1st Place
Abó Rising, Reece Parker (above)
“As one who loves all things New Mexico and especially the history buried in the landscape, visiting Abó and the larger Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument offers me the opportunity to walk quietly along the trails and imagine I hear the whispers of the peoples from hundreds of years ago. This photo was made during one such walk. It had been a heavy rain season and the grass had grown tall. As I paused to look back at the church ruins on the rise, I visualized this photo specifically as a black and white image.” —Reece Parker
2nd Place
Snowflakes Falling on Santa Rosa de Lima, Jarred Conely
"I was on my way to my office in Abiquiú on the morning I took this photo. I had stopped earlier down the road to take a few pictures of the snowflakes, which were unusually large for the cold temperatures that morning. The ruins of this old church stand where the early settlement of Santa Rosa de Lima once existed, and is rumored to have been built in the late 1700s. As a local who grew up in the area, I have watched the changes through the years to the old adobe walls, including the reflecting light depending on the time of day and season. The snowstorm had covered the entire sky most of the drive that morning, until just before reaching the church, when the clouds broke long enough for me to park and get out with my camera. Timing and luck are everything when capturing a photo, and I was lucky enough to be there just as the sun shone through the old window and lit up the wooden cross at the end of the church. I remember the morning distinctly, as the roads were snow packed and there was no highway noise with most everyone still at home. It was still and quiet, which only happens on cold snowy mornings, and the falling snowflakes seemed to be in slow-motion falling from the sky to ultimately rest on the ruins of the old church and surrounding Abiquiú landscape." —Jarred Conely
3rd Place
Enchanted Flight, Tim Baca
“In a field full of people, I found a small hill to myself. This huge Zia stood out amongst the sea of balloons. The colors became more vibrant with every minute that passed. It quickly began to expand and grow; the time was now. Before the Zia lifted toward the sky, I snapped the photo. Soon the balloon began to rise and drifted off out of sight." —Tim Baca
Honorable Mention
North Face Send, Kevin Rebholtz
“This image was taken at the Highline Ridge at Taos Ski Valley. The name of the run is called North Face; and the skier catching air is local phenom Brett Hills. This large feature he is 'sending’ is particularly intimidating as the landing is blind and very steep (45+ degrees) with copious rock features, so no margin for error! Right above is a beginner run called 'Honeysuckle.' I think what makes the image interesting and somewhat serendipitous is the cascade of cold smoke snow billowing down the rock itself. The challenge for me was to capture as much of the sequence as possible before the cascade ultimately reached me as I was dug in underneath the feature, eventually covering me in snow—camera and all!”—Kevin Rebholtz
Honorable Mention
Yo-Yo’in Around, Aaron Blanc
"The New Mexico State Fair is a staple event for our state. It is an event that I love to experience and enjoy, as so many New Mexicans do. One of the most exciting areas of the State Fair is the rides. While riding them is a joy, so is walking through the midway, taking in the scenes. This shot was taken as I was watching the children screaming with joy flying around on the Yo-Yo ride." —Aaron Blanc