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.

Unfocused Foliage, March 27, 2010

Unfocused foliage in Chadron State Park, March 2010. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Every so often, I play with throwing things out of focus and seeing what the shapes look like. Light through a tree creates a collection of highlights broken by softer branch edges. You can see the needle leaves on the left, cutting through a few of the highlights. Plenty to keep the eye moving and exploring in a scene like this.

Steamboat Loop Trail, Chadron State Park, March 27, 2010

 

Butte viewed from Steamboat Loop Trail in Chadron State Park, March 2010. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Steamboat Butte in Chadron State Park, March 2010. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Unfocused foliage in Chadron State Park, March 2010. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Reflections in a Puddle, March 11, 2010

Cloud reflections in a puddle, Chadron, Nebraska, March 2010. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Every so often I see reflections in water and try to photograph them. Sometimes the results work. Here, the entire scene takes on an abstract quality, helped by showing it in black and white, and not the brown tones of the original color. The clouds are abstract forms surrounded by an abstract ovoid littered with tiny ovoids. I like the various tones of the pebbles, especially in the foreground. What is in there below the surface or above the clouds?

Scenes in Chadron, Nebraska, March 11, 2010

 

Snow and dirt in Chadron, Nebraska, March 2010. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Cloud reflections in a puddle, Chadron, Nebraska, March 2010. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Reflected evening sunlight and cat's eyes in Chadron, Nebraska, March 2010. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Evening clouds over a power line in Dawes County, Nebraska, March 2010. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)