Burnt Trunks, Nebraska National Forest, June 25, 2016

Burned tree trunks in the Nebraska National Forest, June 2016. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

At the start of a hike along the Black Hills Overlook Trail four short years after the wildfire and associated burns went through the area, I noticed this collection of burned trunks. Smoke from another (small) fire in the area created softly receding layers in the background, and made the foreground trunks stand out even more. There are some fun landmarks in the background, including a radio tower and the steamboat butte on the right side.

Hawk at Nebraska National Forest, June 4, 2016

A hawk flies over the Nebraska National Forest, June 2016. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

While hiking the Black Hills Overlook trail, I saw a hawk (Or a vulture, or an eagle, or a falcon. I’m not a bird expert. Should I just say “raptor?”) circling overhead. Normally I enjoy the sight of these birds and don’t try photographing them, because I seldom have the necessary long lens to properly cover them. But the wispy clouds made an excellent contrast to the sharp, dark shape of the bird. I like the arrangement here, with the hawk creating the apex of a compositional triangle with the large clouds.