Dakotagraph

Eagles are there

2012-01-29T09:25:00.003-06:00

Basically just a snapshot today to show that the eagles are congregated in the Oahe Downstream Recreation Area north of Pierre. Seeing them is easy, getting a good photograph is another, at least for me this weekend.

There are eight in this photo, bald and goldens together and I could count 16 total from this vantage point. Spending more time and being patient to let the photo reveal itself I'm sure could yield some great shots.

Re-discovery

2012-01-27T18:36:00.006-06:00

You know what's fun about days when the weather or climate isn't doing anything interesting? Digging through old folders of photos and finding fun stuff you might have missed from the past.

This is from a shoot on the Circle View Guest Ranch near Interior, South Dakota in 2009. I remember a great evening with good models and awesome scenery and light.

Full information on Circle View Guest Ranch can be found at their website.

Variations on a frosty theme

2012-01-25T12:14:00.000-06:00

I doubt there were too many people in Pierre last night that were as disappointed as I was when the large snowflakes falling at 5 pm dwindled away before they amounted to much. I was hoping to get some pretty winter pictures just as twilight fell and streetlights came on.

Instead I found wet, dripping tree branches everywhere. So I did the best I could in capturing something. This isn't exactly the beautiful shot I was looking for, but it's interesting to see wet pine needles with the South Dakota capitol building in the background.

As temperatures dropped overnight I was hoping for a frosty morning. There was frost, but not as thick as some days. I found a version of the previous night's drops frozen to a branch near the railroad bridge over the Missouri River between Pierre and Fort Pierre.

The railroad bridge tends to be one of those iconic items like the capitol that draws photographers in the area. Instead of concentrating on the bridge itself I used it as a backdrop for the frost, much like I used the capitol for the water drops.

So even though the weather conditions didn't fully cooperate with my vision, Mother Nature did provide something to shoot. I'm still hoping for more fog and frost this week.

Join the "Battle At F-Stop Ridge"

2012-01-20T18:39:00.003-06:00

I realize this camera store is in Calgary, Alberta, but I'm loving their video promos. Check out the "Battle At F-Stop Ridge 2."

The original "Battle At F-Stop Ridge" is here and the landscape in "The Desert: A Cautionary Tale" looks very much like South Dakota's Badlands.

Reflections

2012-01-20T09:11:00.001-06:00

Last night while helping clean up after the Governor's Conference on Tourism I noticed these fun reflections and sparkles in shiny decorations. Had to stop and shoot.

Governor Janklow's memorial service

2012-01-17T10:18:00.002-06:00

William J. Janklow 1939-2012

Caption contest

2012-01-13T14:54:00.004-06:00

No real reason for this photo other than I stumbled across it in my files today. I took the picture of the squirrel a few years ago and thought it would be fun to put a camera in his hands. So feel free to add your own caption.

See the view from the top of Mount Rushmore

2012-01-11T07:22:00.004-06:00

Ever wish you could visit the top of the heads on Mount Rushmore? I've been lucky enough to be there a few times, but post-9/11 restrictions have made it much less likely for any of us to get there. However, thanks to technology, we can now all see the view that the presidents see.

A new website shows the results of laser scanning on the monument, 3-D models, etc. Much of this intensive study of the granite carvings will be used by the National Park Service to monitor cracks and shifts in the rock, etc.

For me the best part of the project is several 360-degree rotatable tours of the top of the mountain and the Hall of Records. Follow this link and click on "Virtual Tour" near the bottom of the page. As you click on views of the mountain, look for green arrows within each image that will lead you to more views.

Mount Rushmore 3-D laser scanned

I've now finally been able to stand under Teddy Roosevelt's chin, even if it's only "virtual." Here's one of my shots from the top of his head.

Wow on the prairie

2012-01-06T17:14:00.000-06:00

Lately I've been hoping for the snow that usually covers the South Dakota prairie this time of year. However, there's still much beauty to be found in nature even with brown, dry grass covering the plains.

All it takes is the right light.

Wildlife of a fowl kind

2012-01-05T17:54:00.003-06:00

A sunrise visit to the Downstream Recreation Area just below Oahe Dam north of Pierre this morning yielded 19 bald and golden eagle sightings, along with untold numbers of ducks and geese, various hawks and one red-bellied woodpecker.

I have the best luck photographing from the car, but these eagles did sit long enough for me to get out and find an angle where they weren't obscured by tree branches.

More Pen shooting in Minnesota

2011-12-29T16:39:00.003-06:00

I'm beginning to feel more comfortable with my Olympus Pen E-P3 and played with it a little during the Christmas weekend.

We visited a couple Twin Cities iconic sculptures - "Spoonbridge and Cherry" at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden and the Mary Tyler Moore statue in downtown Minneapolis. Both were shot specifically for HDR with auto bracketing and processed through Photomatix and Photoshop.

The camera's manual controls allowed me to use f22 to produce a starburst from the sun rising through a Christmas cactus in my sister-in-law's sunroom.

Black and white Black Hills

2011-12-24T13:33:00.001-06:00

If you've looked around this blog much you know I don't often shoot black and white photos. Once in a great while something jumps out at me that begs for the monochromatic treatment and this day in the Black Hills was one.

After the first big snow of the year the sun popped out on this morning near Hill City. A wind began whipping the fresh snow off the trees and creating incredible light streaks through the forest. It was another one of those scenes that I couldn't just drive by, I had to shoot it.

Black and white conversion was done in the Photomatix HDR process, with a tiny bit of tweaking in Photoshop.

Mirrorless at Disney World

2011-12-21T22:34:00.003-06:00

Despite the advice that I give people about not purchasing a new camera immediately before going on a big vacation trip, that's exactly what I did this month. I had my Olympus Pen E-P3 not quite a week when I found myself at Walt Disney World in Florida.

Even though I fumbled through some of the controls and kind of gave up on taking professional quality photos, I was generally happy with the results. These are my favorite shots from the trip.

The Pen E-P3 is one of the new generation of mirrorless cameras, also known as Electronic Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens cameras or EVIL. There's no truth to the rumor that I bought one just for the acronym.

It is fun to have all the controls of a large SLR in such a small package. I know the camera is more capable than the operator with not enough practice was during this test.

If you'd like to see more photos and video I shot with the little Olympus, check out my video at YouTube.

Roadside sharptails

2011-12-18T16:21:00.003-06:00

South Dakota's rural roadsides are great place to photograph wildlife. Keeping an eye on the ditches can provide photo opportunities with anything from migrating birds to big game.

Please be very careful about stopping along any road and watch for traffic, but even while keeping safe you can practice your animal photo skills. These sharp-tailed grouse were captured along Highway 14 near Midland with a 400mm lens balanced on a beanbag across the car window frame.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-16T06:55:00.000-06:00

Got a little artistic in my attempt to make a Christmas card wallpaper. Hope everyone enjoys the holiday season!

Click on the photo to enlarge it, then right click and "Save as Desktop Background."

Another spectacular capitol sunset

2011-12-08T10:20:00.000-06:00

You've seen them here before, but it's hard to not shoot sunsets over the capitol building in Pierre when they look like this.

Nostalgic treasure in Belvidere

2011-12-05T17:35:00.000-06:00

For some reason, I've never stopped off Interstate 90 at Belvidere, South Dakota. Recently I decided to do a little exploring and was happily surprised to find a deteriorating relic of travel days gone by.

The Kozy Korner Motel has obviously seen better days, but is a great photo subject for those of us who love nostalgic tourism spots.

Looking for the Kozy Korner? You can't miss it just a few blocks south of the interstate on Belvidere's main drag. Just don't plan to stay here, you'll probably need to head for nearby Kadoka for that.

Aerial video beauty

2011-12-02T08:32:00.003-06:00

South Dakota from the air as filmed by SkyWorks this summer. Video editing by Scott Howard.

Geese in full force at Capitol

2011-11-29T13:10:00.003-06:00

Yes, the Canada geese have invaded the Pierre/Fort Pierre area again. I was out testing my new Olympus Pen E-P3 mirrorless camera by shooting a few shots of them at Capitol Lake.

The camera seems to do the trick, but will take some getting used to from my typical huge Nikons with extra battery grip. I will put this tiny Olympus through its paces soon and see how far we can push the limits.

Christmas at the Capitol underway

2011-11-28T17:24:00.000-06:00

The annual filling of the South Dakota State Capitol hallways with fully decorated Christmas trees has taken place and will be available for viewing through December 26.

As usual, I tried to find a new angle to photograph this year but ended up drifting back to the shiny reflecting ornaments again.

I did lay my camera on it's back directly under this large star to get the capitol rotunda dome above it. The 30-second exposure captured a slight rotation of the ornament while the photo was being taken.

There are lots more angles to find and work with if you visit Christmas at the Capitol. Have fun finding your favorite!

An early winter morning in Custer State Park

2011-11-21T18:03:00.010-06:00

November 21, 2011 - Catch the sunrise on a picturesque barn and Calamity Peak just west of Custer State Park...

Shoot sparkling water dripping off an icicle on the Stockade Lake drive.

Curse the photo gods when I'm not quite quick enough to catch a good shot of a coyote bounding through the snow.

Discover a large bull buffalo rummaging in the snow very close to the road near Blue Bell Lodge.

Curse the photo gods again when the memory card says "filled" just as I start to shoot a hawk flying over.

Smile as an antelope appears along the Wildlife Loop Road.

Smile even more as a turkey and grouse provide some fun shots.

Cap things off with a couple different whitetail bucks in the early morning light.

Thank the deer and the photo gods for a great morning and head off to the next adventure....

Even ugly days yield something

2011-11-15T21:45:00.004-06:00

There are days when I don't think anything fun photographically is going to happen. Usually if I keep my eyes and mind open to possibilities, something comes along that will work.

This time of year in South Dakota we are between the fall leaf season and winter snowfall. That means most plant life is wilted and brown, trees don't have any leaves and the landscape is fairly dull. However, looking for the beauty in nature can still yield some interesting images.

This morning's sunrise didn't have the color and "pop" I was hoping for, but it did give me this dramatic sky about an hour later just north of Kimball.

Very gusty winds in the afternoon meant pretty much whatever might have been left of pretty fall leaves were on an airborne trip to Minnesota. I did find this one small tree in Palisades State Park near Garretson with some orange foliage still hanging on.

There's more out there to be found and photographed before winter sets in with its own beauty. I doubt that I have a say in the matter, but I'll take some more autumn please.

Featured at Pro Nature Photographer

2011-11-11T12:19:00.004-06:00

Thanks very much to Pro Nature Photographer for a feature story about me and my job. You'll also find all kinds of interesting stories and good advice on nature photography as a business at www.pronaturephotographer.com.

Time to think about holiday photos

2011-11-08T20:22:00.006-06:00

Ready or not, the holiday season is coming right up. Some of the more photogenic events based around Christmas are less than two weeks away.

So here's a selection of images that hopefully will inspire more than groans of "too soon!"

Lighted Christmas parades are held in numerous communities around the state. Check with your local chamber of commerce for information.

"Winter Wonderland," where Falls Park in Sioux Falls is decorated with thousands of lights runs from November 19 through January 8.

"Christmas at the Capitol" in Pierre gets underway on November 22 with a grand lighting ceremony of over 100 trees and runs through December 26.

"Christmas Nights of Lights" at Storybook Island in Rapid City is open from November 25 through December 31.

The 1880 Train in Hill City offers "Holiday Train" trips to the North Pole November 25-26 and December 10, 17, and 23.

Fort Sisseton State Park's "Frontier Christmas" is held on Saturday, December 10 with costumed reenactors, old-fashioned ornament making and horse-drawn sleigh and wagon rides.

More ideas for holiday photography can be found in the events calendar at the South Dakota Tourism website.

Former South Dakota Governor Bill Janklow at "end of the trail"

2011-11-05T09:05:00.008-05:00

Former South Dakota Governor Bill Janklow announced yesterday that he has terminal brain cancer and not long to live. You can read the full story at the Sioux Falls Argus Leader.

Through my job at South Dakota Tourism and Economic Development I worked under Bill for eight years, plus a summer as an intern. He called me "Buddy" as he did lots of people that he didn't see often enough to remember their names. That was fine with me. He insisted I call him Bill, not Governor.

I'll remember him as a stubborn, sometimes obnoxious, leader who had a tendency to ignore some rules but got things done in what he thought was the best way for the state.

One of my favorite Janklow stories involves former co-worker Mark Kayser and I headed for the "Governor's Winter Games" at Lake Poinsett near Arlington. Bill called from his home in Brandon to say he would meet us at the event if we would bring his snowmobile trailer from the Governor's Mansion in Pierre.

As we hooked up to the trailer that morning we noticed that it did not have a license plate. We shrugged our shoulders and said, "That's Bill."

Later as Mark drove us through the town of Miller I noticed a pickup truck coming from a side street at a speed that didn't seem safe on snowy streets. I said, "I don't think that guy is going to be able to stop." Sure enough he slid right through the stop sign and t-boned the snowmobile trailer. As Mark pulled over to the curb with a few muttered obscenities I looked back and reported, "The sleds are gone." I couldn't see them anywhere.

The truck sat crumpled in the middle of the intersection, steam pouring from it's radiator. I don't remember the exact details, but the driver had a suspended driver's license already and I think the truck was borrowed from his brother. I'm sure the news that the snowmobiles he just hit belonged to the governor really brightened his day.

The snowmobiles had flown off the trailer, rolled over a few times and were laying on their sides in the Miller High School parking lot with broken windshields and lots of scrapes.

We dragged the remains of the trailer into a nearby auto body shop where the repairmen was able to pound and weld it back into road-worthy shape. In the process the local police officer handling the accident came by to fill out his report. He looked at the trailer and said, "Does Bill have a license plate on this thing?" Mark and I looked at each other and shrugged, "Must have fallen off in the wreck..."

Mark had the unpleasant task of calling the governor to explain why were going to be late and what had happened. When we got there Bill took a look at things, shrugged his shoulders, hooked the trailer up to his truck and we never heard another word about it.

I'm sure there will be lots of Janklow reminiscing in the near future. As I hear other people's stories I'm sure it will trigger more of my own. I'll never forget his ability to give speeches without any preparation or notes. I saw him unexpectedly run into a group of FFA students in the capitol one evening and give them an impromptu 20-minute lecture on the importance of education.

He is quite a guy and one that will be missed for a long, long time.

Black Hills Photo Shootout featured on TV

2011-11-03T21:52:00.003-05:00

Thanks very much to Melissa Hamersma Sievers and South Dakota Public Broadcasting for featuring the Black Hills Photo Shootout on their "Dakota Life" television show. You can watch the segment here:

Dakota Life - Black Hills Photo Shootout

Western South Dakota's "iconic" barn

2011-11-03T16:12:00.007-05:00

I have no statistics to back me up, but I think this may be one of the most photographed barns in the world. This is one of the Moulton family barns on Mormon Row in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. It has been photographed with the dramatic Teton mountain range behind it so many times it has reach the status of "iconic." I have shot the barn and others near it many times myself.

So I've often thought that it would be nice if South Dakota had an "iconic" structure of some sort that would become as well-known photographically. After exploring back roads shooting photos for over 20 years, here's the barn I've found.

First I have to come clean about "finding" the barn. I did find it, but that was about three years after Jesse Nelson, who was an intern for me at the time, showed me his photo below of the barn with Bear Butte in the background. Instead of begging, pleading and/or strong arming Jesse for the location, I went searching for it myself. Each time I was near Bear Butte I took another gravel road. As I said, it took three years of hunting before I "found" the barn.

So how do you find the barn? Nine miles east of Sturgis on Highway 34 near where the pavement makes a pair of 90 degree turns you'll see the appropriately-named Nine Mile Road headed straight north. After driving three miles north on the gravel, you should see the barn to your left. GPS Coordinates are N44 30.736, W103 20.834 to the field approach where you can conveniently park and easily line up the barn and butte.

When shooting you'll be facing west, so sunrise is a great time to shoot the barn with light hitting it's front and the mountains as well.

While Bear Butte and the Black Hills aren't quite as spectacular as the Tetons for a backdrop, they work very well for some fun photography. Now that I've given everyone directions, I'm hoping to see more and more photos of our "iconic" barn.

Black Hills State University photography program receives $75,000 donation

2011-11-02T19:19:00.003-05:00

Black Hills State University's photography program continues to make impressive gains in assisting students get an education and a head start on careers in the photography field.

A $75,000 gift from a photography professor who's seen the progress will boost the program even further over the next three years. Read the full story here - BHSU Photography Program.

This comes on top of BHSU Photo Professors Steve Babbitt, Jerry Rawlings and Shawna Norman's efforts that have resulted in enrollment in the program growing, a state-of-the-art studio and darkroom built in the last year, donations of equipment by Canon Cameras, and visits to campus by Canon "Explorers of Light." The Spearfish university also hosts the annual Black Hills Photo Shootout.

Even if I wasn't a BHSU alumni I think I'd be impressed.

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T12:15:00.000-05:00

This was part of a slide show I posted earlier this year, but seems appropriate for today - the Haunted Mansion at Walt Disney World in Florida in black and white HDR.

Dino HDR

2011-10-28T10:56:00.003-05:00

I don't travel through the town of Faith as often as I should, but on a recent trip the clouds and metal sculpted T-rex worked together for a nice HDR shot.

You'll remember that the famous T-rex skeleton named "Sue" was found in this area, so Faith capitalizes on their dinosaur connection. South Dakota artist John Lopez created this scrap metal sculpture version of Sue.

Keep that camera ready

2011-10-27T18:30:00.000-05:00

Last weekend as I drove the backroads between Gettysburg and Agar I kept my camera and 400mm lens handy in the seat beside me. Lucky that I did as I was able to catch this hawk lifting off a big haybale.

Exactly what kind of hawk this is I don't know, but I bet someone can tell me.

Happy Halloween

2011-10-27T08:35:00.002-05:00

I don't know who to give credit to for this creative costume that showed up in my email inbox, but darn that's pretty cool!

2012 Dakotagraph calendars available now

2011-10-15T11:05:00.004-05:00

2012 Dakotagraph wall calendars are now available in our Cafe Press store at this link - CafePress Dakotagraph Shop.

These 11.5 x 9 full-color calendars feature images of western South Dakota and Wyoming by Dakotagraph photographer Chad Coppess and cost only $16.99. Perfect holiday gifts for the photography buffs in your life!

South Dakota captured in HD aerial video

2011-10-15T07:48:00.004-05:00

During the summer of 2011, one of the top aerial video companies in the world, Skyworks, filmed pretty much all of South Dakota from a helicopter. The results are spectacular and you'll be seeing footage pop up in projects from South Dakota Public Broadcasting, South Dakota Tourism and South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks.

Click here to view a sample of what they captured: Skyworks South Dakota

Shootout wrap up and news

2011-10-14T06:22:00.006-05:00

Thank you again to everyone who had a hand in or participated in the Black Hills Photo Shootout over the last two years. When Scott Howard came up with the idea I knew it was a good one. With 120 people attending in 2010 and 141 this year from 20 states and Canada, I think we were right.

From the start the intention was to get the ball rolling and then hand the event over to someone else who could keep the momentum going. We are happy to say that has happened with Les Voorhis and Jason Hahn taking the reins through their Outdoor Photo Workshops.

Les and Jason have been instructors for workshop sessions during the Shootout both years and understand the purpose and intent of the event. They plan to continue working closely with Black Hills State University as the Shootout moves into the future. I'm excited to see how things evolve and continue my participation in the Shootout.

Here are few more of the photos I made during the Shootout weekend this year.

Full Wyoming trip in slide show form

2011-10-12T22:02:00.003-05:00

I found the time to edit my Fall 2011 photo trip to Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks in Wyoming images into a slide show that I'm pretty happy with. Almost every photo here was run through Photomatix Pro software. Some have been kept pretty realistic and some have been pushed to the extreme edge of the HDR effects. Enjoy!

Oxbow sunrise

2011-10-07T14:53:00.004-05:00

Okay I was hoping to put together a full slide show of Wyoming photos, but I can see it's not going to happen before I hit the road to my next adventure. So this image of Oxbow Bend in Grand Teton National Park at sunrise will have to do for the weekend.

There are more on the way when I've got time.

More Wyoming

2011-10-05T23:30:00.003-05:00

The last three days have been long but fun traveling with fellow photographer Tim Schoon and shooting the scenery and wildlife of Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks.

Here are a couple more Photomatix HDR shots. The most intense double rainbow I think I've ever seen was in the Midway Geyser Basin. And yes, even the elk is HDR!

After dark we played around with "light painting" the famous barns on Mormon Row and the historic Cunningham Cabin in Grand Teton National Park.

More photos to come, but rainy weather is moving in and we are moving on to home.

HDR is fun!

2011-10-05T06:58:00.003-05:00

Great Fountain Geyser in Yellowstone National Park at sunset. Photomatix HDR photos can be really fun to shoot and process!

Off to shoot sunrise over Mormon Row and the Tetons.

Western Wyoming looking good

2011-10-03T23:12:00.002-05:00

Oxbow Bend in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming is looking great right with blazing yellow/orange aspen trees punctuating the autumn landscape.

And another Shootout is over

2011-10-03T06:21:00.004-05:00

Day two of the second annual Black Hills Photo Shootout is now history. What a great weekend! It was a ton of fun with a wonderful bunch of photographers, incredible weather and autumn colors. I sure hope everyone had a good time.

Here are some of my HDR shots from the event processed through Photomatix and tweaked in Photoshop.

To see photos by other participants in the Shootout, check out the Flickr group page at http://www.flickr.com/groups/blackhillsshootout/pool/ or watch the homepage slide show at www.blackhillsphotoshootout.com.

Thanks again to all the organizations that made the event possible - South Dakota Department of Tourism, Black Hills State University, Black Hills, Badlands & Lakes Association, Visit Spearfish, Inc., the South Dakota Arts Council, the Black Hills Photo Club, BHSU Shutterbuzz Photo Club, to Canon for bringing keynote speaker David Stoecklein, and to all the individual people who put their hearts, talent and time into the weekend. It was a fun one!

Black Hills Photo Shootout off to great start

2011-10-02T06:01:00.006-05:00

Sunny skies and warm temperatures greeted photographers participating in the second annual Black Hills Photo Shootout this weekend. What a great time with a fun bunch of people!

Over 140 photographers from 20 states and Canada are in the Northern Black Hills learning new techniques, finding unique locations and sharing ideas.

I've personally been having fun getting up close with buffalo at the High Plains Heritage Center -

Listening to David Stoecklein's inspiring keynote speech at Black Hills State University -

Watching Shootout shooters find the angles and others wonder what's going on with this many cameras around -

Stumbling across other artists doing their thing in Deadwood -

And shooting the stars over antique farm machinery out behind the High Plains Heritage Center.

More fun is to be had today. I'll be in HDR classes, and other groups will be shooting cowboys on a working ranch, birds of prey, motion abstracts, autumn scenics and more.

Photography Week continues

2011-09-29T21:55:00.003-05:00

As Photography Week in South Dakota continues and builds to a climax with the Black Hills Photo Shootout this weekend, I hope everyone has been able to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather and blazing autumn colors.

This evening's light on Bear Butte east of Sturgis was the stuff photographer's dreams are made of.

Also, I noticed a very thin sliver of a moon rising tonight, so it should be a good weekend to shoot stars without the moonlight interfering with the exposure.

Where ever you are in South Dakota, try to take the time to shoot some photos as autumn grows in intensity!

Buffalo Roundup gets wild

2011-09-27T11:04:00.003-05:00

Photography Week in South Dakota got off to a rousing start with the Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup on Monday morning. Around 1,300 buffalo were corralled by park rangers and wranglers, but not before the herd tore down a section of fencing.

It just so happens that South Dakota Tourism's Scott Howard had placed a tiny GoPro video camera in that very section of fence to capture the action.

Check out the video here -

And the aftermath -

Have to say GoPro makes some tough equipment. The camera survived without a scratch!

Black Hills fall colors report

2011-09-23T09:16:00.006-05:00

I've traveled through a good chunk of the Black Hills in the last two days and can report that fall color season has begun, but is not at all in it's full glory yet.

Spearfish Canyon is pretty, but I'd give it a week or so before it should be spectacular. Custer State Park has some red vines, sumac and poison ivy, but not a lot in the way of yellow trees yet.

I did run across friendly Joe the fly fisherman from Grand Forks, North Dakota in Spearfish Canyon with some great scenery to place behind him.

If you look hard enough and work the angles, Spearfish Creek looks about as good as it will in the next few weeks, but it will be easier then.

It was fun to have talented photographer Julieanne Morse along to pose for some pictures in the autumn splendor. You can see Julieanne's photography at www.theeyeoftheartist.com.

Of course, when I loaned Julieanne one of my cameras, I didn't expect it to explode in her hands. Actually, I just happened to catch this wild reflection off the top LCD screen on the camera completely by accident.

So my best guess is the colors will glorious for the weekend of the Black Hills Photo Shootout. Seems like the organizers might have planned it that way, hmmm...

Autumn is in the air

2011-09-19T20:33:00.002-05:00

Fall in eastern South Dakota means pheasant hunting to a lot of people. Even though I'm sure we will still get some hot days, you can feel autumn beginning now and it seems the pheasants know it as well.

On a drive between Aberdeen and Pierre last weekend, the pheasants were out in full force, picking gravel along the roadsides, flying down fencelines and gathering on haybales. Keeping an eye out for potential collision hazards and photo subjects keeps a driver busy.

This flock had staked out a convenient bale in the early morning fog near Miller.

Photography Week continues to build

2011-09-19T11:52:00.002-05:00

September 26 through October 2 is Photography Week in South Dakota as proclaimed by Governor Dennis Daugaard. It's also Photography Week at Black Hills State University in Spearfish, with several exhibitions across campus, a video presentation on Wednesday night, equipment demonstrations by the MAC Group on Friday, and the Black Hills Photo Shootout Friday through Sunday.

Check out the BHSU activities at http://www.bhsu.edu/PhotographyWeek.

Full details on the Black Hills Photo Shootout are at www.blackhillsphotoshootout.com.

Lake Alvin sunrise

2011-09-15T17:49:00.006-05:00

I'd never heard of Lake Alvin until a few weeks ago, but the small little gem is a great spot for photography. Just south of Sioux Falls and east of Harrisburg, this part of the South Dakota State Park system offers fishing, swimming and no-wake boating.

This morning's chilly sunrise illuminated an early-autumn fog drifting across the water.

Tiny purple flowers dotted the sides of a hiking path on the southeast corner of the lake. Although no sunlight was reaching into the shaded areas where the flowers were blooming, I created some of my own with what my shooting partner Scott Howard called "flashrise." I placed an orange gel filter over my flash, and positioned it off to the side of the flower to approximate sunlight and highlight the miniature drops of dew on the petals.

The easiest directions I can give to Lake Alvin are to take the Harrisburg exit from Interstate 29 and head east about 9.5 miles through town to reach the intersection with 480th Street. Turn north and the lake will be on the left almost immediately. GPS coordinates are N43°26'20.41" W96°36'40.24".

More spooky critters

2011-09-10T23:36:00.002-05:00

I know it's a little early for Halloween, but since I posted the spider pictures this morning it seemed fitting to show the great horned owl on top of the capitol building I shot tonight.

There was actually a pair of owls and they've apparently been hanging around the capitol dome for the last few weeks. So if you're a birder a night time visit to the state capitol might provide a kind of unusual sighting.

Close encounters of the spider kind

2011-09-10T09:49:00.002-05:00

Here are a couple creepy-crawlers I came across recently. Seems to be a lot of them out this time of year everywhere in the state.

So break out the macro lens, maybe a little off-camera flash to highlight the webs and the hair on their bodies, and see how close you can get.

Thanks to co-worker Aske Whitebird for pointing out the second one!

Great Labor Day weekend

2011-09-04T17:25:00.006-05:00

So how did you spend your Labor Day weekend? Mine was shooting photos of:

The Eagle Butte Powwow...

The Dakota Five-O mountain bike race in Spearfish...

and the Mustang Rally in Sturgis.

Tonight it will be capped off with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts in concert at the Deadwood Mountain Grand. Not a bad weekend at all!

Photography Week in South Dakota

2011-09-02T15:42:00.003-05:00

Governor Dennis Daugaard has proclaimed Sept. 26 through Oct. 2, 2011 as "Photography Week in South Dakota."

Beginning with the Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup and ending with the Black Hills Photo Shootout, the week also encompasses some of the best autumn color times across the state.

Early morning capitol

2011-08-29T14:59:00.003-05:00

This morning's forecast called for fog in the Pierre area. I crossed my fingers for fog rising off the Missouri River and sunrise illuminating it into something special. So I packed my gear and trekked up the hill above the State Health Lab and Hilger's Gulch behind the capitol.

Lucky for me I took this shot of the gulch and the capitol before the sun actually came up because the fog just rolled in and blocked all light from reaching the valley floor.

What did I do before I discovered HDR and then Photomatix to process it? This kind of shot would have been much more difficult without these cool tools.

BONUS - If you haven't already seen my photos from the filming of the movie "Dust of War," check out my movie blog at www.cinemasouthdakota.blogspot.com. I'll have even more there soon.

Sunrise made more spectacular

2011-08-23T17:04:00.004-05:00

Last weekend as I woke up in Custer a blanket of fog was rolling through the valley. I quickly headed for Stockade Lake on the west edge of Custer State Park and clicked away as the fog cleared over the water.

As beautiful as it was, I had a vision of something even more spectacular like this -

So what did it look like to my camera? Here's the untouched version of the middle exposure in an HDR set and the final image after processing through Photomatix and Photoshop.

HDR comparison

2011-08-22T20:57:00.003-05:00

Okay, finally got a minute to play with HDRSoft's Photomatix software for making High Dynamic Range photos. Here are the same three exposures from the Capa ghost town in central South Dakota.

First run through Adobe Photoshop CS5's HDR Pro with an attempt to keep things looking somewhat realistic.

Then with the same "realistic" style in mind with Photomatix 4.

Just for fun, I processed again using Photomatix 4/s "grunge" settings.

Keep in mind this is without reading any instructional tutorials on Photomatix, just fumbling my way through. So far I can say Photomatix seems to have many more minute adjustments and feels a bit more intuitive to understand, at least for me. You can bet I'll be trying more of this to see where my favorite settings land in the world of HDR.

Dillinger's Sioux Falls heist

2011-08-19T23:07:00.003-05:00

Like many people, the 2009 movie "Public Enemies" sparked an interest in John Dillinger and other gangsters of the Depression era for me. This week I visited the site of Dillinger's only South Dakota heist, the former Security National Bank at the corner of South Main and West Ninth streets in downtown Sioux Falls.

Dillinger, Lester "Baby Face" Nelson and their gang robbed the bank on March 6, 1934, shooting one Sioux Falls policeman and getting away with around $49,000. For the filming of "Public Enemies," Oshkosh, Wisconsin filled in for Sioux Falls.

The building today is designated with an historic marker and what many believe to be a bullet hole in the stone facade.

Playing/experimenting with flowers

2011-08-18T07:15:00.004-05:00

A stop in the colorful spot that is McCrory Gardens in Brookings not only prompted me to bring out the under-utilized 60mm macro lens in my bag, but then to experiment in areas of Photoshop I rarely venture into.

So first I focused on the center of this huge flower and added a little off-camera flash to really make it stand out.

When I found the purple coneflowers, the deeply-hidden painter part of me took over. Not only did I use some really shallow depth of field to isolate an individual flower, but when I got them in the computer I dug around in the "artistic" filter section of Photoshop. I selected everything but the flower I wanted to isolate and applied a "dry brush" filter to the background.

Okay that sort of worked, how about we try "posterize" on everything but the center cone on this one.

It's kind of fun to break out of the routine every so often. There are photographers out there that can shoot circles around my flower stuff, but that's okay. I have a good time with it every once in a while.

Shoot Photos Here

2011-08-17T22:15:00.005-05:00

Sometimes you just have to obey the signs and other times you just have to rebel. As Scott Howard and I were checking out the recent refurbishment of the World's Largest Pheasant in Huron today I noticed that there was a sign directing me to "Shoot Photos Here."

I did obediently shoot some photos there, but actually liked this angle better for showing the setting and size of the 22-ton behemoth.

I do have to say though that whoever put up the sign was being helpful. The wooden platform does raise you up enough to get a good shot of the big pheasant without the building blocking some of your view. The second wooden platform is also for your friends or family to pose on with the giant bird.

And speaking of signs, here's another from the site with everything you ever wanted to know about the World's Largest Pheasant.

The restoration project has freshened up the rooster with brighter colors and I'm going to say he's never looked better. It's just another example of South Dakota's great nostalgic roadside attractions that I love.

Black Hills Photo Shootout coming right up

2011-08-16T14:27:00.004-05:00

If you've been looking for a photography workshop to attend, but are hesitant to spend the amount of money some demand, the Black Hills Photo Shootout might just be for you.

About the most affordable 2+ days of photography fun and instruction you can find, the Shootout kicks off with a presentation by David Stoecklein, the Photographer of the American West. If you aren't familiar with David's work, do yourself a favor and click on the link. I think you'll be impressed.

This year's Shootout is scheduled right during the peak of fall color season in the Northern Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming on Sept. 30-Oct. 1. Workshop sessions will visit incredible Spearfish Canyon, awe-inspiring Devils Tower, and several lesser-known, but just as beautiful scenic spots.

From how to shoot patterns and textures, to capturing lacy waterfalls, and creating a digital workflow that makes editing your images a breeze, there's something for every experience level.

Many sponsors have come together to make the Black Hills Photo Shootout a reality for the second year. While you are marveling at the great scenery and the new knowledge gained, take time to thank the organizations that create this fun event.

For more information and to register, check out the Black Hills Photo Shootout website. Hope to see you there!

Patriot Flag visits capitol

2011-08-14T14:47:00.004-05:00

In remembrance of the 9/11/01 attacks on the United States, the huge "Patriot Flag" has been touring the country. Sunday's display at the South Dakota state capitol in Pierre marked the 50th state visit by the flag.

Area firefighters, law enforcement and military personnel took part in ceremonies on the capitol grounds as the flag flew from the extended booms of two firetrucks.

The flag also flew at Mount Rushmore and the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in the last week. More information about the "Patriot Flag" can be found at the official website.

More capitol sunset

2011-08-11T09:50:00.003-05:00

I realize there are those out there who think using Photoshop or other computer software to enhance photos is some sort of sinister crime. There can be inappropriate uses of these tools, but I like to think of them as just that - tools.

I've never heard anyone complain about my choice of a wide-angle or telephoto lens to manipulate the view I saw in a certain scene. I've never heard cries of malpractice for using a long time exposure to capture streaming car lights or bursting fireworks. So I think digital enhancement of photography is another tool the photographer can use to create artistic views. Some software techniques are versions of photographic manipulations that have been made in darkrooms for decades.

If you'll compare these two photos with the time-lapse photos in my previous post taken at the same time and place you'll see that application of Photoshop made these images really "pop." Although there was some color in the sunset last night, it wasn't this saturated. However, if I hadn't told you I pumped it up in Photoshop, would you know?

A capitol sunset time lapse

2011-08-10T22:39:00.003-05:00

As I kept an eye on the developing clouds this evening I thought it was building up for a spectacular sunset. It didn't turn out to be as colorful as I was hoping for, but this time lapse was kind of fun.

I shot 69 photos over 17 minutes at 30 seconds apart. Then using Windows Movie Maker I compressed them into this 10 second view.

Looking for prairie scenery?

2011-08-10T17:00:00.004-05:00

If you're looking for prairie/grasslands scenery you can't do much better than central South Dakota. Along with rolling hills, vistas that stretch forever and plentiful grass you will find amazing skies that complement the scene below them.

Both of these photos were taken within a few miles of the Missouri River near Pierre/Fort Pierre.

A lazy afternoon on the Missouri River

2011-08-07T19:10:00.004-05:00

A fishing boats drifts lazily on the Missouri River just downstream from Pierre on a late Saturday afternoon.

Despite some flooding on the river this summer, there is still beauty to be found along most of it's length throughout South Dakota.

It's a dragonfly year

2011-08-02T17:31:00.001-05:00

I couldn't tell you why, but it sure seems to be a good year for dragonflies. Not only have I seen a lot, but I'm noticing many of my photographer friends posting photos of them as well.

I also don't know how far into the summer they will last, but there were lots of them along Highway 34 between Pierre and Sturgis this last weekend. These were photographed in the DeSmet Forest just east of the "Little Town on the Prairie," DeSmet, South Dakota in June.

Photo walk results

2011-08-01T12:33:00.001-05:00

Despite only three of us shooting on the latest Dakotagraph Photo Walk, I was happy with the results at Oahe Speedway.

Between burnouts, speed shots, and racer portraits I think we got some good stuff.

Thanks to Tony Tibbs and Keith Hemmelman for joining me. Keith has posted his photos at Zenfolio. Also thanks very much to Marlin Roseland and the rest of the staff at Oahe Speedway, as well as all the racers there.

Oahe Speedway photo walk details

2011-07-30T07:19:00.001-05:00

For those attending the Photo Walk tomorrow at Oahe Speedway, we will meet at 8:30 am behind grandstands on the spectator side of the racetrack.

To get to Oahe Speedway, head north from Pierre on Highway 1804 and you will run right into the race track at about 14 miles out. The spectator gate is to the left on 196th Street. Just tell them at the ticket booth that you are there for the Photo Walk.

For those last minute decision makers, come on out! Even though we have turned in a list of those who indicated they would attend, I'm sure a few more won't hurt.

Free photography workshop Saturday

2011-07-28T12:33:00.003-05:00

If you are in the Sioux Falls area this Saturday and want to pick up some good photo tips, check out Marty DeWitt's free presentation at the Outdoor Campus. It is open to photographers of all ages and abilities beginning at 10:15 a.m. Saturday, July 30.

Marty DeWitt is an accomplished photographer as well as manager of Palisades State Park in Garretson. No pre-registration is required and the seminar is free. For more information, call The Outdoor Campus at (605) 362-2777 or visit http://gfp.sd.gov/outdoor-learning/outdoor-campus/east/default.aspx .

Mount Rushmore in HDR

2011-07-26T23:07:00.003-05:00

I'll tell you what, when you get the right subject matter and just the right light this whole HDR thing really works. I'm still going to have to touch up some edges to make this shot be ready for print, but I'm enjoying the texture and feel of the image.

The combination of three different exposures and some extra work in Photoshop HDR Pro created something here that I never would have been able to get with just one single image. Today's skies were very overcast most of the day. This was during a short time span when the clouds broke apart just enough to allow that blue to show through.

You could very easily go with the vintage postcard feel that I illustrated in an earlier post and I think I'll have to try a version like that of this image soon.

Coneflower sunset

2011-07-25T23:13:00.004-05:00

Took a quick swing through Wind Cave National Park and Custer State Park tonight. Had another spectacular western South Dakota sunset, but couldn't find the right critters to put in front of it so had to make do with a purple coneflower. Seemed to work pretty well.

More buffalo

2011-07-23T15:50:00.004-05:00

Well, the buffalo pictures in my last post seem popular so I've got more. Here's a selection of images from Custer State Park and Bad River Ranch near Fort Pierre.

Sometimes it just takes the right music

2011-07-22T23:14:00.003-05:00

Anyone who's traveled the back roads of western South Dakota knows my constant companion on these trips. It's what I call the state soundtrack - my well-worn CD of the music from "Dances With Wolves." It seemed appropriate tonight as I headed west on the Bad River Road in search of good photos.

So imagine my surprise when I came over a hill and saw spread before me a scene right out of the movie. One of the largest herds of buffalo I've seen was grazing in a beautiful valley. It was Ted Turner's Bad River Ranch herd in all their summer glory. Be sure to click on the photo to view it in a larger size.

I stuck around the area long enough to get some incredible sunset silhouettes as huge clouds built into the heavens.

It was a beautiful night to stumble across some great subject matter. Sometimes it just takes the right music!

Self portraits....sort of

2011-07-22T17:00:00.001-05:00

In the July 2011 issue of Outdoor Photographer magazine Jerry Kobalenko wrote about how he uses himself as a "model" when he needs to add some life or scale to a nature image and he's the only one around. It made me think about how many times I've done the same thing.

I often visit South Dakota's state and national parks at times of the year or day when I'm the only person in the area. Adding a human element can make pictures of these places feel more accessible and inviting. So what's a photographer to do? Find a way!

Sometimes it's simply placing people into the shot like my son Cody and I in Badlands National Park.

At this remote campground between Deerfield Lake and the ghost town of Moon, I "borrowed" some one's camping equipment as props. Yes, someone had left their campsite unattended and I picked up that lantern and sat it back down a few times to get a good shot. Like a good nature shooter, all I took away was photographs.

One autumn evening at Big Sioux Rec Area near Brandon I couldn't find an unsuspecting hiker. So I set up my tripod, tripped the self-timer on the camera and sprinted. I'm very small in the shot, but I think it adds an element that the scene just needed.

Other times the image only needs a part of a human to give it life. Hikers mainly use their feet, so why not show those?

At Newton Hills State Park I needed a car driving through the scene, but none were to be seen. So I stacked a jacket and hat up in my vehicle and parked it where I shouldn't have. Luckily the lack of traffic continued, so I got the shot and no one has recognized that there's actually not a driver behind the wheel of the van.

Lastly, just the suggestion of a human form is sometimes enough to create a nice feel in a scene. A camera on a tripod at Palisades State Park says someone is there enjoying the outdoors.

Don't be afraid to try a bit of self-portraiture next time you are out in the woods!

Oahe Speedway Photo Walk rescheduled for July 31

2011-07-20T11:14:00.004-05:00

Due to a scheduling conflict, the Oahe Speedway Photo Walk previously scheduled for July 30 has been rescheduled for Sunday, July 31 at 8:30 am. Sorry if that messes up a couple people, but I'll now be in Deadwood on Saturday.

Hopefully the earlier start time should give us better light to shoot race cars, motorcycles and maybe even some snowmobiles running the 1/4 mile drag strip. Admission will be free to Photo Walk participants and there will be access to the starting area/burnout pits for some cool close range photography of the vehicles.

WE NEED AN RSVP BY FRIDAY, JULY 22 to let the track know how many of us will be photographing the races on the 31st. Leave me a comment on the blog or at the Facebook page and we'll reserve a spot for you.

I like to think of shooting racing as a chance to branch out and try some new techniques you might not use otherwise. Of course, panning with high-speed subjects will be one skill to work on.

You can also go wild with the post-processing and add some funky Photoshop filters like "Glowing Edge."

You can see more idea photos at these earlier posts.

Oahe Speedway is located 14 miles north of Pierre on Highway 1804. More information is at OaheSpeedway.com.

Behind the scenes

2011-07-19T06:47:00.003-05:00

I was part of a crew shooting a new television commercial for the city of Watertown, South Dakota yesterday. Here are some behind-the-scenes looks at the group from Spectrum Films, Lawrence & Schiller and South Dakota Tourism working hard at Lake Kampeska and the Redlin Art Center.

Temperatures were well into the 90s and I heard a radio station say the heat index was 115, so things were a little uncomfortable at times. Everyone made it through the day with flying colors, even Tika the tiger at the zoo who made us wait for quite a while before deciding to cooperate.

I would imagine you'll see the results in television and print advertisements within the next six months or so.

Floral summer

2011-07-14T16:32:00.004-05:00

Thanks very much to the Black Hills Photography Club, who invited me to judge their monthly contest this week. All the great photos of wildflowers inspired me to point my camera in that direction in Custer State Park and Badlands National Park over the last two days.

Lots of rain this summer has the grass growing very tall, but also making the flowers pop as much as any year that I can remember. It's getting hot though, so some of these beauties won't be lasting much longer. Got to get out and shoot them while we can!

Rural inspiration

2011-07-12T07:11:00.000-05:00

One of the great things about driving through East River South Dakota is the abundance of picturesque farms. It's often not difficult to find a nice set of buildings and a windmill to place in front of a great sunset.

It's easy to see where Watertown artist Terry Redlin got much of his inspiration. I'm happy to be able to say I got to know Terry a bit and maybe soak up some of his eye for the rural countryside. You can see many of his original paintings at the Redlin Art Center in Watertown.

Badlands shot on Spirit of the West cover

2011-07-11T12:03:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Spirit of the West magazine for featuring my Badlands National Park photo on their most recent cover. Spirit of the West is the premier German-language publication covering lifestyles, travel and business in the American West.

You can find more about Spirit of the West at their website, but knowing German would help or check them out on Facebook.

If the picture looks a little familiar, it's from one of my recent trips to the Badlands, posted here earlier this summer.

New online photography community underway

2011-07-11T10:37:00.002-05:00

For those of you who use Facebook, there's a new online community underway for photographers in the Upper Midwest area. You can post photos and suggest locations, discuss favorite spots, ask questions, comment on other's work and share ideas.

Check it out at Dakota Outdoor Photographers on Facebook - Facebook/Dakota Outdoor Photographers.

Storm video

2011-07-10T13:13:00.003-05:00

A large, powerful storm moved across north central South Dakota last night. There was lots of lightning, but most of it was hidden within the clouds and just didn't show up much in still photos. So I switched to the video mode of my Nikon D300s and let it roll.

I was along Highway 14 near Miller when I took this. I'd guess the storm was somewhere in the Gettysburg/Faulkton area at the time.

Photo Walk at Oahe Speedway July 30

2011-07-08T09:31:00.006-05:00

Attention motor heads, speed freaks and those wanting to stretch their photography with subject matter they don't usually shoot - I'll be hosting a Photo Walk at Oahe Speedway north of Pierre on Saturday, July 30 beginning at 1 pm.

Even if race cars aren't exactly your thing, I think you'll find something fun to shoot during the afternoon. Bigger telephotos will be handy for shooting cars at speed, wide angles work great in the pit area for mechanics tuning the cars, and macro lenses can even be used for extreme details like shiny lug nuts.

More information on the Speedway and directions on how to find it are at www.oahespeedway.com. Gates will open at 8 am that day if you are really anxious, but most on-track activity begins at 1 pm.

RSVP by leaving a message on the Dakotagraph website or the Facebook page. We've got some special access lined up and free admission to the race track for Photo Walk participants, but we will need a confirmed list of names by Friday, July 22.

Bring earplugs along, I guarantee you'll be glad you did. Sunscreen and shoes that cover your toes will also be handy.

The lowdown on flower photography

2011-07-06T17:39:00.004-05:00

Sometimes to show off a flower's most interesting angle, you have to try an ant's eye view.

So whether you are in Badlands National Park....

...or at the South Dakota State Capitol in Pierre, try finding a different way to look at a familiar subject.

2011 Fort Pierre Fireworks

2011-07-05T11:26:00.005-05:00

With flooding limiting areas for people to shoot and view July Fourth fireworks this year in the Fort Pierre/Pierre areas, I tried to be creative in choosing a spot to photograph from. It turned out to be okay, but not great. So I ended up being creative in the editing process as well.

This image is a composite made from six different photos I took last night. All fireworks were photographed from the same spot within the same hour, but blended together into one image. So in other words, I took the hour's time and compressed it into one photo.

Mother Nature tried to get into the show with some pretty impressive lightning as well, but I just didn't have the angle to capture it with the fireworks.

Happy July 4!

2011-07-04T10:18:00.004-05:00

In central and western South Dakota, the Fourth of July not only means fireworks and patriotic parades, but it means rodeo. The tiny town of Interior on the edge of Badlands National Park puts on a great rodeo which continues today. Here is a shot from yesterday afternoon's performance.

If you're still making plans for the July 4 afternoon, Mobridge, Belle Fourche and Fort Pierre also have rodeo action today. For the full year's schedule check out www.travelsd.com.

Just playing around in Photoshop

2011-07-03T15:46:00.000-05:00

I recently discovered this function of Photoshop that makes what some call "little planets" and/or "crystal balls" from panoramic pictures. Kind of fun to play with, but not something I'd do every day.

Here it is applied to a pano I took last year of the 1880 Town near Belvidere in western South Dakota.

Some fireworks photo tips

2011-07-01T14:02:00.003-05:00

It's that time of year when all pyro nuts get to blow things up and shoot things into the sky to their hearts' content. For some of us it's more fun to capture the excitement in photographs. So here are some tips on fireworks photography that will work no matter where you're at.

- Use a tripod! Your pictures are going to look much better if the camera is still and the fireworks are moving through the photo. This way you can use a long shutter speed to capture the trails of sparks exploding in the sky.

- Use a cable release. You can watch the fireworks without looking through the viewfinder and know when to open the shutter just before a burst happens. It also helps keep your camera and tripod steadier than trying to push the shutter button itself.

- Think about the whole photo. If catching the colorful explosions is the only thing you're after, zoom in tight like this -

However, I like having something else in my fireworks photos to give some depth. It's usually pretty easy to find something to silhouette in front of the pyrotechnics. Like some friends sitting on a car roof -

If the fireworks display you are photographing is near water, use that to reflect the brilliant colors. With boats floating in the reflections, you have a very interesting composition.

- Turn off your flash! It might seem like it's dark out, so you need to add some light into the scene. The flash is only going to reach so far and light up anything close to the camera, not make the fireworks brighter. In most cases, the dark silhouette is a much more pleasing effect. Automatic flash settings will also shorten exposures so you won't get many fireworks bursts in your photo.

- Start with a shutter speed of around 4-5 seconds and an aperture of f/8 or f/11. To me the best fireworks photos have several bursts in them like the boat shot above. So using the bulb setting and a cable release you can hold the shutter open for several bursts and then check the image on your camera back screen. You should be able to decide whether you want more or less bursts and adjust from there. If most of the bursts are happening in exactly the same spot in the sky there is a danger of ending up with just a very bright hotspot and no details in the spark trails. If this is the case, shorten the length of time the shutter is open.

- Don't be afraid to move to a new spot once you see the fireworks. Too often I see someone pick out a tripod location and stick with it even though the fireworks are not where they expected. It may take some adjusting to find just the right composition when you have no control where those bursts are going to happen.

Good luck and have a safe and happy Fourth of July!

Fireworks posters still available

2011-06-29T14:41:00.005-05:00

Folks seem to be getting in a patriotic mood. Several people have asked about my Pierre/Fort Pierre fireworks photos again, so here's the link to the CafePress store where you can purchase a poster featuring four images - Dakotagraph fireworks poster.

Yes, I do plan to shoot the Fort Pierre pyro extravaganza again this year. I've got my fingers crossed for another good angle on the show.

Devils Tower sunset

2011-06-28T16:48:00.003-05:00

I slipped over the border last weekend and caught a pretty nice sunset at Devils Tower National Monument in northeastern Wyoming. I like to think of it as just as much a part of South Dakota's Black Hills as it is anything in our neighboring state.

South Dakota vacation variety

2011-06-19T20:31:00.006-05:00

What a week of fun stuff to do in South Dakota! There were lots of fun activities to take in over the last seven days.

You could have been fishing on the Missouri River's Lake Oahe near Gettysburg -

Or enjoying the legendary Beach Boys featuring actor/musician John Stamos at the Prehistoric Indian Village Archeodome in Mitchell -

Or joining Governor Dennis Daugaard (waving from a boat) at the River City Racin' hydroplane boat races in Chamberlain -

- and that's just the central and eastern portion of the state! There's lots more going on this summer all over South Dakota. Time to get out there and have fun!

River City Racin' features big crash

2011-06-19T17:59:00.006-05:00

A huge crash between two hydroplane power boats highlighted the second day of the 2011 River City Racin' Pepsi Power Cup Challenge in Chamberlain today. I just happened to be on a rescue boat in the middle of the race course when the collision occurred and was lucky enough to be close and ready to capture the action.

Here are the two boats involved about a lap before the incident. The red and yellow S83 "Mega Bucks" boat is driven by Dutch Squires of Lakewood, Colorado and the yellow S1 "Liquid Lizard" is driven by Jeff Bernard of Bear River, Wyoming.

I'm no expert on these things but as best I could tell, the two boats went into a turn side by side when Dutch's boat hooked a wave and turned left much sharper than anticipated. The contact between the boats was severe as you can see here.

Both boats ended up in tattered pieces and upside down in the water, but both drivers were able to extricate themselves and as the rescue crews arrived were alert and talking. I'm not saying they don't have concussions or other injuries, but basically they were doing amazingly well shortly after the crash.

Here is the wreckage of Jeff's boat being brought back to the pits.

The event also included some great racing, an appearance by Governor Dennis Daugaard and great weather. I'll have more to post soon.

Randy Halverson's DakotaLapse photography

2011-06-17T15:02:00.004-05:00

It's not often that I feature someone else's photography here, but Randy Halverson's moving timelapse art is so unique that I felt compelled to point it out. Randy uses timers and computer-controlled motorized cameras to achieve a series of still pictures that not only show motion in the night sky, but also camera movement throughout a several-hour period condensed into a few minutes of viewing time.

Randy explained, "I really got interested in (this style of photography) after I saw Tom Lowe's "Mountain Light" on Vimeo. I thought the movement of the camera in addition to the timelapse gave it a real unique look." The central South Dakota landscape and night skies are also a breath of fresh air to the nature photography one often finds from the over-photographed national parks.

Storm chasing video is Randy's background. "I had been in stock footage for quite a while and was looking for something different other than just storm footage. I had an interest in astro photography but hadn't done any timelapse of it. It seems to appeal to a variety of people from seeing the comments," he said.

You can see a lot more of this incredible imaging at Randy's website - DakotaLapse.com.

Here are a couple of Randy's shots of the rigging that took these timelapses. The camera slowly slides up or down on the blue rail as it shoots a sequence of photos over long periods of time.

Roughlock Falls wallpaper

2011-06-17T08:59:00.002-05:00

By request, here's a version of my Roughlock Falls vintage postcard look that you can use as a computer desktop wallpaper. Just click on the photo to open it larger, then right click and "Set as wallpaper."

Palisades Photo Walk

2011-06-13T17:15:00.000-05:00

Several people have asked whether there will be any Dakotagraph Photo Walks this summer. The answer is yes, but I haven't found the time to sit down and schedule them out yet. So I'm piggy-backing on good friend Marty DeWitt's "Take Your Best Shot" Photo Workshop this weekend at Palisades State Park near Garretson.

Marty does a great job of breaking the basics of photography down into easily-understandable bits. I hope to have something extra to add to the event so everyone should pick up at least a few tips as we wander and photograph one of the state's great parks.

We will meet at the picnic shelter just inside the park entrance at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 18. There is no fee other than the state park entrance, which is $28 for an annual pass or $4 per person/$6 per vehicle daily. More information can be found at the Game, Fish and Parks website.

If you've got specific questions about photography or your gear, bring them along! We'll do our best to help you out.

River City Racin' hits the river this weekend

2011-06-13T07:00:00.000-05:00

Chamberlain isn't going to let a little high water keep them from hosting the River City Racin' Unlimited Light Hydroplane boat races this weekend. Which means everyone can expect wild-looking brightly-colored boats skimming across the water at around 150 mph and throwing spectacular rooster tails of water.

Sound like fun to photograph? It is! Bring a big telephoto lens for the action stuff...

...and a wide angle for capturing the color in the pit area.

It's hard to go wrong with subject matter like that.

For ideas on shooting River City Racin' check out my earlier blog posts and for tickets, schedule, etc. on the event's website. Action gets underway at 10 am on Saturday, June 18 and continues through Sunday.

Bad weather Badlands

2011-06-12T17:28:00.000-05:00

If you've been doing outdoor and nature photography long you've probably heard that bad weather makes good photos. Throughout the summer months on the South Dakota plains you'll often find that true in the late afternoons and evenings.

Last night several severe thunderstorms rolled through southwestern South Dakota just before sunset. It's the kind of atmospheric activity that makes me hope for great light on the back side of the storms as they clear out of an area. So I drove through rain and hail to get to Wall, northwest of Badlands National Park. My wife and I enjoyed a great hot beef sandwich at famous Wall Drug while the storms pounded the Badlands, then headed into the park for what I hoped was a spectacular sunset. We weren't disappointed.

Even with the success here, it was disappointing that all the lightning we saw wasn't frequent enough or predictable enough to get in a photo. Neither was the mountain lion that Lisa spotted. The first big cat I've ever seen in the wild quickly disappeared over a ridge without giving me time to get a shot, but added a special thrill to our evening.

Two versions of Roughlock Falls

2011-06-12T12:22:00.003-05:00

Here's the finished version(s) of the HDR image started a couple posts back.

Roughlock Falls in Spearfish Canyon is situated so that the largest part of the falls is quite often in deep shadow, while the smaller cascades below are brightly lit. Since this is exactly the kind of exposure problem that High Dynamic Range photography was invented for, I approached this shot with HDR in mind.

The camera was on a tripod and I shot three exposures - ISO 200, shutter 1/15, f22 was the basic meter reading. So I shot two stops over and two stops over that. Combining the three in Photoshop CS5's HDR Pro yielded different effects depending on which direction I went with the slider controls.

So what you have here are the exact same three photos blended in different ways. Whether you like the vintage postcard feel....

...or a more realistic view....

...HDR allows you to get some good images out of a difficult situation.

Black Hills Photo Shootout wallpaper

2011-06-10T16:50:00.003-05:00

Was playing around in Photoshop and came up with this computer desktop wallpaper for everyone interested in the Black Hills Photo Shootout. Click on the photo to open up, then right click and "set as desktop background" or whatever your computer says.

Roughlock Falls HDR in progress

2011-06-09T08:39:00.003-05:00

Here's a look at a work in progress. Three shots of Roughlock Falls in Spearfish Canyon at +-2 f-stops blended in HDR. I'm never confident editing on a laptop and I'm getting all sorts of funky artifacts in the water areas here.

I'm really liking the old-time postcard feel of the colors and tones though, so when I get this back to my desktop computer I'll start at the beginning and see what I can come up with.

Antelope skies

2011-06-08T18:33:00.003-05:00

South Dakota Highway 34 between Pierre and Sturgis is a great spot to find pronghorn antelope in wide open prairie spaces. Cloud formations can really help accentuate a photo when you aren't able to get close enough for a more typical wildlife portrait.

Nothing too tricky here about the photography other than to let the sky be the feature and the critters just add scale to the big scene. I waited for a cloud shadow to drift over the antelope so they would be darker silhouettes against the white cloud background.

Siouxland Renaissance Festival

2011-06-07T22:19:00.002-05:00

As promised, here are some images from last weekend's Siouxland Renaissance Festival. The Sioux Empire Fairgrounds were filled with all sorts of interesting characters to photograph.

With it's 10th anniversary, the festival has established itself as one of several major festivals that signal the beginning of summer in South Dakota. The first weekend in June offers so many choices it's hard to know which corner of the state to take your camera gear to. I'm already wondering if next year I should take in the Crazy Horse Memorial Volksmarch, the Fort Sisseton Historical Festival, the Deadwood Marathon, or will there be an airshow at Ellsworth Air Force Base again.