On my recent trip to Arizona and New Mexico I participated in a Route 66 photographic workshop organized by Alain and Natalie Briot. We started the workshop in Gallup, New Mexico and photographed attractions on and near Route 66 as far west as Hackberry, Arizona. This was unlike any photo trip I’d been on before – I photographed everything from dinosaurs to wigwams to old cars to the Grand Canyon. I actually took alot of photos with my Graflex Crown Graphic camera using Fuji Instant film. I thought an old camera and instant film was perfect for capturing the spirit of Route 66.
The trip was great fun. I’ll be posting some of the photos from the trip in coming weeks – and you’ll see – it was completely different from my usual style of photographing!
One of the unexpected photo opportunities of the trip was the “A Charlie Brown Christmas” Parade in Holbrook, Arizona. As we pulled into town – all of us on the trip were trying to figure out why there were so many cars parked along the sides of the road – and families clearly waiting for something. It didn’t take long for us to find out what was going to be starting in just a few minutes – the town’s annual Christmas Parade. It was a classic small town parade – with the high school marching band, floats sponsored by local businesses and families – and of course Santa Claus on a fire truck at the end of the parade.
Here are a few of my photos from the parade – I hope you enjoy them.
(c) 2010 Patty Hankins
(c) 2010 Patty Hankins
Navajo County Sheriff’s Office float
(c) 2010 Patty Hankins
Holbrook Head Start Program’s float
(c) 2010 Patty Hankins
(c) 2010 Patty Hankins
(c) 2010 Patty Hankins
National Park Service float
(c) 2010 Patty Hankins
And of course – the jolly old elf himself – Santa Claus!
(c) 2010 Patty Hankins