Swollen River, South Sioux City, May 28, 2011

Flood waters from the swollen Missouri River encroach on the grounds at Scenic Park in South Sioux City, Nebraska, May, 2011. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

The Missouri River experienced heavy flooding in 2011. During a lighter portion of the flood, I was out late at Scenic Park in South Sioux City with the idea of photographing a surreal landscape. Here, the water was pushing far onto the grass of the park, and I remember seeing frogs and a turtle taking up temporary residence earlier in the day. The composition is about mirror images, and is a long-exposure, high-dynamic-range composite. The curved strip in the middle is steam or something like that from an industrial building, blowing in the breeze. The long exposures that make up this composite smoothed out any motion in the water, creating clean reflections.

Fence line, Dawes County, May 1, 2011

Fence line, Dawes County, May 2011. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

It was a great day for clouds, and this fence had just the right amount of weathering. Usually I see scenes while I'm driving, and it's impractical to stop. Or the scene turns out to not work when I do stop. The grass is the third element in the object triangle, providing a set of gentle curves to offset the straight lines of the fence and the foreboding clouds.

Afternoon Clouds over Dawes County, Nebraska, May 1, 2011

 

There's that spare tire you've been looking for, Dawes County, Nebraska, May 2011. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Clouds over Dawes County, Nebraska, May 2011. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Fence line, Dawes County, Nebraska, May 2011. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Clouds over Ormesher Road in Dawes County, Nebraska, May 2011. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Clouds gather over a farming implement in Dawes County, Nebraska, May 2011. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Bison in Dawes County, Nebraska, May 2011. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Dark clouds over a treeline in Dawes County, Nebraska, May 2011. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Growth on Highway 61, April 20, 2011

Plants grow through the surface of an old portion of Highway 61 near Arthur, Nebraska in April 2011. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Worm's eye view of old Highway 61 and the organic material protruding through the asphalt. I'm not a fan of the horizontal bits on the left and should have pushed them aside. But I like the monumental feeling of the main bush, and the orderly yellow line making its way to the horizon.

Hillside Trees at Fort Robinson State Park, April 3, 2011

 

Fallen trees at Fort Robinson State Park, April 2011. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Fallen tree at Fort Robinson State Park, April 2011. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Fallen trees at Fort Robinson State Park, April 2011. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Fallen tree at Fort Robinson State Park, April 2011. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Yucca and trees on a hillside at Fort Robinson State Park, April 2011. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Clouds Over Crow Butte, April 3, 2011

Clouds over Dawes County, Nebraska, April 2011. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

It was a Sunday afternoon with soft, but dramatic, clouds in the sky. I drove down a gravel road, looking for an angle on Crow Butte, and this simple scene seemed sufficient. The nearby tree provides a tiny bit of foreground material to punctuate things, but the key pieces are the butte itself and the wonderful clouds above. I like the closer puffs set against the soft striations beyond. I should play with the details at the bottom, to keep the tree from disappearing against the hills behind it.

Sunset at Fort Robinson State Park, April 2, 2011

 

Sunset at Fort Robinson State Park, April 2011. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Sunset at Fort Robinson State Park, April 2011. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Sunset at Fort Robinson State Park, April 2011. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Sunset at Fort Robinson State Park, April 2011. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Sunset at Fort Robinson State Park, April 2011. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Sunset at Fort Robinson State Park, April 2011. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)