NM Ghost Towns - Finale - Pinos Altos & Silver City

 Well we are finally finishing up this epic photographic journey. Hard to believe that only two days could lead to this many posts! But this is what happens when the spirit of Espouses Fotograficus fills you. As I have always believed, "Beware the Newly Converted."

After the long drive back from Hillsboro ( I failed to mention earlier, I think, that we had to drive way more than we thought because the main road between Silver City, our base, and Hillsboro had been washed out and closed) we went to a small Ghost Town right outside of Silver City called Pinos Altos. It was small and like some of the other communities was coming back in a small way with people developing the properties. Then we finally stepped out into the historic center of Silver City where our hotel was located. By then it had been a very long day and we were beat.

In Pinos Altos, I was still using the fish eye lens. No triads here . There are some comparisons of black & white vs. color of the same image, and some just my impression of the best shot. Silver City, I switched back to my regular lens and shot mostly in color because the city is so colorful. Though there were a couple of scenes that seemed appropriate for black and white.

Pinos Altos

 The town had an opera house. It has been converted into rental space for events. They were going to have a band and dancing the evening we were there. We really needed a bathroom. The managers were nice to let us use the facility and then roam around to take pictures.

 Chatting with the proprietors, they told me of a legend of photographer who was supposedly obsessed with the property and whose ghost inhabits the building. I decided to my paranormal filter on my lens to see what would it would catch. 

Would you believe!

Sure enough. The Ghost Photographer. I even got a shot of her when we went into the bar/restaurant next door.

 

 Finishing up Pinos Altos

 

 Finally taking our exhausted bodies out to Silver City itself, there are a ton of historic buildings, well marked with signs describing the history. And all maintained now in a very colorful state.

Then, as we were walking, I saw this old truck and thought using black and white would capture the image of the town of old.

 

 One last whimsical take. There was a huge Ice Cream Emporium with a big ice cream cone sign which we were going to finish our evening. As we approached, its reflection was on the window of a fitness place. The irony had me laughing.