Mesilla in Fall
This series of images was shot in and around a two mile radius of Mesilla, New Mexico throughout the end of October and the first three weeks of November. I wanted to capture the changing of the weather, as well as shoot things in Mesilla that the tourists don’t see. Mesilla is a relatively quiet farming village that touches/lives in the shadow of Las Cruces. Whereas most might think to look at only “The Square” with turquoise and antique shops, I saw an opportunity to delve into the fabric of the community, which I found to thrive mostly on agriculture and local small businesses. The shot of the Native American face and assorted knickknacks and the shot of the chiles is at a family owned and operated roadside stand. The shot of the leaves was in a family owned and operated pecan orchard passed down from generations of growers. Most days I was shooting in were overcast. At first, this frustrated me, and then I realized that it made for photos that I think capture the emotions the season of Autumn evokes in all of us. Things seem generally darker, lacking color and vibrance. It is, however, also a season of preparation. The farmers have plowed their fields, the fallen pecan leaves are being raked up, and everyone is ready to hunker down for the winter in hopes of a fruitful spring.
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Good idea. Good photos. I can see you dug down and worked your exposures and your composition. LEVELS/EXPOSURE seem well done. Coherent idea and good supporting images.
You are missing one thing, though: people.
Go into that biker bar. Shoot that… or even the guys and gals on their Harleys. Show “..everyone is ready to hunker down for the winter in hopes of a fruitful spring,” meaning…. again, people!
Right? The life of a village is about LIFE (and the way it looks).The photographer has to show us what we, the viewers, can’t see for ourselves and that’s where you job begins. You need some LIFE of the people that live and hang out there.
ENGAGE!