Sacred Datura – an iconic plant of the Desert Southwest

This image will be shown in the Corrales Fine Arts Show at the Old San Ysidro Church during Balloon Fiesta, October 4 -13, 2013. It is also a finalist for this year’s Julia Margaret Cameron Award.

The second image in the “Nature” category to be named a finalist is this Japanese sea nettle. This image also won 3rd Place in the People’s Choice Awards in this year’s PX3 Prix de la Photographie Paris.

pollux awards, Pacific Sea Nettle jellyfish — Pacific Sea Nettle jellyfish

A fifth image, ‘The Wonder of It All,’ was named a finalist in the “Portrait” category.

I would like to thank the WPGA and juror Julio Hardy for recognizing these five images.

I would also like to congratulate all the winners. Many of my friends are winners in multiple categories, and I’ll list them later, when I am sure I have checked and double checked to make sure I have not left anyone out.

This has been a good day! 🙂

April 19, 2013

‘Spirits of the Old Adobes #1’ Recognized by Professional Women Photographers

Spirits of the Old Adobes

I am very happy to announce that this image from my “Spirits of the Old Adobes” series was selected by Julie Saul, Juror, for Honorable Mention in the Professional Women Photographers Spring 2013 International Women’s Call for Entry.

With over 1300 entries, I am honored to have this image included among Ms. Saul’s selections. The image will be featured in a one-year online exhibition on the Professional Women Photographers’ website.

The image, and the series from which it comes, are dear to me. The series combines images from the Adobe Project with Day of the Dead images from Fall, 2012. Both are very “New Mexico,” and to see the composite recognized by Professional Women Photographers is an honor of which I am very proud.

Thank you, Julie Saul and Professional Women Photographers!

More ‘Spirits of the Old Adobes’ can be seen here.

November 24, 2012February 3, 2013