Más—Tapas y Vino

Another New Mexican culinary luminary with roots in Santa Fe has come down i25 to have a go in the Duke City. Joining the likes of Mark Kiffin (Compound/Zacatecas) and Erin Wade (Vinaigrette), chef James Campbell Caruso brought his 5-time James Beard nominated pedigree to Albuquerque late last year and opened Más—Tapas y Vino in the historic Hotel Andaluz in the downtown area. “I’ve always been intrigued by Albuquerque and the opportunities there, so when Erin and Mark’s restaurants were received with such enthusiasm there I started thinking more seriously about extending into the market,” says Caruso. “When the Andaluz opportunity presented itself it was an easy decision for me, and now almost 3 months in I am really happy to be a part of the great culinary scene in Albuquerque as well as Santa Fe.”

The pairing of Caruso's Iberian flavors with the Spanish sensibilities that the name ‘Andaluz’ implies are an epiphany, leaving one to wonder why the connection wasn't made sooner. Be that as it may, those of us that hanker for a taste of Caruso's La Boca and Taberna without the two-hour round trip to Santa Fe and back can now rejoice.

           

A minor remodel linking the bar more intimately to the former Lucia dining room has added a decidedly more vibrant flow to the restaurant, creating a lively, less formal dining experience. Like La Boca and Taberna, the menu at Más puts a modern spin on the traditional tapa, expressing Caruso’s emphasis on locally-sourced ingredients. This dedication to sustainability provides another natural fit: the Hotel Andaluz is the only LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified hotel in New Mexico. The rating, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council to provide standards for environmentally sustainable construction is extremely prestigious and shows a serious commitment to sustainability by the property owners.

For what it’s worth, I recommend the Paella ($28), which is not a tapa really but IS very Spanish, and the grilled artichoke w/ spanish goat cheese and mint ($12)—so much so that I photographed them for the world to see (above). According to James, the most popular tapa right now is the grilled new mexico flatiron steak w/ smoky sea salt caramel ($14). Finally, those that remember El Farol can harken back to the good old days with the smoked salmon nachos w/ mint aioli & pickled red onions on crispy wontons ($12) that James made famous when he was there many years ago.

Edible Santa Fe, Portraits

I've already gushed about how much I enjoy love shooting environmental portraits. This assignment, which came to me by way of Edible Santa Fe Magazine, reinforced the sentiment. The excellent story, co-written by Kate Manchester, Nissa Patterson, Beverly Post, and Andrea Feucht, spoke of people in our community that are carrying the torch of local-sourcing for the cuisine we enjoy in our favorite restaurants. These people are chefs, restaurant owners, farmers, and produce brokers, and they are adding to the quality and sustainability of our culinary lives. My goal is always to enhance the information being presented with images that bring the reader closer to the subject at hand.

Santa Fean Portraits

I relish most of the work I do as a photographer, but there is nothing I like to photograph more than environmental portraits. There is something very gratifying about pulling up to a shoot with a bit of background information and then working with the subject to find the space and setting that they feel best represents them and figuring out how to light it. As luck would have it, over the past few months I've been commissioned by the Santa Fean for almost twenty portraits.

When assignments of this size come in, my first steps are logistical: mapping out a timeline based on people's schedules and trying to keep in mind the movement of the sun. I always ask the subjects what time of day their gallery/restaurant/studio/etc looks best, which way their favorite rooms face, where the windows are, and so on. Such preparation is crucial for me for all of the obvious reasons, but also because it helps build some rapport with the subject, letting them know that I care enough to bring out their best. More often than not, I think it helps them to put their best foot forward as well, something that I find makes a big difference. The images below represent somewhere around half of the overarching shot list of local luminaries. Subjects include gallery owners, restauranteurs, artists and other folks with a profound presence in the local community. While these photos are from a few different assignments, many of them can be seen the way they were published, with accompanying text by clicking here and navigating to pages 31-41.


*The Walt Willey photo on page 39 was not taken by me. 

Sunrise Bank Building

During a shoot a month or so ago I met the folks that manage the beautiful old building that is home to Sunrise Bank in the heart downtown Albuquerque. Having made a mental note, I knew what location I wanted to try when local model Georgia Bevard got in touch with me a few weeks later. Georgia is very talented, full of ideas and positive energy. Lucky for me, she brought along her boyfriend Josh, who I convinced to help me hold an SB800 as a boom shot though a Lumiquest Softbox LTP. Up to this point this had been an impulse buy that sat on a shelf in my office. Pretty happy I made myself use it this time.

We started out in the empty 8th floor while the sun was going down, then made our way to the roof. I mainly used my 24mm 2.8 to try and get more of the amazing view in the frame, though I broke out the 50mm 1.4 and an 85mm 1.4 as well.

Amy & Robert

I'll never forget this wedding. There was a guerilla spirit to the occasion as our group of 7 took over the tram and then Sandia Peak and made it our own before anyone could stop us. I don't know the rules about weddings up there, but I'm sure that we broke a few.

The assignment was different in many ways than the weddings of 200+ people that I've documented over the years, but the excitement of the bride, the careful planning and logistical scrambling, and the over arching joy were all just as much a part of this celebration as any wedding I've photographed. The setting was a sunny, crisp late spring day. Ultra bright as we started, the light got more and more beautiful as the day went on and I was able to put away my speedlights. Amy got cupcakes from Cake Fetish to commemorate the day, and had gorgeous flowers. Her dress was beautiful, and she and Robert projected an air of contentedness that made my job easy. Kudos to the bride for bearing temperatures in the 30s, and high winds, all without a single complaint. Congrats you two!

CFV Solar Testing

In April of last year, CFV Solar Test Laboratory opened out near Mesa Del Sol, south of the airport. They perform safety, performance and reliability testing of PV modules, and, lucky for me, they value the quality of their marketing and company image. They hired me to come out to the facility for a couple of days to photograph their facility and the people that work there. At first look I was sort of worried, but when I toured the facility with does-it-all manager Christine Rhoderick and owner Martin Plass I noticed hints at great imagery lurking within the testing equipment at the facility. 
     The people were rewarding to photograph. A combination of fun and purpose courses through the company, the kind of feeling I associate with employees being treated fairly and taking pride in what they are doing and employers valuing their staff and making careful choices about compatibility and competence during the hiring process. Contented people doing something they care about shine in front of the camera. On the flip side,  I've done corporate shoots at companies with unhappy employees, and no amount of photoshop can keep it from coming through. We did standard studio-type shots using a two speedlite setup through PLMs. I then followed around the staff and photographed them where they spent the bulk of their day for an environmental portrait. 
     I've been lucky to be part of the growing solar industry in New Mexico, having photographed two locally-based installers and, now, CFV. Maybe not what I'd considered a niche when I set out years ago, but certainly one I'll claim now.