Blurred Trees, Yellowstone National Park, July 31, 2010

Blurred trees near Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park, July 2010. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

If I’m in the passenger seat, at some point I’ll shoot for motion blur. The contrast between the white tree trunks and darker grass and leaves makes an excellent palette for smearing detail. I like the small details in the bark and foliage that have frozen at the right moment and provide additional contrast against the blurred portions.

Pilings on Flathead Lake, Somers, Montana, July 30, 2010

Birds and boats on Flathead Lake in Somers, Montana, July 2010. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

It was a rainy morning on the shore of Flathead Lake in Somers. I was pleased to find this scene with old pilings, birds, boats, and mountains in the distance. The scene was monochromatic, and I pushed that further with a blue-tone treatment.

Hidden Creek Aerial, Glacier National Park, July 29, 2010

Hidden Creek, Mount Cannon, Clements Mountain, Mount Siyeh, Bearhat Mountain in Glacier National Park, July 2010. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

I was fortunate to schedule a helicopter tour in the morning, and saw some wonderful mountain scenes. This shows Hidden Creek with shafts of light and shadow. I like the shadows on the lines of the mountains and the greenery against the rock.

Evening Light, Glacier National Park, July 28, 2010

McPartland Mountain, Mount Cannon, Mount Vaught, and Stanton Mountain, viewed from Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park, July 2010. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

At every turn on Going-to-the-Sun Road, there are all sorts of interesting views. This one shows the rough looking tree-filled texture of the near mountain, along with a few more in shadow to complete the scene. I like the varying angles that go with the afternoon light.

Sunset at Lake McDonald, Glacier National Park, July 27, 2010

Evening at Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park, July 2010. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

The Lake McDonald shore is a short walk from the cabin, and I spent a couple evenings taking photos as the sun set. This is a composite to get detail in the shadow and highlight areas. The rocks in the foreground look beautiful, and then my eye looks across the log toward the shadowed mountains and finally to the sky with its texture of clouds. It’s a relaxing place to be.

Looking toward Mount Oberlin, Glacier National Park, July 26, 2010

Overlooking Going-to-the-Sun Road toward Mount Oberlin in Glacier National Park, July 2010. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

There is harsh sunlight out here. I have pushed the contrast and saturation up, which also serves to simplify the scene, reducing it to a plant, a road, and a mountain. The lines in the leaves mirror the lines on the distant mountain. Though the road bisects the top and bottom, there is an implied line created by the stream leading to the shadowy ridge that reconnects the elements in the scene.

Sunlit Trees at the Helena National Forest, July 25, 2010

Late morning sunlight strikes trees at Helena National Forest, July 2010. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

It may be marching toward noon, but here in a canyon in Helena National Forest, that might be the perfect time to catch trees lit up. There is ambient light bouncing around on the rocks, creating a combination of cool and warm tones. I like the triple shapes of lit trees against a darker backdrop of unlit trees, further framed by the rocks.