Geese on the Niobrara River, December 20, 2011

Canada geese on the Niobrara River near Valentine, Nebraska, December 2011. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

A long-lens view of geese on the Niobrara River. This arrangement of warm and cold tones across the water, broken up by dozens of geese, is pretty straightforward. The far shoreline provides a stopping point for the composition. The fun thing with these scenes is the variety you can find from the various geese. Sadly, none are spreading their wings, which would be the perfect anchor for the composition.

The Lagoon, October 22, 2011

Tree on the lagoon shoreline at Chadron State Park, October 2011. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

I borrowed a twin-lens reflex camera and shot a roll of TMAX-400, developed in some witch's brew or another, and repro-photographed the negatives. Plenty of dirty sky here, but that's partly my post-processing. The lagoon at Chadron State Park has been drained and refilled in the intervening years, and we've lost some of the trees. I like this tranquil scene, which includes a bit of father-son fishing day. Fun reflections, too. I kept one of my other shots from the day for the gallery, this time a closeup of the dock.

Dock on the lagoon at Chadron State Park, October 2011. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Pine Needles on the Rocks, October 8, 2011

Pine needles on rocks in Grace Coolidge Creek, Custer State Park, October 2011. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

A foggy, rainy day in Custer State Park is great fun. Even if you're not shooting, the heightened aerial perspective gives the park a different look. Grace Coolidge Creek flows near a small cave, Hole in the Wall Picnic Area. I liked the look of the fine pine needles on the mossy rocks in the stream, and played with an arrangement of the rocks with a long exposure. I like the contrast from the soft light on the water against the darker rocks, along with the dark green color contrasted with the bright yellow-orange needles and leaves.

Riders in the Dust, September 9, 2011

Rodeo in Chadron, Nebraska, September 2011. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Before the rodeo started, the evening sun was glowing through a wall of dust that was kicked up by the riders as they moved up and down the dirt path beside the arena. I took several shots, which showcase the different movements and actions of the riders. The dust acts like a fog, obscuring most detail except for the shapes of the horses and riders. It was a beautiful scene.

Runner at Ponca State Park, August 13, 2011

A runner heads north through Ponca State Park in August 2011. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

While heading toward the Missouri River, which is a hundred meters down the road from here, I saw a runner. She was heading in this direction, and I thought I’d get a fun balancing act between her and the tree trunk. A contrast study in a variety of ways: color, motion, size, time… The trick with running forms is to get the timing just right with the legs, heels, and arms conveying just the right form and sense of forward movement. Her right leg is too straight—a split-second earlier and it probably would have been bent enough to match the similar angle of the left leg. The motion blur helps to convey motion, so I’ll go with it. No, I’m not going to use the motor drive and try to grab it at five frames per second (in this case). That’s a crutch better not relied on. I like the subtle warm and cold light on the tree, especially how the texture comes out on the warm side.

Aerial Hills in Dawes County, August 12, 2011

Aerial view of hills near Chadron, Nebraska, August 2011. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

An early flight around Chadron reveals texture and wonderful forms in the hills, valleys, and small canyons that make up the landscape. There is a bit of a triangle in the arrangement of the hilltops from lower right, to center left, and then on to the upper right. A veiling mist across the top of the frame makes a grand scene slightly more intimate than it would otherwise be.

Storm Clouds over Soldier Creek Wilderness, July 2 2011

Storm clouds over Fort Robinson State Park and Soldier Creek Wilderness, July 2011. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

A stormy evening resulted in lovely cloud patterns after the rain passed. I climbed a hill near Soldier Creek for a better view. The hills in the distance, normally large enough, are dwarfed by the skyscape. I like the sweep of the cloud curves and varying contrast throughout.