Pipeline Vultures at Ponca State Park, July 18, 2004

Vultures on the pipeline over the Missouri River at Ponca State Park, July 2004. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

The petroleum pipeline spanning the Missouri River at Ponca State Park is a favorite spot of these vultures, who look a little ominous as they relax and share vulture gossip. I find vultures fascinating. They are well-evolved and good at what they do. It may be disgusting, but it also keeps a lot of the nasty diseases from spreading more than they do.

Missouri River Shoreline at Ponca State Park, July 11, 2004

Missouri River shoreline at Ponca State Park, July 2004. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

This is a spot I’ve photographed before, this time featuring a boat as the counterpoint punctuation to go with the driftwood and rocks in the foreground. The last rays of the sun on this stretch of the river highlight the concrete structure out on the water, and some of the driftwood, and some of the shoreline brush.

Shoring up the Shore at Ponca State Park, July 7, 2004

Missouri River shoreline at Ponca State Park, July 2004. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

These rocks are erosion control along the Ponca State Park Missouri River shore. There are some nice curves along this expanded shoreline, and the river even provided some driftwood for my composition. Yes, it was specifically there for me. And off there in the background is the inverted Y support of the petroleum pipeline that spans the river.

Camping on a Spit, Ponca State Park, July 1, 2004

Campers on a Missouri River spit at Ponca State Park, July 2004. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Down at the Ponca State Park dock, I saw a group of campers out on a spit. The post-sunset lighting was monochromatic, except for some fires reflecting on the water. I like the lineup of trees in the distance, so a narrow crop was appropriate. The largest light on the water creates an anchor for the scene.