cptiger Loc: Englewood, FL

Been there twice, both times flying into ABQ. In addition to the nice places already mentioned, I like Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks and the High Road to Taos which has several missions with the best being in Chimayo. If you are interested in seeing the photos from my trips, give me an email at cptiger44@comcast.net.

Enjoy, plenty to see and do in NM.

Rich2236 Loc: E. Hampstead, New Hampshire

Another venue you can visit is: Tinkertown. It is outside of Albuquerque. The actual address is: 121 Sandia Crest Road, Sandia Park, N.M. You will not believe the amount of hand carved miniatures that this museum holds. This museum is WELL WORTH THE VISIT!!! It is open from May 1 - October 31. You will NEVER see anything like it anywhere.
Rich...

RS Bandit

If the restaurant, High Finance, is still on Sandia Peak it is worth visit. Also, don't forget Old Town in Albuquerque.

Jimsr44

You may also try visiting Durango Colorado, try the Durango and Silverton Narrow Guage Railroad.

revhen Loc: By the beautiful Hudson

Ghost Ranch. See my avatar.

hookedupin2005 Loc: Northwestern New Mexico

White Sands National Monument, near Alamagordo, in Southern New Mexico is an interesting visit.

Ed Commons

jaxmax

Take the "High Road" from Española, just above Sana Fe, to Taos.
(You can return on "68" if you're in a rush to ABQ )
Stop in Chimayo to visit the 16th century Sanctuario.
Along the way you'll see the sage greens and taupe sands
turn to forest green pines and blue-grey mountains.
This back-door route also passes St. Francis' in Rancho de Taos
Also, always focus on the sky.
It is truly "The Land of Enchantment">

The pueblos are great and well worth the modest fees the tribes charge "shooters".

Jimsr44

If you get hungry at Chimayo NM, there is a nice restaurant not far from the Sanctuarionde Chimayo, the Rancho de Chimayo. I ate there last October and enjoyed it very much.

jaxmax

The Rancho has great food. And, examples of the unique fireplaces thruout the state.
Amazing how a single log, placed vertically in a corner radiates heat for an entire room.

A great space out back too. During warmer seasons they host weddings, etc. in a "vaquero" setting.

Photocraig

When I took a Santa Fe workshop, I wished I'd arrived earlier and left LOTS later. The opportunities in Santa Fe Alone are worth more than a month of shooting to just scratch the surface. My advice is to maximize your shooting time around Santa FE and not spend t driving all day to get to a site. Here in the West there's a lot of footsteps for our livestock between blades of grass and a lot of miles between major photo attractions.

This is not to say that there aren't MANY photo opportunities in New Mexico. It's not called the Enchanted State for nothin'. BUT, For a week plus a few days, I'd plan out time in Santa Fe and photograph more and drive less. If your workshop is The Santa Fe Workshops, any of the staff and instructors will gladly map out an extended itinerary with the must get shots in each place. And timing for festivals etc.

I went in July, and expect August to be as hot. Bring good--VERY good shoes and a straw hat--perhaps purchase an appropriate one there--there's LOTS of them. Bring water bottles and warm clothes for the evenings. AND a wide angle lens and a CPL for your longer focal lengths. The sky is usually uniformly cloudless and darken up beautifully with the CPL. Because of the open landscapes and the many foreground features like boulders or stone patterns or gnarled trees and stumps. The opportunity to use a foreground element in a landscape scene is excellent there and why the wide lens will be useful. ALso a Macro lens will be useful too.

Enjoy, I'm due to return.
C

rochephoto

Bandolier N.M., Acoma Pueblo, Taos Pueblo, Chaco Canyon and Rte 66

Phil Mak Loc: albuquerque New Mexico

Mesa Verde near the four corners area is a great place to visit. That and Bryce Canyon are my favorites.

retap

Used to love wandering around the Santa Fe plaza and Canyon Road taking candids.

Kuzano

I go with Bandelier as a must see. Among other area's the Anasazi culture disappeared from a fully formed living culture from the Bandelier area. Dwellings on the canyon floor and on the walls of the canyon showed evidence of irrigation and farming on a fairly advanced level. Climbing ladders and entering spiritual Kiva's were interesting also. But still, there is hardly a good explanation to the disappearance of the Anasazi culture.

Yep, Bandelier.