Tag Archives: nature

Weekly Photo Challenge: Foreshadow

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We waited on our seats edge for the wildebeest migration to climax to the oft photographed Mara river crossing.. an excruciating hours end for the rather mindless beasts to actually gather the courage to stop loitering about and cross.. only to have the chorus of engine starts and rushing of the safari vehicles coming forward to cut off the line and literally scare the animals off from crossing here.

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The question that begs to be asked is how much worse will we get in disrupting nature, even in a park that is set aside to allow nature to run its own course.

All Aboard!! Badlands National Park

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Ever since I saw photos from friends’ vacation at the Badlands, I’ve wanted to go. If people thought I was crazy to take the train in an indirect route, those friends drove all the way from the East Coast. Direct, but speedy, it wasn’t.

I didn’t know what to expect. I just saw photos and was enamored with the notion of taking equally cool photos. I didn’t know whether the cliffs went up or down.

I didn’t expect the Badlands to be so vast and sudden to the landscape.. yet so contained. It felt like I was still driving on flat midwestern plains when the ground suddenly opened up and dropped into crevices. Then half way through, it felt the other way around.. I descended down and was looking up at the colorful array of the buttes.

I was startled to see so many motorcycles. It took a while to realize, belatedly, that I am in South Dakota the time when it seems the most people in the year: Sturgis motorcycle rally. What a backdrop it was, with the swarms of motorcycles thundering by the ancient sandstone landscape.

I climbed up Saddle Pass.. and the shape felt exactly like it was called, a saddle. Steep at times, I found myself glancing below my toes nervously. I know it’s bad when I adjust to sling my camera across my chest so I free up both hands and knees. I didn’t hike beyond the actual climb. A true disadvantage of traveling alone is needing to plan my hikes so that I end up back where I left the car. The path was surprisingly solid. I don’t know why I had the impression the ground would be softer, I just did.

I was determined to hike more of the park, though. The landscape leveled out to grassy plains on the western end. I started using every pull over to explore for walking paths. The loop road that traversed the park took less than an hour to cover and, yet, with 244,000 acres of natural wildlife, I itched to explore the place more. Especially given its claim as the largest expanse of protected prairie ecosystem in the American national parks. Near the west entrance, I found myself looking at the flat plains, hankering a good walk.

I found a nice wide lot perfect for parking the car. I pulled over and stepped out to examine if there were signs of any beaten paths to follow. I had barely walked five steps when I levitated, jumping up a good distance into the air, as a rattle snake snapped at my flipflopped toes.

Right then, my desire to hike disappeared and I scampered back in to the car to drive back for the day.

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Evaluate the Photo #1: Milford Sound

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I realized this has become more photo blog than anything else. And that many of you are fellow photographers.

For the longest time, I resisted called myself a photographer. I don’t have skill and dedication. I just happen to wield a camera more often than not. But when my harddrive of photo archive was stolen, I was emotionally devastated. I found myself bereft. That’s when I realized just how emotionally attached to my photography I am.

So as I start labeling myself as someone who is serious about my photos.. I want to start soliciting feedback. On anything. Composition. Technique. Perception. Interpretation. Please don’t hold back.

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This photo was taken at Milford Sound, South Island. New Zealand. Any thoughts? I personally found it too busy but am please how clear the sun came out.