Outside Albuquerque, New Mexico

I was in Albuquerque, New Mexico for a few days early in the summer.  I was pretty busy but managed to get out for a sunrise and a sunset photo opportunities.  I love being in New Mexico for both the food and the photography.  The food there is great and the landscape is truly the land of enchantment.

Just south of the airport (or as they call it the Albuquerque Sunport) is an area known as Mesa del Sol.  I large tract of mostly undeveloped land with a view to the Manzano Mountains.  I drove out to watch sunset there and made a few images with my little NEX6 and small Sirui tripod.  This is an excellent travel photography kit.  It takes up little space but delivers great results.  I liked the view but decided to take advantage of the auto pano feature.  I hand held the several frames the camera then stitches into a long panorama for the top image here.  On the mostly clear sky day it really captures the wonderful light and the mountain range.

The next morning was fairly overcast and one there was no sunrise to speak of.  I was driving along the mesa west of the Rio Grande and the sky began to clear slightly in the west.  I liked the open feel to the view with the darker clouds before they broke up.  This was really a chance image and one that made me glad I always take a camera with me.

Finally a third image from my drive to the airport.  I went out to have breakfast at Mac's La Sierra on old Route 66 (awesome Huevos Rancheros) and stopped at the Rio Grande for a couple of quick images before catching my flight home.  

The Rio Grande runs right through Albuquerque and you might never guess from this third shot that I was actually in town and not on a more remote section of the river.

My only advice if you go is to eat well, watch the sunset, and be careful about missing those left turns.  :-)