Desert Photos - Bringing the Southwest to the World

All across the country, in back yards, apartment sidewalks, parks, rivers and anywhere else people gather, for 3 to 6 months a year you see them. Big black or chrome, sometimes smaller and red or green. The color varies but the purpose is the same. Americas favorite past time Bar-B-Que.

What do the following things have in common?

Sunshine, gentle breezes, black leather, Tate Branch, motorcycles, Carlsbad Radio, and the American Flag.

The answer is simple Sgt Richard Ryes Welcome home.

Sgt Rye is one of ours; he knows this town and the people in it. Went to our schools and fought for our country and Carlsbad know this and wanted to show him and his family just that. So in a rush of excitement they is just what they did. They gathered and decorated and waited. Waited for the arrival of a True American Hero, waited for one of their own.

Close your eyes and take yourself back. Back to the 1600’s, back to a time when the country was young and filled with the brave souls who wanted a better life. A life they fought for it seemed like every day. Not only against nature and this foreign land, but against the place and people they came from.

Year after year, decade after decade the courage of husbands, fathers, brothers and sons and more recently wives, mothers, sisters and daughters, gets tested. Year after year, decade after decade that courage never fails.

Sometimes you will see something so amazing and so beautiful that you have to stop and remember the reason it looks the way that it does is because of disaster. Right now there is a fire burning in the Gila National Forest. It is consuming some of the prettiest forest land in New Mexico.

This last year has been educational and exhausting. Desert Photos is turning a very important corner. Due to health issues, effective April 6th 2012, we will no longer be doing full time event photography. We will probably still attend events and will probably still have our cameras but we can no longer work a full event.

May 9th 2012. Dust in the air, Long Horn Cattle, Horses, the smell of Bar-B-Que, boots, chaps, Hats, spurs, campfires, Cowboys with guitars. Wait I did say 2012 Right. Yes I did. What we have is a Cattle Drive. For the first night of many, some lucky folks get to experience sleeping out in this big ole world with 100 longhorn cattle roaming around them, horses and well bugs. For three nights these people will have the experience of a life time. The Centennial Cattle Drive.

Its spring 1943 in the vast New Mexico desert. The desert plants are in bloom and the sky is clear. In a small location in northern New Mexico, buildings are being constructed and plans are being discussed. Some of the best minds in the world will converge here, engineers and scientist working together side by side in an isolated location know as Los Alamos.
Flash forward 70 years and it is Spring 2012. The desert plants are in bloom and the sky is clear. In a small location in southeast New Mexico once again some of the best minds in the engineering and scientific world come together. They come to discuss our past, our present and our future at the National Nuclear Fuel Cycle Summit in Carlsbad.
New Mexico has been in the forefront of the Nuclear age since the beginning of the Nuclear age. There have been great advancements since the spring 1943 and from the discussion during Spring 2012, we will continue to see changes. Changes for a cleaner, safer world for all of us and all of our children.

Floating on a raft and enjoying an ice cold glass of tea. Spring Break by the Pecos River, so relaxing. Gentle breeze and dancing mascots? Wait …What… Hold on this is a whole new thing. Music and laughter, face painting and balloons, cheerleaders and DJ’s. What’s this all about?
It’s a new Tradition in Carlsbad NM, the Annual Spring Fling. Only in its second year and already setting records. What kind of records. Well how about 9 area mascots in the same place dancing for a year in the winner’s circle. How about over 20 booths of fun, games and gifts. How about a totally free day of entertainment by the Pecos River. Sounds like a pretty good day to me.
Nikonlady

WoW, what can I say, this was a great turn out and a lot of fun. Perhaps a little windy, but Wendell did his best to give us all a very good weather day. Thank you Carlsbad Police Department and Carlsbad Community Anti-Drug/Gang Coalition and the many other locals like Lowe's Home Center, Wal-Mart, Eddy County Sheriff's dept, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Carlsbad Fire Department. Also a Shout Out to Steve Sparks with KZ93 and the Country Boom Box and to Guy Lutman with Channel 23 for being there. This was a lot of fun, and we enjoyed it.
DPorter

Talent is defined as a special natural ability or aptitude.
Today that definition changed for a few people including myself. Today the definition of talent is Sara Thompson. 10 years old and already a published author with two more books on the horizon.
Sara wrote her first book, Cat vs Fox, at the tender age of 8 years old.
Today, Feb. 24, 2012, she had her first radio interview and with public appearances, a book signing on Sunday 2/26/12 at the local Hastings, and a Television spot on the horizon, she is one very busy young lady.

Some of our best, brightest and most vocal are on the trip of a lifetime.
At the Tuesday night City Council we got a taste of the performance that awarded the Carlsbad High School Choir students the opportunity of a lifetime. A trip to New York City to sing at Carnegie Hall
These kids have not only were picked for the group but also worked hard to raise the money that each student needed to make the trip. They will spend 2 days in rehearsal, have the concert on Sunday night and then be able to sight see on Monday before returning home.