Park Avenue in the Snow, December 27, 2012

A tree points along Park Avenue toward The Organ in Arches National Park, December 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Rock walls line the Park Avenue trail, with views out toward other landmarks in Arches National Park. This is a composition includes a careful figure-ground arrangement, complete with a tiny Balanced Rock in the extreme distance. The Organ is the more prominent background element, while this insignificant tree is the star attraction.

Grand Canyon Sunrise, December 26, 2012

Sunrise at the Grand Canyon, December 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

I took plenty of compressed perspective photos, focusing on nothing but rocks overlapping rocks overlapping more rocks. The shadows throughout the day have plenty of variety in tone and color, but I pushed a few of my photos in post to play with even more varied color renderings. Here, I've emphasized the blue aerial perspective, and shifted the foreground reds toward magenta. It might be over the top, but it's worth exploring these hue adjustments to see what you like. I won't call this a great photo, but it's useful to see one possibility.

Infrared Tree at the Grand Canyon, December 25, 2012

A tree stands near the rim of the Grand Canyon, December 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

I had my infrared camera on my Grand Canyon trip, but I didn't use it much. This is one of the few infrared shots that I liked enough to keep in the public collection. One of the easy compositions at the canyon is to use the trees on the rim as framing and foreground elements in a composition, showing some of the tiny details against a far more massive background. The infrared rendering shows the green needles as bright white. This is plenty of contrast against the red rocks of the canyon, but it has a different tonality than the snow that's also present at this time of year. The dark sky that results from the infrared rendering also helps showcase those bright leaves. It, too, has a different tonality than the canyon rocks, allowing for more good tonal separation.

Storm Clearing at the Grand Canyon, December 24, 2012

Rock faces in the Grand Canyon throw shadows across clouds during a snowstorm, December 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

When I arrived at the canyon the second day of my visit, I was greeted with a short blizzard. The large scale of the canyon makes for plenty of localized weather patterns that are visible for miles. After the blizzard cleared from the south end, there were great clouds and shadows in the north canyons, and plenty of warm tones as the sun set. As always, it's difficult to show the large and small details at once, so this composition focuses on the various lines created by overlapping cliffs and shadows cast through the clouds.

Grand Canyon Sightseers, December 23, 2012

Two people look over the Grand Canyon, December 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Even in the middle of winter you'll find plenty of people at the Grand Canyon. While walking along a trail, I noticed these two visible through a gap in the trees, with a good backdrop. If I remember right, there are a lot more people if you move a pace or to to the left and right. But this keeps the scene more intimate, amid the grandiose surroundings. I don't like the scraggly branches in the upper-right corner. Better see about cropping or spotting them out.

Delicate Arch, December 22, 2012

Mid-morning sun warms hikers as they explore Delicate Arch in December 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

It's a bit of a hike up to Delicate Arch. Not terribly strenuous, but watch out on some of the ledges if there's snow and ice on the ground. The overcast clouds opened in places with whisps and blue sky. The sweeping curve of the rocks leading to the arch is a balancing element against the more random clouds above. The distant La Sal Mountains behind the arch provide more depth. I like the strong reds of the rocks, punctuated by snow here and there.

Tenmile Peak at Night, December 21, 2012

A view toward Frisco, Colorado, and Tenmile Peak off Interstate 70, December 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

While on my way to Arizona, I pulled off the road near Frisco, Colorado, because I saw the mountain with the town before it and wanted to see if I could pull off a reasonable photo. Multiple exposures were definitely necessary to deal with the bright city lights and dark mountain. I didn't have a lot of maneuvering room for the composition, and I don't really like the tree on the left side. There are HDR merge artifacts, though they are minor at a normal viewing distance (I really should do some spotting to clean them up). Beyond that, I like the colorful city lights and strong lines from the traffic on the interstate. It's fun to see the glow on the lower end of the mountain from the city, with the higher end getting only light from the sky. It's worth stopping if you see something.

Inside the Ruins, December 15, 2012

Inside the Ruins, December 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

The Space Heater of the Gods is difficult to control under the best of circumstances. Nebraska winters tempt the user to set the heater to “11,” which is just asking for trouble. In this case, the beam blasted through the roof and was visible from North Dakota.

The Moon Near Jupiter, November 2012

The moon rises with Jupiter nearby, relatively speaking, November 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

With the last vestiges of sunset lighting the clouds, the moon shows through. My intent was to show a clean view of the moon, clouds and planet. This is a composite of two photos, one to show detail in the moon and one to show detail in the clouds. Editing includes hue and tone adjustments to show the detail in the clouds and moon.

Sand Scenes in Sioux City, November 21, 2012

A stretch of sand in Larsen Park deposited during the 2011 Missouri River flood near Veterans Memorial Bridge, Sioux City, Iowa, November 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Sand blows across a small dune near the Missouri River at Larsen Park in Sioux City, Iowa, November 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Sand detail at Larsen Park in Sioux City, Iowa, November 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

A varied selection today, all from Larsen Park on the Sioux City shore of the Missouri River. The sand levels were high on the shore shortly after the record high-water levels in the area. This selection shows a progression from far to near and some of the variety to be found in this small park. The first photo finds a bit of inspiration from "Lawrence of Arabia," with the bridge floating on a sea of sand, and me happily breaking the rule of thirds. You may have heard me say that the idea should be called the guideline of thirds to keep people from mindlessly sticking to it. It's all about balance. The other two photos are studies in counterbalancing elements. Light and dark, shadow and light, solid blocks and skeletal detail. And finally, a monumental set of two-inch forms (inspired in this case by Andreas Feininger's close up work).

Fire Aftermath, Chadron State Park, November 3, 2012

Late afternoon sun highlights a tree trunk amid blackened ground and shed needles. Crews prescriptively burned a large amount of potential fuel in Chadron State Park in response to wildfires throughout the area in 2012.

The 2012 wildfire that went through Dawes County made its presence felt at Chadron State Park, where workers did a fair amount of preventive burning to save structures within the park. The Black Hills Overlook in the Nebraska National Forest on the northwest end of the park experienced a massive change in appearance. Here in November 2012, several months after the wildfire, there are yellowing dead needles and blackened ground. Throw a little symbolism in there with the greenery in the distance to show that the land will recover. That's a little trite for me. This is a simple arrangement, with the tree trunk making for a strong presence in the foreground, and some nice texture revealed by the side light.

Reflections at Chadron State Park, September 23, 2012

Reflections at the lagoon in Chadron State Park, September 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Around the time of the 2012 wildfire near Chadron, the usual fall colors were coming in, too. On this Sunday morning, I headed out to Chadron State Park to see what I could find. The lagoon near the park entrance is a popular fishing and paddle boating site surrounded by trees. On this morning, the water was nearly still, and I found a nice location on the shore to arrange a near-middle-far composition. A little pareidolia in the foreground log gives me the impression of a horse head. I like the touch of gold from the near leaves, repeated of course in the far trees. The sky is a collection of soft clouds, adding a bit of subtle detail in the water reflection. Finally, I like the double diagonal and curve created by the center-left and -right trees on the far shore.

The Needles with Glowing Trees, September 3, 2012

The Needles in Custer State Park, September 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

I’m not a big fan of mid-day landscape photography, but there are trinkets to be found. Silhouettes are a possibility. I found this scene intriguing because of the glowing leaves on the trees that were in just the right spot to fit with this spire. From there, I need to make sure my exposure is dark enough to hold detail in those bright areas. In the end, I just might get an interesting study in contrast and negative space.

Moonrise and Powerlines, September 1, 2012

The moon, in waning gibbous phase, rises over Dunlap Road near Box Butte Reservoir State Recreation Area, September 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

While I was driving back from Box Butte Reservoir, the moon made its appearance in glowing color against the darkening backdrop of the road and powerlines. Though as I think about it, the idea of a backdrop in this case isn’t quite accurate. It’s a compositional shorthand. The moon is warmer and brighter than the rest of the elements, so it appears to take the foreground. I was pushing the old D2x and 80-200 pretty far for this, because I need to pull in plenty of light for the earthbound elements, plus I needed depth of field to keep those elements sharp along with the moon, plus I needed a short enough shutter speed to keep the moon from blurring as it moved, plus I needed a short enough shutter speed to keep the moon from appearing too bright. All that and the camera’s sensor falls apart with underexposure and ISOs higher than 400. It’s a little softer than I’d like, but holds up well enough in a moderate-sized print. The more I look at this, I need to see what it looks like when I remove the tree on the far right, which should further simplify the composition and enhance the lines pointing to the moon. N.B. The moon rose between the power lines, and I shot the photo with that composition. As I reviewed the photo processed it, there was a clear choice: move that sucker where it appears now.

Wildfire Smoke, August 30, 2012

The sun shows through a slight break in smoke from wildfires near Chadron, Nebraska, August 2012. A number of fires burned thousands of acres in the Nebraska panhandle in the fall of 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

With wildfires raging across the area, but not quite in your backyard, there are some unreal situations. This reminds me of the dawnless day when the forces of Mordor began their march on Minas Tirith. I like the texture of light and dark in these clouds of smoke, with the sun’s disk visible behind but nowhere near as bright as it should be in the afternoon. This is an eerie place to be.

Red Leaf at Fort Robinson, August 25, 2012

Red leaf detail at Fort Robinson State Park, August 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

At the shore of the Johnson Reservoir at Fort Robinson, I found this twig that had seen better days. Its last leaf is a brilliant red, shown here contrasting with a green background. I like the glow of light in the veins of the leaf, with a counterpoint made in the dark veins of the dried leaf above.

Sunset at the Nebraska National Forest, August 24, 2012

Sunset at the Nebraska National Forest, August 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Sometimes the sky is just right and you can see the sun as it drops behind the distant hills. There is great variety in the lighting and color of the clouds, plus the gradient of bare sky as it goes from blues to reds.

Infrared Shoreline at Box Butte Reservoir, August 11, 2012

Infrared photo of trees along the shore at Box Butte Reservoir, August 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

The water had been quite a bit higher up to this point. Now, walking out onto the marshy shore, you can find signs of water plants that had been present during the high-water time. This is an extended exposure that shows some motion blur, as the plants move in the breeze. The two bright tree limbs in the foreground and the plants at their base form the point of interest, with the remaining elements being darker or more obscured. I like the bed of plants on the lower left, which anchor the scene.

Mount Moran through the Fog, July 5, 2012

Mount Moran from across Jackson Lake. Skillet Glacier is visible on the left side of the mountain face. July 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

I’m passing through Grand Teton National Park and it’s a beautiful foggy day. This is Mount Moran, emerging from the mist and anchored by Jackson Lake and a line of trees. The mountain being half visible makes it look even larger.

Walking the Dog, Arcadia Beach, July 2 2012

A beachgoer walks her dog near Lion Rock at Arcadia Beach State Recreation Site in July 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

My first visit to Arcadia Beach was at low tide, making for great access to the rocks and tide pools on the shore. I had my infrared camera and this was a good spot to show the contrast of the rocks and organisms. The lady and her dog finish the scene and provide some scale, while the tide pools in the foreground provide depth.

Puget Sound Shoreline, June 30, 2012

Shoreline view toward Puget Sound in Seattle, Washington, July 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

My first visit to Seattle, and of course I had to take a look at the Space Needle site. There’s quite a bit to see, from sculptures to architecture to the coastline. I was drawn to these rocks and the clouds beyond. It’s a straightforward fore-middle-background arrangement. I like the smaller rocks in the left corner, which add their own color and texture to the scene.

Missouri River Shoreline at Clay County, South Dakota, May 25, 2012

 

Driftwood along the shore of the Missouri River in Clay County, South Dakota, May 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Driftwood along the shore of the Missouri River in Clay County, South Dakota, May 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Driftwood along the shore of the Missouri River in Clay County, South Dakota, May 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Infrared Tree on the Hill at Fort Robinson, May 19, 2012

Infrared view of a hillside tree at Fort Robinson State Park, May 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

This trail starts at a spur off Soldier Creek Road in Fort Robinson. When you drive up to the parking loop and reach the top, there is a chance the hillside will be covered with longhorn steers. At that point, you have to ask yourself, "Do I feel lucky?" Well, not really, punk. And you save that trail for another day. The trail proper leads back into the hills for a lovely day hike. At the start you can climb the nearest hill and see over the landscape back toward the fort and up toward the reservoir. If you are shooting infrared, you can see the far hills even more clearly. This view wouldn't work in this lighting if not for the foreground tree, which provides some much needed contrast.

Infrared Trees in the Nebraska National Forest, May 9, 2012

 

Infrared path through the trees in the Nebraska National Forest, May 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Infrared trees in the Nebraska National Forest, May 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Infrared tree detail in the Nebraska National Forest, May 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Infrared trees and landscape in the Nebraska National Forest, May 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Infrared tree detail in the Nebraska National Forest, May 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Infrared trees in the Nebraska National Forest, May 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Clouds over Kane County, Utah, April 16, 2012

Clouds over Kane County, Utah, April 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

This aerial scene includes a canyon, jagged though it may be, to act as a straight line counterbalancing the curved mass of clouds opposite it. Those cloud shadows below are great fun. They look like they're not far below, but then again, they are far below. This is one of those times when I feel comfortable with the light at high noon, or thereabout.

From Las Vegas to Lake Powell, April 16, 2012

 

Artwork at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada, April 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Artwork at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada, April 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Panorama at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada, April 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Clouds over Coconino County, Arizona, April 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Clouds over Kane County, Utah, April 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Clouds over San Juan County, Utah, April 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Lake Powell at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, April 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Lake Powell horseshoe bend at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, April 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Streambed in San Juan County, Utah, April 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Titanic, April 15, 2012

Titanic model at the Luxor, Las Vegas, Nevada, April 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

The Luxor has a great exhibit about the Titanic, and a big model of the ship in the lobby. I can't countenance pulling personal artifacts from an ocean grave, but I took a look. One hundred years, almost to the day, since the sinking, and it's a haunting experience to look at the iron hull, the china, and the personal effects of people who died there.

Evening in Las Vegas, April 15, 2012

 

Buildings and clouds in Las Vegas, Nevada, April 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Buildings and clouds in Las Vegas, Nevada, April 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Waterfront and structures at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, Nevada, April 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Contrail viewed from the Bellagio, Las Vegas, Nevada, April 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Evening sidewalk in Las Vegas, Nevada, April 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Clouds over Coconino County, Arizona, April 14, 2012

Clouds over Coconino County, Arizona, April 2012. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

I don't always fly, but when I do I try to take photos. The first time I went up in a plane at age six, I was entranced by the thick clouds when we rose above them. I thought it was snow at first. Clouds continue to fascinate me, and this photo is mostly about clouds. I like the sense of scale shown by the similar cloud shapes as they recede into the distance. The empty spot in the middle, showing some of the Arizona landscape, keeps the scene from being just about clouds.