I’m attempting a blog post using my iPhone from a motel room in Española, New Mexico. I drove through the Sangre de Christo mountains today and stopped at several beautiful old churches along the way. I also experienced a small miracle. As I was walking around the church in San Luis, Colorado I stopped at a bronze sculpture by Huberto Maestas of Mary holding Christ below a large cross when a huge horizontal rainbow suddenly appeared in the sky behind it! I have never seen anything like it before. It wasn’t curved down on the horizon like a normal rainbow an it wasn’t near the sun like a “sun dog.” I was just scouting around and my big camera was in the car so I grabbed my iPhone, took a quick shot and then sprinted to my car. But as soon as I got to the car the rainbow was gone… and I was out of breath (8000 feet elevation). I’ve always wanted to go to San Luis, the oldest town in my home state of Colorado, and I’m glad I finally did. I’ll attach the photo, it turned out great.
Beautiful work as always. I’m always amazed with the images you can capture using only an iPhone. As Zane says, you must be “the most professionalist photographer in the world”…
I happened upon your photography when I was searching for the source of Windows 7 architecture theme photography. Much to my surprise, you’re from Colorado, my home state and then even more astonishing, your photography experience in San Luis, Colorado, my birth place! My Uncle and cousins built the chapel. Quite a number of my relatives still live in the Valley. I was born on a farm just outside of town. I love that San Luis is getting the recognition it deserves. Although I moved with my parents to the Denver area in the 1960’s, I’ve always had a dream to own some acreage in the Valley and have a home there. Thank you so much for showing me and reminding me how special of a place San Luis is. My ancestors were settlers of the ‘Oldest Town in Colorado’. Actually we also have roots in Santa Fe, New Mexico. If you ever go to San Luis again, stop by the Romero Store, my cousin Felix and his wife Claudia still run this store which has been in the Gallegos family (my Aunt Joyce Romero is Dario Gallegos’s great grandaughter, one of the first settlers) since the 1850’s. Thank you again for sharing your wonderful photography!
Wow Vivian, amazing you found this, it was meant to be! I felt a strong connection to San Luis even though I had never been there. I will return someday and look up your family. My time spent there this time was far too brief. I’ll be in Santa Fe teaching a photo workshop this Spring but I don’t think I’ll get that far north. These are iPhone shots, I did a full post here-
https://willaustinphoto.com/blog/san-luis-colorado-81152
Take care,
Will