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.

Dredging the Missouri River, June 7, 2004

Dredging along the Missouri River shoreline at Ponca State Park, working to create the backwater channel, June 2004. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

The Overlook Trail at Ponca State Park has a few cliffside spots where you can look out over the Missouri River. This is a bit of a different perspective compared to the overlook platform, and can be helpful in arranging foreground and background objects that are both distant to the photographer. Here in 2004, there is a project going to dredge a backwater channel along the Nebraska shoreline, which will create a habitat for birds, fish, and the ecosystem that goes with them. I don’t know the specifics of the dredging process, but it’s interesting to see the machinery involved. I like the arc of the floats in the foreground, which point back toward the boats and other equipment, and beyond toward the shore.

The Mountains from Black Elk Peak, April 17, 2004

View from Black Elk Peak, April 2004. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

My first hike up Black Elk Peak, and here is a compressed telephoto scene with some fore-middle-background elements. The middle is the weakest part, but I do like the zig-zag feeling I get from the rocks in that portion. The foreground gets some edge lighting to showcase the jagged rocks, while the background fades into softly rolling hills. Pretty simple arrangement, but I'll take it.

Ponca State Park, October 17, 2004

 

Cottonwood Tree in Chadron, Nebraska

 

Trail toward a cottonwood, Chadron, Nebraska, October 2003. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Farm Ruins, Dixon County, July 22, 2003

Farm ruins in Dixon County, Nebraska, July 2003. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

I was invited to photograph an old farm, and spent a couple days photographing in and out of the buildings. There was plenty of variety in the levels of decay throughout. This scene shows some interior and exterior, with wonderful diffused light. I was shooting on C-41 monochrome film, so focused only on texture and tonality. I like the organic shapes of the strings contrasting with the straight lines of the wooden structure.