Not many books about New Mexico have a picture of the state-line welcome sign riddled with bullets
on the cover.

A Year Or So In the Life of New Mexico — An Uncensored Look at Life in the Land of Enchantment does. The book, created and funded by photojournalist Rick Carver for the benefit of Esperanza Shelter for Battered Families, features images by 50 local photographers that capture life in its most artistic form — reality.

Carver wanted to put together a book that depicted New Mexico in a way he hadn't seen in local bookstores. "I wanted to take it a bit further and cover some of the darker sides of life in New Mexico," Carver said.

Inside the 2,500 printed books are photos of everything from prisoners having their heads
X-rayed to the U.S.S. New Mexico battleship heading out into the Atlantic Ocean. There are photos of the New Mexico/Mexico border, one showing a gate that is visibly unlocked. There are black-and-white photos of hot air balloons sailing over the Rio Grande and vibrant photos of the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad winding through red and yellow aspens.

When Carver began planning the book three years ago, he looked for an organization that needed financial help. He decided on the Esperanza shelter because of its dedication to so many unheard individuals in New Mexico, according to Carver. He worked closely with shelter Directory Sherry Taylor, who said she had never seen anybody spend so much time on a fundraiser for the nonprofit.

"It will help us tremendously, but I think it's good for New Mexico, too," Taylor said. "I don't know if there has been a book quite like this."

Carver worked as a photojournalist prior to beginning this project. He spent time in places that fell victim to some of the worst human-rights disasters in history, including Bosnia and parts of Africa. A resident of Santa Fe for 12 years, he said his past played a big role in choosing the subject matter for this book. When recruiting photographers, he told them "nothing is off the table."

"The board of tourism probably isn't real keen on it," he said with a smile.

After almost three years and about 5,000 photo submissions, he narrowed the book down to 400 photos, and included among the images powerful essays from photographers and locals.

The book, which Carver plans on promoting throughout the state over the next six months, will be sold through the Esperanza shelter at local markets and malls. It is also available on the organization's website at
esperanzashelter.org.

The book costs $50 and will not be sold in retail stores because Carver says not enough money would make it directly to the shelter. Selling the book independently allows for a donation of $38 per sale to go to the shelter. Sold in bookstores, only $5 per sale would go to the shelter.

Taylor says the funds are desperately needed since the shelter has suffered a 35 percent budget cut over the last two years. From the beginning, Carver did this for the shelter, knowing that he would see no monetary benefit from it. And that is what he told the contributing photographers as they traveled to areas that were previously off-limits to photographers and the public. "They did all this for one thing — Esperanza," Carver said of his photographers.

For more information on the book, visit www.ayearorsonm.com or www.esperanzashelter.org.



Contact Nico Roesler at 986-3084 or nroesler@sfnewmexican.com.