Echoes of the Southwest

Shadow photography is always fun. Getting the right angle can be frustrating, but once you have you camera pointing at the right spot, the photo looks great. Cropping it in photoshop also helps. We also used a blue light for an interesting effect.

Taking photos through mirrors or just getting reflections makes for amazing photos. We tried different ways to place objects to get an interesting view through our cameras. We even took photos from one mirror to another to get an infinity effect. Some of my favorite photos are the ones I take through the reflections of mirrors, windows and water.

Just recently, my husband and I went back to Laughlin to celebrate his birthday. On the trip up we pass through Wikieup AZ. We will usually have to stop for gas, to pee and stretch. One of the places I like to stop at was the trading post. It was huge and had lots of items to shop for. It also had a grill, unusual stuff on the walls and sitting in chairs. When Sharon and I went there in 2015, we had a blast just walking around the place. She wanted to get the Jackalope. We also had lunch there as well. I did a post on it after our visit:  Wikieup Trading Post and Restaurant (echoesofthesouthwest.com) Sadly, on this last visit, we were shocked to see that the entire trading post had burned down taking all the fabulous stuff with it. We were told that it happened in May of 2021 and we were shown pictures of the blaze. I was heartbroken. I loved that place and hope they do rebuild it.

 

When it comes to wanting to photograph a cowboy, you can always find one in Sharon's backyard. She used some dead cholla branches, a mannequin head, cowboy shirt, denim pants, burlap and added a stick in his mouth to look like a cigar. The best time to take pictures of him is when the sun is setting behind him. He has an eerie and mysterious look about him. She named him Josiah after the cowboy in her book  Josiah: Undead Cowboy . You can find her book on Amazon.com.

Coffee Pot Rock Courthouse Butte Bell Rock Cathedral Rock Thunder Mountain