# Earth Log: New Mexico
## Hero & Roadtrip Dispatch
:icon-radio-tower:
Earth Log: New Mexico · An MWM Photography LLC Series
Earth Log: New Mexico
A visitor is documenting New Mexico one stop at a time, and taking it far more seriously than we do. Photographs by Megan Kilpatrick.
Field Transmission Scanner
| Frequency | Location | Log Dispatch |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 88.5 FM | Bisti Bay Badlands | Sandstone reflections and badland pillars at golden hour. |
| 94.1 FM | Balloon Fiesta | Mass ascension of color orbs over crisp Albuquerque dawn air. |
| 107.9 FM | White Sands Dunes | Gypsum sands glowing violet at twilight. Pure silence. |
| 101.3 FM | Highway 550, mile 41 | Two lanes, no shoulder, and a horizon that refuses to get closer. |
| Label | Icon | Target slide |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mission Index | :icon-list-ordered: | index-menu |
| Photo Gallery | :icon-camera: | face-gk4zep |
| Pitch an Idea | :icon-sparkles: | face-jf27ep |
Photographer Megan Kilpatrick standing on a flagstone path in a summer kitchen garden with raised beds, a greenhouse and a weathered barn, beside Paul-A, a 53-inch alien statue in orange cargo shorts and flip-flops
The garden gate detour, 7:04 PM — 24mm, f/2.8
Earth Log: New Mexico — A New Mexico Road Trip Photography Series by Megan Kilpatrick
Earth Log: New Mexico is a New Mexico road trip photography series following a 53-inch traveling figure across the Bisti Badlands, Shiprock, Hatch chile country, and the high-desert highways between them. Field dispatches, custom photo commissions, and photography education from Megan Kilpatrick of MWM Photography LLC.
New Mexico photography, Earth Log New Mexico, Bisti Badlands photographer, Shiprock landscape photography, Hatch green chile photography, Four Corners photographer, Farmington NM photographer, Southwest travel blog, custom photo commissions, MWM Photography LLC, Boudieful, STEAM Photography Academy
Megan Kilpatrick, MWM Photography LLC
| Label | URL |
| --- | --- |
| Boudieful Photography | https://www.boudieful.com |
| STEAM Photography Academy | https://www.steamphotographyacademy.com |
All content © MWM Photography LLC. Earth Log: New Mexico is an independent creative project by Megan Kilpatrick, supporting www.boudieful.com and www.steamphotographyacademy.com.
## Mission Index
:icon-list-ordered:
:icon-arrow-right:
Mission Index · Navigate the Log
16 Stations · Tap to Jump
Where do you want to go?
Station Preview
Open Station
Hover any line to preview the station, then tap to travel straight to it. Earth Log: New Mexico · All content © MWM Photography LLC · Supporting www.boudieful.com & www.steamphotographyacademy.com.
| Label | Preview | Icon | Target slide |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Roadtrip Dispatch Home | The masthead, the mission, and the live field transmission scanner. | :icon-radio-tower: | face-4kmaju |
| Meet Paul-A | A 53-inch surveyor with a notebook and no supernatural talents. Full field dossier. | :icon-user-round: | meet-zia |
| Behind the Lens | The real studio session: softboxes, director's chair, and one uncooperative subject. | :icon-aperture: | behind-the-lens |
| Out in the Wild | Garden beds and shady trailheads, shot off the backdrop with Paul-A along. | :icon-trees: | out-in-the-wild |
| High-Desert Radio & Playlist | Tune the dashboard cassette deck to ambient desert tracks and highway radio. | :icon-radio: | road-playlist |
| Travel Logs & Photo Gallery | Every dispatch and every frame, with illustrated concepts labeled as such. | :icon-camera: | face-gk4zep |
| Upcoming Destinations | The live itinerary map, event dates, and downloadable calendar cards. | :icon-map-pin: | face-xkfuai |
| Vote the Next Stop | Cast your signal. The most-wanted location is where Paul-A goes next. | :icon-vote: | next-stop-vote |
| Custom Commissions | How a pitched idea becomes a finished, printed New Mexico photo story. | :icon-pencil-ruler: | face-r7hpzt |
| Print Shop Status | The shop is closed until the fall circuit is shot. Here is the standard it reopens on. | :icon-shopping-bag: | print-merch-shop |
| Field Notebook Generator | Pick a site, the weather, and the thing worth noting. The notebook writes the entry. | :icon-notebook-pen: | roadtrip-creator |
| Posting Rhythm | The weekly drumbeat of dispatches, reels, and behind-the-lens posts. | :icon-calendar-days: | posting-rhythm |
| Pitch an Idea | Submit a location, set a budget, and watch your vision get shot. | :icon-sparkles: | face-jf27ep |
| Gas & Travel Fund | Fuel the miles. Every tank turns into another chapter. | :icon-fuel: | face-quo146 |
| Press & Media Kit | Project fact sheet, production specs, and a downloadable one-pager for press. | :icon-newspaper: | press-kit |
| Sign-Off & Follow | Close the transmission and keep the frequency open. | :icon-signal: | transmission-signoff |
## Meet Paul-A
:icon-user-round:
Field Dossier · Subject Profile
File No. ELNM-001 · Tap the dots
Meet Paul-A
Fifty-three inches of pure curiosity, and a surveyor rather than a castaway. Paul-A is on assignment, filing a log about a place nobody back home has bothered to look at properly. Megan Kilpatrick drives, frames, and lights every scene. They are colleagues.
Photographer Megan Kilpatrick resting an arm on the head of Paul-A, the 53-inch traveling figure from Earth Log: New Mexico, on a seamless studio backdrop
Official height check — Studio Bay 1, 53 inches. Tap a marker.
Paul-A is a hand-finished sculpted figure and the traveling subject of every dispatch in Earth Log: New Mexico. All intellectual property in Earth Log: New Mexico and its characters is owned exclusively by MWM Photography LLC. Supporting www.boudieful.com & www.steamphotographyacademy.com.
| Spec | Value | Detail | Icon | Hotspot X % | Hotspot Y % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Height | 53 inches of attitude | Tall enough to hold a frame on their own, short enough to ride shotgun with a seatbelt across their chest. | :icon-ruler: | 63 | 25 |
| Field Kit | Pouch, notebook, pencil | Canvas field pouch worn cross-body, a faded pink bandana, and a sun-bleached wide-brim hat that has seen a full monsoon season. | :icon-backpack: | 62 | 92 |
| Mission | Survey and document | They are compiling a record they intend to file one day. Everything gets written down, including the weather, especially the weather. | :icon-camera: | 41 | 40 |
| Home Frequency | Still tuning | They listen for home at the Very Large Array and mostly pick up classic rock out of Socorro. | :icon-radio: | 70 | 33 |
| Favorite Earth Food | Hatch green chile | One roadside roasting drum near Hatch and the entire mission priority list was rewritten. | :icon-flame: | 59 | 64 |
| Arrival | Recent. No date given. | No crash, no cover-up, no agency. They arrived, started taking notes, and have not stopped since. | :icon-calendar-clock: | 89 | 17 |
| Abilities | None whatsoever | Small, curious, and easily cold. The whole engine of this series is attention, not powers. | :icon-notebook-pen: | 78 | 41 |
## Behind the Lens: Studio Session
:icon-aperture:
Behind the Lens · Contact Sheet
How the shoot actually goes.
Softbox on the left, director's chair with Paul-A's name on it, and a subject who holds a pose about as long as the light lasts. Tap a frame to see the set.
Photographed by Megan Kilpatrick · © MWM Photography LLC
| Photo | Alt text | Caption | Set | Camera specs |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|  | Photographer Megan Kilpatrick resting an arm on the head of Paul-A, the 53-inch traveling figure from Earth Log: New Mexico, on a seamless studio backdrop | The official height comparison | Studio Bay 1 — seamless grey | 85mm · f/4 · 1/160 |
|  | Photographer Megan Kilpatrick seated in a wooden director's chair laughing at her camera while Paul-A, the 53-inch traveling figure, stands beside her | Two artists, one chair | Studio Bay 1 — director's chair | 50mm · f/2.8 · 1/200 |
|  | Close view of Megan reviewing Paul-A's portrait on the back of her camera during the studio session | Checking the back of the camera | Studio Bay 1 — tethered review | 35mm · f/2 · 1/125 |
|  | Megan kneeling low to photograph Paul-A posing on top of a director's chair with a monitor showing the live frame | Shooting up at the talent | Studio Bay 1 — low angle | 24mm · f/3.5 · 1/160 |
|  | Megan smiling with her camera in hand next to Paul-A under a large softbox in the studio | That's a wrap on Bay 1 | Studio Bay 1 — last frame | 50mm · f/4 · 1/200 |
|  | Overhead selfie of photographer Megan Kilpatrick holding her camera at arm's length with Paul-A, the 53-inch traveling figure, leaning in behind her shoulder | The obligatory crew selfie | Studio Bay 1 — arm's length | 24mm · f/2.8 · 1/125 |
|  | Photographer Megan Kilpatrick crouching low on the studio floor throwing a peace sign next to Paul-A, the 53-inch traveling figure, standing under a large softbox | Floor level, peace sign | Studio Bay 1 — floor level | 24mm · f/3.2 · 1/160 |
|  | Tight portrait of photographer Megan Kilpatrick cheek to cheek with Paul-A, the 53-inch traveling figure, showing the large galaxy-blue eyes in detail | Cheek to cheek with the talent | Studio Bay 1 — tight crop | 85mm · f/2 · 1/200 |
## Out in the Wild with Paul-A
:icon-trees:
Field Days · Off the Backdrop
Out in the wild.
When the studio lights come down, Paul-A rides along. Zinnia beds, shady trailheads, and whatever back-road bench looks good in the last hour of light. Hover a frame to bring it forward.
:icon-pencil-ruler:
Commission a session
All frames photographed by Megan Kilpatrick · Earth Log: New Mexico · © MWM Photography LLC
| Photo | Alt text | Title | Note |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
|  | Photographer Megan Kilpatrick standing in a summer flower garden beside a wooden fence with Paul-A, the 53-inch traveling figure from Earth Log: New Mexico | The zinnia detour | Backyard cutting garden · 6:58 PM |
|  | Megan sitting on a weathered picnic table on a shaded woodland trail holding her camera while Paul-A stands in the grass beside her | Trailhead sit-down | Shady picnic table · 11:20 AM |
|  | Photographer Megan Kilpatrick sitting on a weathered wooden bench on a sunlit woodland trail with her camera while Paul-A the alien statue stands beside her in the backlit grass | Bench on the back trail | Woodland path · 7:15 PM backlight |
|  | Photographer Megan Kilpatrick standing at a picket fence in front of a zinnia bed with her hand on the shoulder of Paul-A, the 53-inch traveling figure, in warm evening light | Hand on the shoulder | Zinnia fence line · golden hour |
## High-Desert Radio & Playlist
:icon-radio:
Dashboard Audio · Station Deck
High-Desert Radio & Playlist
Broadcast Range: 88.5 FM - 1230 AM
LIVE BROADCAST TUNED
DECK READY · SELECT FREQUENCY
EARTH LOG: NEW MEXICO · TAPE 04
STEREO HIGH-FIDELITY
Play Station
Pause Station
Available Frequencies & Desert Soundtracks
Curated ambient soundscapes and desert radio recordings by Megan Kilpatrick for late-night highway driving. All content © MWM Photography LLC. Supporting www.boudieful.com & www.steamphotographyacademy.com.
| Frequency | Track Title | Artist / Source | Duration | Vibe Note |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 88.5 FM | Bisti Night Wind & Analog Drone | High Desert Sound Lab | 04:12 | Deep sub-bass atmospheric swells recorded under the sandstone pillars of Bisti Badlands at 2 AM. |
| 94.1 FM | Balloon Fiesta Dawn Chimes | Abq Ambient Society | 03:45 | Soft acoustic arpeggios and propane burner hums as forty hot air balloons take the morning sky. |
| 101.3 FM | Shiprock Monolith Highway Static | Route 491 Frequency | 05:18 | Hypnotic guitar reverberations matching the rhythm of telephone poles passing at 65 MPH. |
| 107.9 FM | Gypsum Twilight Shimmer | White Sands Session | 04:50 | Ethereal synth waves inspired by violet desert twilights and absolute silence. |
| 1230 AM | County Road 12 Signal Drift | Four Corners Field Recording | 06:03 | Two stations fading into each other over forty miles of washboard gravel, exactly as the deck received it. |
## Travel Blog & Photo Gallery
Earth Log: New Mexico · Field Dispatches
Every stop has a story.
Paul-A's Visor Lens
Search logs, towns, subjects
| Lens Mode | CSS Filter |
| --- | --- |
| Natural Desert | |
| Alien IR Visor | hue-rotate-180 contrast-125 saturate-150 |
| Kodachrome 1970 | sepia-[0.3] contrast-110 saturate-125 |
| High-Desert B&W | grayscale contrast-150 |
No dispatches match that signal. Try another location or keyword.
Lighting notes
Camera settings
Field Dispatch Story
Viral Reel & Social Script
Share this dispatch
Close dispatch
| Filter |
| --- |
| All Dispatches |
| Origin & Backstory |
| High-Desert Roadtrips |
| Cultural Festivals |
| Desert Sunsets |
| Concept Illustrations |
| Icon |
| --- |
| :icon-link: |
| :icon-instagram: |
| :icon-facebook: |
| :icon-mail: |
| Title | Category | Location | Date | Reading time | Photo | Alt text | Backstory | Lighting | Camera | Reel Script |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Dispatch #000: How Earth Log: New Mexico Began | Origin & Backstory | Highway 550, NM | May 12, 2026 | 10 min read |  | Close portrait of photographer Megan Kilpatrick cheek to cheek with Paul-A, the 53-inch traveling figure from Earth Log: New Mexico, against a plain studio wall | It started over a midnight cup of gas-station coffee somewhere between Farmington and San Ysidro, New Mexico.
Photographer Megan Kilpatrick (www.boudieful.com & www.steamphotographyacademy.com) was tired of standard, sterile landscape photography. Everyone shoots the same desert vistas—beautiful, but predictable. But what if the traveler experiencing the Land of Enchantment was Paul-A—a 53-inch hand-finished sculpted figure with a field pouch, a notebook, and an unquenchable curiosity about this place?
The vision was clear: Megan is the host, photographer, and director; Paul-A is the curious traveler exploring New Mexico through an alien lens. From gas station rest stops and Route 66 diner booths to golden hour at Shiprock and sunrise hot air balloon launches at Balloon Fiesta, every trip becomes a chapter in an ongoing series: 'Earth Log: New Mexico'.
Best of all, the entire journey is interactive and community-driven. Followers and supporters pitch the next stops, sponsor the gas and travel fund, and vote on where Paul-A should head next. When you sponsor a mile, you aren't just funding fuel—you're commissioning a piece of New Mexico high-desert mythology. | Crisp 6:00 AM high-desert morning sun bouncing off sand and stone against red rock cliffs. | 35mm · f/5.6 · 1/250s · Kodak Portra 400 | **HOOK (0-3s):** 'I adopted a 53-inch alien statue named Paul-A to roadtrip across New Mexico...'
**AUDIO:** High-desert ambient wind + retro radio static tuning.
**VISUAL:** Rapid cinematic montage of Paul-A at gas stations, badland hoodoos, and Route 66 diner booths.
**CAPTION:** 'When standard landscape photography felt predictable, we created something unforgettable. Paul-A is a 53-inch traveler exploring New Mexico through an alien lens. Supported by www.boudieful.com & www.steamphotographyacademy.com! #EarthLogNM #NewMexicoTrue' |
| Dispatch #001: Bisti Bay Sandstone Hoodoos & Mirror Pools | High-Desert Roadtrips | Bisti Badlands | Aug 18, 2026 | 8 min read |  | Photographer Megan Kilpatrick with her camera standing among the Bisti Badlands hoodoos at sunset beside Paul-A, a 53-inch alien in orange cargo shorts and flip-flops | This dispatch was commissioned by a dedicated follower who pitched a challenge: 'Find reflection pools in the Bisti Badlands where everyone says there is only bone-dry clay and desert heat.' Challenge accepted.
After a sudden monsoonal downpour swept across San Juan County, Megan and Paul-A walked in from the Bisti access lot under a BLM commercial permit for the date. What we discovered was pure desert magic: shallow clay basins turned into mirror pools reflecting towering sandstone hoodoos and cap rocks beneath a fiery magenta sunset.
Paul-A stood on a sandstone ledge overlooking the basin while Megan set up the tripod. With water squishing beneath boots and the sweet aroma of wet sagebrush filling the evening air, we captured the frame just four minutes before the thirsty desert earth absorbed every drop. | Low golden hour sun casting long shadows across eroded clay and standing reflection pools. | 35mm · f/8 · 1/250s · ISO 100 | **HOOK (0-3s):** 'Everyone said Bisti Badlands was bone-dry clay... until a monsoon storm created mirror pools.'
**AUDIO:** Monsoonal rain drop swell → golden hour ambient guitar.
**VISUAL:** Slow cinematic pan over clay reflection pools with Paul-A standing on a sandstone ledge.
**CAPTION:** 'Trekking 3 miles into the badlands labyrinth right after a flash downpour. Commissioned by a supporter who challenged us to find water in the desert. #BistiBadlands #NewMexicoPhotography #EarthLogNM' |
| Dispatch #002: First Light over Shiprock (Tsé Bitʼaí) | High-Desert Roadtrips | Shiprock, NM | Aug 09, 2026 | 7 min read |  | Megan Kilpatrick kneeling on the red desert floor shooting with her Sony camera while Paul-A the 53-inch alien in orange cargo shorts and flip-flops stands beside her, the Shiprock volcanic monolith rising behind them under a pink and orange sunset sky | Tsé Bitʼaí—the iconic rock with wings—dominates the San Juan County horizon long before you reach it. Driving west along Highway 64 at 5:15 AM, the 1,500-foot volcanic monolith rises dramatically out of the flat desert floor.
We stayed on the public highway right-of-way, worked from the pullout, and left everything beyond the fence line alone. As coyotes yipped in the distant arroyos, the horizon shifted from deep indigo to electric amber. At 6:02 AM, the first beam of sunlight hit the basalt dike, making the stone glow like molten bronze.
Paul-A faced the monolith while Megan framed the shot from the roadside. Tsé Bit'a'í is sacred to the Diné, and it is photographed here from public road access only, with no approach and nothing touched. | Natural sunrise key light. High-contrast golden wedge hitting cap rock against cool shadowy washes. | 35mm · f/11 · 1/125s · ISO 100 | **HOOK (0-3s):** '5:00 AM at Tsé Bitʼaí with a 53-inch alien statue named Paul-A.'
**AUDIO:** High-desert morning wind + camera shutter click.
**VISUAL:** Golden sunrise beam hitting the 1,500-foot volcanic basalt wall.
**CAPTION:** 'Standing under the rock with wings at dawn. Shiprock never fails to awe. #Shiprock #NewMexicoTrue #EarthLogNM' |
| Concept: Dawn Patrol at Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta | Concept Illustrations | Albuquerque, NM | Planned Oct 3, 2026 | 9 min read |  | Illustration, not a photograph: a hot air balloon glowing from within on a field before dawn, made while planning the Balloon Fiesta shoot | **Concept illustration — not a photograph.** This frame is illustrated planning art for the October Balloon Fiesta window. The scene below is what we intend to shoot, with media credentials confirmed first.
4:00 AM at Balloon Fiesta Park in Albuquerque. The temperature was a crisp 36 degrees, thermos coffee was steaming, and frost coated the grass. Suddenly, a roar of propane burners illuminated the field in blinding flashes of orange fire.
One by one, hundreds of multi-story hot air balloon envelopes inflated on the field like sleeping giants waking up. Paul-A stood beside the crew ropes in their trusty flip-flops, attracting smiles, double-takes, and eager questions from amazed spectators and balloon pilots alike.
This trip was sponsored by a road trip supporter who wanted the raw, electric energy of Dawn Patrol before sunrise. Seeing glowing colorful balloons soar into the twilight sky over the Sandia Mountains is a New Mexico moment Paul-A will never forget. | Available light fire bursts acting as key light; ambient pre-dawn blue sky as fill. | No camera data — illustrated concept frame | **HOOK (0-3s):** '4:00 AM at 36°F in Albuquerque watching 300 hot air balloons ignite.'
**AUDIO:** Roar of propane burners bursting in darkness.
**VISUAL:** Glowing balloon envelopes swelling on the field behind Paul-A in flip-flops.
**CAPTION:** 'Dawn Patrol at Balloon Fiesta! Paul-A made 50 new friends before sunrise. Sponsored by our amazing community. #BalloonFiesta #Albuquerque #EarthLogNM' |
| Concept: White Sands Dunes & The Gypsum Glow | Concept Illustrations | White Sands, NM | Planned Nov 2026 | 6 min read |  | Illustration, not a photograph: white gypsum sand dunes glowing in lavender and peach twilight, made while planning the White Sands shoot | **Concept illustration — not a photograph.** This frame is illustrated planning art. White Sands is a national park and the real shoot waits on an NPS permit.
White Sands National Park is like stepping into an endless ocean of pure white gypsum. As the late afternoon sun began its descent over the San Andres Mountains, the sand turned from blinding brilliant white to soft shades of pastel peach, lavender, and violet.
Paul-A took their place atop a pristine dune ridge, taking in the vast, silent horizon. The contrast of an extraterrestrial figure standing on glowing white sand dunes under an open New Mexico sky created one of the most cinematic visuals of the entire series.
As twilight settled and pure silence fell across the park, we packed up the camera gear under a sky full of emerging stars. A timeless dispatch celebrating the quiet wonder of New Mexico's desert landscapes. | Soft post-sunset twilight with pastel gradients across white gypsum sand. | No camera data — illustrated concept frame | **HOOK (0-3s):** 'When the sun sets at White Sands, the dunes turn lavender and peach.'
**AUDIO:** Soft acoustic ambient guitar swell.
**VISUAL:** Paul-A sitting on a pure gypsum sand ridge at twilight.
**CAPTION:** 'Pure silence across endless white gypsum. Stepping onto another world right here in New Mexico. #WhiteSands #LandOfEnchantment #DesertGlow' |
| Dispatch #005: Hatch Green Chile Roasting & Earth Snacks | Cultural Festivals | Hatch, NM | Jun 30, 2026 | 8 min read |  | Photographer Megan Kilpatrick in a red tank top standing in a row of Hatch chile plants at sunset with her arm around Paul-A, the 53-inch traveling figure, mountains and a golden sun on the horizon | You know you're in New Mexico in late summer when the air smells like roasting green chiles! Pulling into a roadside chile stand near Hatch, the tumbling metal drums were spinning over roaring flames, blistering fresh green chiles to perfection.
Paul-A's introduction to Earth food has been one of the most entertaining parts of the trip. From holding a fresh green chile cheeseburger to admiring a string of dark red chile ristras hanging against adobe walls, Paul-A is rapidly becoming a devoted fan of New Mexico cuisine.
The local chile vendors loved having an alien visitor at their stand, and the resulting photos capture the authentic flavor, warmth, and hospitality that makes New Mexico so special. | Warm afternoon sunlight mixed with glowing embers from roasting drums. | 85mm · f/2.0 · 1/1000s · ISO 200 | **HOOK (0-3s):** 'Introducing an extraterrestrial to fresh roasted Hatch green chiles!'
**AUDIO:** Tumbling roasting drum crackle & sizzling heat.
**VISUAL:** Flaming roasting drum spinning, Paul-A admiring red chile ristras against adobe.
**CAPTION:** 'If you haven't smelled roasting green chiles in late summer, you're missing New Mexico's best season! #HatchGreenChile #NewMexicoEats #EarthLogNM' |
| Concept: Route 66 Retro Gas Station, Tucumcari | Concept Illustrations | Tucumcari, NM | Planned Dec 2026 | 6 min read |  | Illustration, not a photograph: a retro Route 66 gas station with vintage pumps under a desert sky, made while planning the Tucumcari shoot | **Concept illustration — not a photograph.** This frame is illustrated planning art for a Tucumcari stop later in the season.
Route 66 holds some of New Mexico's most photographed stretches, and Tucumcari holds the best-preserved run of them: restored pumps, hand-painted motel signs, and neon that still fires at dusk.
The plan is simple. Park at the edge of the lot in the last hour of light, set Paul-A near a pump, and let them write down what a road built for other people's journeys looks like from the outside.
Nothing here has been shot yet. When it is, this card gets a real frame, a real date, and real camera data. | Bright Route 66 midday sun highlighting chrome trim and vintage signage. | No camera data — illustrated concept frame | **PLANNED HOOK (0-3s):** 'Tucumcari still has the best neon on Route 66. We are going to prove it.'
**AUDIO:** 1950s rockabilly beat + distant semi passing.
**VISUAL:** Restored pumps at last light, Paul-A writing in the notebook at the edge of the lot.
**CAPTION:** 'Scouting a Tucumcari stop for later this season. Concept art for now, real frames soon. #Route66 #TucumcariNM #EarthLogNM' |
| Concept: The Very Large Array, Plains of San Agustin | Concept Illustrations | Socorro, NM | Planned Jan 2027 | 10 min read |  | Illustration, not a photograph: massive radio telescope dishes against a high-desert horizon, made while planning the Very Large Array visit | **Concept illustration — not a photograph.** This frame is illustrated planning art. The VLA sits in a radio-quiet zone and a real shoot there needs NRAO approval first.
Standing in the Plains of San Agustin near Socorro surrounded by twenty-seven massive 230-ton radio telescope dishes is a humbling experience. The Very Large Array listens to cosmic signals from the deepest reaches of the universe.
Paul-A stood beneath one of the towering satellite dishes, gazing up into the dish as if waiting for a transmission from home. The scale of the science facility combined with Paul-A's presence made for an iconic, thought-provoking shot.
They waited eleven full minutes under that dish for a ride that never came, then climbed back in the truck and requested green chile instead.
Whether they were listening for cosmic signals or just trying to pick up local New Mexico radio stations, the VLA dispatch remains a crown jewel of our scientific and sci-fi road trip adventures. | Clean afternoon desert sky framing stark white antenna dishes. | No camera data — illustrated concept frame | **HOOK (0-3s):** 'Calling home from 27 massive satellite dishes at the Very Large Array.'
**AUDIO:** Sci-fi radio static frequency pulses.
**VISUAL:** Towering 230-ton radio antennas against open blue sky.
**CAPTION:** 'Listening for cosmic signals in Socorro, NM. One of the coolest science stops in the world! #VLA #RadioAstronomy #NewMexicoTrue' |
## Upcoming Destinations & Events
2026 Destinations & Photo Ops
Where the roadtrip lands next.
Month
Town
All months
All towns
Add to calendar
Photo op directions
Nothing on the map for that filter yet.
| Date | Event | Venue | Town | Month | Start (YYYY-MM-DD) | End (YYYY-MM-DD) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Aug 22–23 | Bisti Bay & Badlands Sunrise Expedition | Bisti Badlands Wilderness | Farmington | August | 2026-08-22 | 2026-08-23 |
| Sep 19 | Chile Fest & High-Desert Song & Dance | Locke Street Eats | Farmington | September | 2026-09-19 | 2026-09-20 |
| Sep 25–27 | Four Corners Balloon Rally & Dawn Patrol | Lake Farmington | Farmington | September | 2026-09-25 | 2026-09-28 |
| Oct 3 | 45th Road Apple Rally High-Desert Ride | Lions Wilderness Park | Farmington | October | 2026-10-03 | 2026-10-04 |
| Oct 3–11 | Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta | Balloon Fiesta Park | Albuquerque | October | 2026-10-03 | 2026-10-12 |
| Oct 10 | Shiprock Monolith Dusk Dispatch | Shiprock Monument Highway | Shiprock | October | 2026-10-10 | 2026-10-11 |
## Vote the Next Stop
:icon-vote:
:icon-sparkles:
Signal Poll · Community Routing
Poll closes at the end of the month
Vote the next stop.
Five locations are queued. The one with the strongest signal gets the tank of gas, the tripod, and a full dispatch with Paul-A.
Currently leading
Tap to send your signal
Signal received — thank you
Nominate a location instead
Tallies shown here are live for this session. Sponsored miles count double toward the winning stop. Supporting www.boudieful.com & www.steamphotographyacademy.com.
| Location | Why | Icon | Starting votes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ghost Ranch, Abiquiú | Red cliffs, O'Keeffe country, and a hard golden hour. | :icon-mountain: | 184 |
| Carlsbad Caverns | Underground scale, cold light, and the bat flight at dusk. | :icon-moon: | 152 |
| Rio Grande Gorge Bridge | Sage flats, high wind, and 650 feet of open air below the deck. | :icon-landmark: | 141 |
| El Malpais Lava Fields | Black basalt to the horizon and sandstone bluffs on the far edge. | :icon-flame: | 207 |
| Valles Caldera at Sunrise | Elk, frost, and a supervolcano meadow at first light. | :icon-sun: | 98 |
## How Custom Commissions Work
Custom Commissions · How It Works
You pitch the idea. Paul-A & Megan make it real.
From dawn patrol at Balloon Fiesta to sandstone reflections at Bisti Bay: cover gas and travel expenses, and get high-desert photo & video dispatches crafted to order. Supporting www.boudieful.com & www.steamphotographyacademy.com.
Hover or tap a step to explore the commission process
| Brand | Tagline | Detail | Call to action | Icon | Image | Alt text |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 01 Pitch Your Location | Tell Megan Kilpatrick where to travel & what to capture | Have a dream shot at Bisti Bay, Balloon Fiesta, Shiprock, or a hidden desert mesa? Submit your location and concept, and permits get confirmed before any date is set. | Submit a location pitch | :icon-map-pin: |  | Camera and desert map laid out on a wooden table with car keys and sunglasses |
| 02 Cover Gas & Travel | Sponsor fuel, permits & travel budget | Pay for gas money, park permits, or travel expenses. Your sponsorship puts Paul-A's roadtrip rig on the highway and funds the expedition. | View gas & travel fund | :icon-fuel: |  | Retro high-desert highway stretching toward distant red rock mountains under open sky |
| 03 High-Desert Expedition | Paul-A hits the road & logs dispatches | Equipped with 35mm film, high-res digital gear, and high-desert spirit, Megan and Paul-A travel directly to your requested destination and execute the shoot. | Read field logs | :icon-camera: |  | Photographer framing a shot of hot air balloons rising over the desert at dawn |
| 04 Content Delivered | High-res photos, video & commercial rights | Receive full-resolution photography, raw and processed assets, and social video edits brought to life exclusively from your pitch, with usage terms in writing. | Browse the dispatches | :icon-sparkles: |  | Fine art landscape prints displaying desert badland photos in clean studio light |
## Prints: Coming After the Fall Circuit
:icon-shopping-bag:
:icon-map-pin:
:icon-camera:
Shop Status · August 20, 2026
Prints open after the fall circuit.
The shop is closed right now. Nothing is listed, nothing is for sale, and no orders are being taken.
Here is the standard it reopens on: every print will be a frame shot on location by Megan Kilpatrick, on a date and at a place named in the listing. Edition sizes will be stated only once the edition actually exists. Nothing illustrated or generated will ever be sold as a photograph.
See the fall shoot dates
View the field dispatches
What has to happen first
All intellectual property in Earth Log: New Mexico and its characters is owned exclusively by MWM Photography LLC. Supporting www.boudieful.com & www.steamphotographyacademy.com.
| Step | Status | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Shoot the fall circuit | Sep – Oct 2026 | Balloon rally, Shiprock at dusk, and the badlands, all on real film and real sensors, with permits confirmed before each date. |
| Select and proof | Nov 2026 | Pick the frames that hold up at 16x20, print test proofs, and confirm paper and ink before anything is offered. |
| Declare the editions | Not yet set | Edition size, numbering, and signing get published with the listing, not before it. No certificates are issued for work that is not mine. |
## Field Notebook Entry Generator
:icon-notebook-pen:
:icon-stamp:
Field Notebook · Entry Generator
Write a field entry
Pick a site, the weather it gave you, and the thing worth writing down. The notebook composes the entry in the voice of the log.
Earth Log: New Mexico · Field Notebook
Logged
Entry
1. Choose a site
2. Choose the conditions
3. Choose what to note
Copy this entry
Entry copied
All intellectual property in Earth Log: New Mexico and its characters is owned exclusively by MWM Photography LLC. Supporting www.boudieful.com & www.steamphotographyacademy.com.
| Site | Opening line |
| --- | --- |
| Bisti Badlands | The ground here is clay that was once something else. |
| A roadside chile stand | A metal drum turns over open flame at the edge of the highway. |
| Highway 550, mile 41 | Two lanes, no shoulder, and a horizon that does not get closer. |
| A gravel pullout, no sign | There is no name for this place on any map I have been given. |
| Conditions | Line |
| --- | --- |
| Twelve hours of wind | The wind has not stopped since I began writing, so the wind is the entry. |
| Monsoon, then steam | Rain arrived for nine minutes and the ground gave all of it back as steam. |
| Sun with no shade | The light is direct and total and there is nothing here willing to block it. |
| Cold before dawn | It is colder than the record suggests a desert should be permitted to be. |
| Subject | Closing line | Icon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A dust devil | A column of air organized itself, crossed the road, and disbanded. No one else looked up. | :icon-wind: |
| Gas station coffee | I have now sampled the coffee at four separate fuel stations and I am prepared to rank them. | :icon-coffee: |
| A stranger's directions | A human gave me directions using a landmark that was removed years ago. I found it anyway. | :icon-map-pin: |
| The light at 7:04 PM | For four minutes the light made ordinary rock look deliberate. Megan had the camera ready. I did not. | :icon-sun: |
## Posting Rhythm
:icon-calendar-days:
Broadcast Schedule · Four-Week Rotation
Four posts a week · One trip a month
The weekly drumbeat.
Every dispatch follows the same rhythm so the story never goes quiet between road trips. Supporting www.boudieful.com & www.steamphotographyacademy.com.
Sponsored trips slot into the Monday dispatch of the following week and are labeled as sponsored in the post itself. All content © MWM Photography LLC. Supporting www.boudieful.com & www.steamphotographyacademy.com.
| Week | Theme |
| --- | --- |
| Week One | Arrival: the new location drops and the story opens. |
| Week Two | Immersion: deep frames, local flavor, and the people met on the road. |
| Week Three | Craft: behind the lens with Megan Kilpatrick, the gear, the reshoots. |
| Week Four | Handoff: the community picks where the next tank of gas goes. |
| Week number | Day | Format | Detail | Icon |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Monday | Hero Dispatch | The single best frame of the trip plus the opening paragraph of the log. | :icon-image: |
| 1 | Wednesday | Arrival Reel | Hook in three seconds: highway, dust, and the first look at the location. | :icon-clapperboard: |
| 1 | Friday | Photo Carousel | Five to seven frames in sequence with captions in Paul-A's voice. | :icon-layers: |
| 1 | Sunday | Field Note | Short written log with lighting notes and the exact camera settings used. | :icon-notebook-pen: |
| 2 | Monday | Local Portrait | The vendor, the pilot, the ranger. Named, credited, and shot with a signed release. | :icon-users: |
| 2 | Wednesday | Earth Food Reel | Paul-A meets a regional dish. Chile-forward. Always a little unhinged. | :icon-flame: |
| 2 | Friday | Detail Study | Texture, signage, rust, adobe. The small frames that sell the place. | :icon-scan-search: |
| 2 | Sunday | Q&A Story | Open the inbox and answer whatever followers actually asked. | :icon-message-circle: |
| 3 | Monday | Before & After | Raw frame beside the finished edit with the reasoning spelled out. | :icon-sliders-horizontal: |
| 3 | Wednesday | Behind the Lens | The tripod in the mud, the wind, the shot that almost didn't happen. | :icon-camera: |
| 3 | Friday | Frame of the Week | One frame from the trip posted full size, with the reason it beat the others. | :icon-printer: |
| 3 | Sunday | Gear Log | What rode in the truck, what earned its place, what got left home. | :icon-backpack: |
| 4 | Monday | Trip Recap | Miles driven, hours waited, and the full cost of the tank of gas. | :icon-route: |
| 4 | Wednesday | Vote Reel | Three candidate locations pitched head to head in sixty seconds. | :icon-vote: |
| 4 | Friday | Sponsor Thanks | Credit the miles funded and show exactly where they went. | :icon-heart-handshake: |
| 4 | Sunday | Next Stop Reveal | The winning location, the shoot date, and the first teaser frame. | :icon-map-pin: |
## Pitch an Idea / Sponsor a Trip
Custom Roadtrip Commissions · Pitch an Idea
Pitch a Location. Fund the Trip. See It Live.
ROADTRIP EXPEDITION PASS
PASS #ELNM-2026
PITCH QUEUED
Custom Roadtrip Idea
STATUS: PITCH SUBMITTED & QUEUED
STATUS: PITCH IN PROGRESS
Your Name / Brand
Email Address
Target Destination / Location
Select Target Spot
Content Type Needed
Submit Pitch & Sponsor Trip
Sending pitch…
Pitch Received!
Your roadtrip pitch & location idea have been transmitted to Megan Kilpatrick at megan@boudieful.com. Supporting www.boudieful.com & www.steamphotographyacademy.com. Watch your inbox for gas, travel budget details, and expedition launch dates!
Transmission interrupted. Please try submitting again.
We use your details strictly for roadtrip planning, travel budgeting, and photo dispatch delivery. Supporting www.boudieful.com.
“Tell me where you want Paul-A to go, cover gas and travel, and watch your visual idea come to life across New Mexico.” — Megan Kilpatrick
High-desert scenic overlook with a vintage camera on a vehicle hood facing distant mesas at golden hour
| Pass |
| --- |
| Balloon Fiesta |
| Bisti Bay / Badlands |
| Shiprock & Red Rocks |
| White Sands Dunes |
| Custom Highway Route |
| Interest | Icon |
| --- | --- |
| Photo Dispatches | :icon-camera: |
| Social Video Clips | :icon-video: |
| Commercial License | :icon-briefcase: |
| Written Field Log | :icon-notebook-pen: |
## Gas & Travel Fund Hub
Fuel the Roadtrips · Travel Fund Hub
Power Paul-A's Highway Dispatches.
Every roadtrip runs on gas money, travel funds, and community support. Cover fuel, sponsor a destination, or order custom prints to keep Paul-A on the highway.
Prints & Merch
Roadtrip Crew
Gas & Travel Calculator
OFFICIAL ROADTRIP APPAREL
ARCHIVAL PRINT RUN
CONTRIBUTION / ITEM
Order Item
Direct Travel Channels
Prefer direct tips or instant roadtrip sponsorship? Use these channels:
SELECTED TRAVEL MILESTONE
Close
Transmission received. Thank you for fueling the next stretch of road across New Mexico. It goes straight into the log.
All contributions directly fund gas, photo permits, gear, and travel expenses for Earth Log: New Mexico field dispatches. All intellectual property in Earth Log: New Mexico and its characters is owned exclusively by MWM Photography LLC. Independent creative project supporting www.boudieful.com & www.steamphotographyacademy.com.
| Slogan | Apparel type | Price | Description | Icon |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| The highway is the studio. | Heavyweight Roadtrip Tee | $28 | Archival screenprint on vintage bone cotton with a hand-drawn highway route emblem. | :icon-shirt: |
| One alien. Endless miles. | High-Desert Hoodie | $48 | Embroidered visor emblem on chest, relaxed fit for chilly desert nights. | :icon-sparkles: |
| Filing a full report. | Field Pin & Sticker Pack | $14 | Weatherproof vinyl sticker set plus die-cast brass roadtrip lapel pin. | :icon-tag: |
| New Mexico through alien eyes. | Collector's Roadtrip Zine | $22 | 40-page saddle-stitched field dispatch booklet with full-color photography. | :icon-book-open: |
| Tier name | Price | Badge | Perks | CTA | Icon |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Gas Supporter | $5 / mo | Highway Crew | Early roadtrip log access · Monthly email brief · Name in dispatch credits | Join at $5 | :icon-compass: |
| Roadtrip Guide | $15 / mo | Most Popular | Vote on next trip stop · Exclusive field journal · High-res wallpaper downloads | Join at $15 | :icon-map-pin: |
| Trip Commission Sponsor | $50 / mo | VIP Sponsor | Pitch a custom destination · Quarterly signed 8x10 print once the print run opens · Private Discord | Join at $50 | :icon-crown: |
| Amount | Label | Impact | Icon |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $20 | Gas Money | Fuels 100 miles of highway travel across New Mexico | :icon-fuel: |
| $50 | Full Tank & Coffee | Powers a full day's drive to Bisti Bay or Shiprock | :icon-utensils: |
| $120 | Park & Drone Permits | Unlocks photo access & permits for remote desert mesas | :icon-zap: |
| $350 | Full Trip Sponsorship | Covers gas + lodging for a custom destination dispatch | :icon-ticket: |
| Platform | Handle | Icon | Link |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Patreon | patreon.com/earthlognm | :icon-heart: | https://patreon.com |
| Cash App | $EarthLogNM | :icon-dollar-sign: | https://cash.app |
| Ko-fi | ko-fi.com/earthlognm | :icon-coffee: | https://ko-fi.com |
| Boudieful Hub | boudieful.com | :icon-shopping-bag: | https://www.boudieful.com |
## Press & Media Kit
:icon-newspaper:
Media Kit · Fact Sheet
Press & Fact Sheet
megan@boudieful.com
MWM Photography LLC
Copy Press Email
Email Copied
Download Press Kit
Press Kit Downloaded
Press portrait of photographer Megan Kilpatrick seated in a director's chair with her camera, laughing beside the 53-inch traveling figure used throughout Earth Log: New Mexico
CREATOR & PHOTOGRAPHER
Megan Kilpatrick
Farmington, New Mexico fine-art photographer and educator (www.boudieful.com & www.steamphotographyacademy.com), working in high-desert landscape, road-trip narrative, and editorial storytelling.
PRODUCTION & SHOOT SPECS
Project Fact Sheet
Imagery policy: photographs in this project are shot on location by Megan Kilpatrick. Any illustrated or concept frame is labeled as such on the page and carries no camera data. Press stills at 300DPI available on request.
All intellectual property in Earth Log: New Mexico and its characters is owned exclusively by MWM Photography LLC.
Supporting www.boudieful.com & www.steamphotographyacademy.com.
| Field | Value | Icon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Project | Earth Log: New Mexico, an ongoing location photography series | :icon-book-open: |
| Owner | MWM Photography LLC, Farmington, New Mexico | :icon-building-2: |
| Launched | 2026, currently mid first season | :icon-calendar-days: |
| Territory | New Mexico, with a Four Corners home base | :icon-map: |
| Format | Field dispatches: photographs plus written log entries | :icon-camera: |
| Education | Shoot process doubles as STEAM Photography Academy coursework | :icon-graduation-cap: |
| Item | Spec |
| --- | --- |
| Subject Figure | 53" hand-finished sculpted figure |
| Camera Rig | 35mm film & full-frame digital bodies |
| Primary Lenses | 24mm, 35mm, 85mm primes |
| Permits | Confirmed per location before each shoot date |
## Sign-Off & Follow
:icon-signal:
End of Transmission
Frequency stays open
Keep the frequency open.
New Mexico is not close to finished with us. Pitch a stop, fuel a mile, or just ride along and watch the log fill up one careful entry at a time.
Find the Log & Academy
Copy
Copied
Follow Earth Log: New Mexico for New Mexico road trip photography, Southwest travel stories, and custom photo commissions with Megan Kilpatrick of MWM Photography LLC. Photography workshops and youth STEAM education at STEAM Photography Academy.
Earth Log: New Mexico · Megan Kilpatrick · All content © MWM Photography LLC · Supporting www.boudieful.com & www.steamphotographyacademy.com
Empty New Mexico desert highway at night under a dense star field
| Label | Icon | Target slide |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pitch a Location | :icon-sparkles: | face-jf27ep |
| Fuel the Gas Fund | :icon-fuel: | face-quo146 |
| Back to the Index | :icon-list-ordered: | index-menu |
| Handle | Icon | URL |
| --- | --- | --- |
| @earthlognm | :icon-instagram: | https://www.instagram.com/earthlognm |
| www.boudieful.com | :icon-globe: | https://www.boudieful.com |
| www.steamphotographyacademy.com | :icon-graduation-cap: | https://www.steamphotographyacademy.com |
| megan@boudieful.com | :icon-mail: | mailto:megan@boudieful.com |