San Francisco de Asis Mission Church in Ranchos de Taos has been photographed many, many times. The most famous photograph is by Ansel Adams showing the back of the church. It gives an impression, at least for me when I first saw it, that it positioned in a vast empty space like many Italian churches placed in front of big piazzas. In fact Ranchos de Taos church is very intimate: there is a very small plaza with crumbled pavement in front of the church. It is surrounded by small shops and houses. La Fiesta Saloon is claiming the other side of the plaza. Church is not alone, it does not sand out, it is part of the community. The place is quintessential New Mexico. With a touch of Italy.

When I first came to the plaza at daytime a small children’s choir was rehearsing inside the church. The sweet sound of their voices was spilling into the fresh winter air. The plaza was empty and I spent about two hours not only making photographs but just walking around and drinking Taos crisp cold air like chilly wine. I came back again after sunset. And again nobody was around, just me. The church was illuminated with floodlights and I caught a moment when luminosity of the church and the sky was the same and made almost the same composition several hours ago in daylight. Sweet memories…