Trees along the trail, Nebraska National Forest, September 14, 2014

Burned trees along the Black Hills Overlook trail in the Nebraska National Forest, September 2014. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

The 2012 wildfire that swept through the region around Chadron State Park and the Nebraska National Forest continued to show its effects two years later. There are few trees left on the Black Hills Overlook ridge line, but a few stragglers remain standing, blackened and leafless. I included the trail to add to the sense of depth created by the trees leading into the distance.

Thistle, Nebraska National Forest, September 14, 2014

Thistle at the Black Hills Overlook in the Nebraska National Forest, September 2014. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

The road from Chadron State Park to the Black Hills Overlook in the Nebraska National Forest includes grass, sunflowers, pine trees, and some thornier plants. The harsh afternoon sunlight provided a strong outline for the thistle prickles. I used a long lens to keep a tight composition on the plant itself, and tried to find a good balance for the plane of focus. This is a fun composition to explore, and I like the delicate character of the soft background compared to the sharp foreground.

Smiley Canyon, Fort Robinson, September 13, 2014

Sunset on a fallen tree at Smiley Canyon in Fort Robinson State Park, September 2014. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

There are a number of rocky outcroppings at the high end of Smiley Canyon in Fort Robinson State Park. With the variety of yucca, small flowers, grass, fallen trees, and live trees to work with against the rocks, I find plenty of opportunities to play with near-middle-far compositions.

On this September evening in 2014, I continued to see what I could do with the rough patterns of rock and weathered wood, plus the dots of color from the flowers. The sunset gave everything a warm glow to match the flowers, and I ended up with a top-down view of the tree with the flower next to it. There is a bit of depth at the top, showing the ground somewhere below the small cliff created by this particular outcropping. I pushed the saturation and contrast up to showcase the range of tones in the scene.