Hint: Old rusty railroad spikes can often be found in large numbers alongside railroads, where these are left after railroad repairs.
Toppers, iPhone Photo
I learned not long ago, via one of my British Flickr contacts, that Toppers is an old British term for hats.
No. 1272,761.08Gulf-Tex-Deere
This is the first time I’ve seen this type tall Texaco oil bottle. Usually, these are all shaped like the Gulf and John Deere ones adjacent to the Texaco bottle.
Pennsylvania CreamAxed AgainMaskedFidelity
Apparently, enclosed cog wheels was an advanced feature in the age of this wringer washing machine. Probably a safety feature.
Home Office
A pre-computer version of a home office.
The Garret
The Garret is an old home that is now filled top to bottom with old stuff everywhere. It is run by an elderly couple that purchased the old home many years ago. I was not able to stand back far enough to get the best shot, especially after having to edit the original photo to make this structure look more upright. I was inspired to take this shot by the clouds in the blue sky above. It reminds me of something that might have appeared in the movie “Ghost Busters”.
Visits to Indiana with my wife always require visits to local, and sometimes not so local, antique stores. To occupy my time I look for interesting photo subjects for my camera phone.
Nashville, Indiana is the nearest town to the cabin we stay in while visiting Indiana in the fall. It is a quaint tourist town with all that such towns offer – lots of tourist, crowds, expensive stores selling all kinds of goods, expensive restaurants, limited parking.
I am not a fan of such places, but it is always mandatory to take in some of this tourist town on each visit. I usually end up pacing the sidewalk, while my wife shops.
Sometimes I shoot a few photographs of the local scene with my iPhone camera.
Monochrome Grass, iPhone Photo
Decorative grass and flowers are common along the streets of downtown Nashville. The sunlight highlighting the plumes on this one inspired me to shoot it, cropping in close to exclude the street scene.
Fall Artwork, iPhone Photo
Nashville is most popular in the fall with the nearby Brown County State Park a draw for leaf peepers. Artwork and crafts related to fall are common place.
On the final day of my visit to Badlands National Park, South Dakota, I drove to the Visitors’ Center, where I would usually stop early in a visit to such a place; but so far I had ignored the Visitors’ Center, perhaps because it had been so far from my base of activity in the park and it is a large park to explore.
Somewhat past the Visitors’ Center there is a parking lot and walkways that let one get a wide view of some of the Badland features.
Badlands NP, Near Visitors Center, September 19, 2022, PM, iPhone PhotoWalkway, Badlands NP, Near Visitor Center, September 19, 2022, PM, iPhone Photo
Continuing past the Visitors’ Center there are other areas of this park that I had not yet seen on this trip. Although, I recall being in this area the first time I came here years ago. There are hiking trails, long and short, in this area. Now that my time here is ending, I’m wishing that I had come this way earlier and hiked some of these trails.
Badlands NP, September 19, 2022, PM, iPhone Photo
The image above was taken after hiking a short trail from a parking lot.
I had picked out a place from which to shoot at sunset today. Yet on the way to that destination, I saw the distant features that I had planned to shoot were visible from a view point. On a spur of the moment, I decided to change my plans and shoot from this viewing area. I hiked out onto some features down from the viewing area in an effort to get better vantage points.
Shadows Grow, Badlands NP, South Dakota, September 19, 2022, PM
I quickly realized that those distant features I had planned to shoot were too far away, but I did not think I had time now to revert to my original plans, so I stuck it out here and tried to make the best of shooting at this location.
Deepening Shadows, Badlands NP, South Dakota, September 19, 2022, PMRidge Light, Badlands NP, South Dakota, September 19, 2022, PM
The nearby feature quickly began to fall into shadow, even though the sun was still relatively high in the sky.
Golden Hour, Badlands NP, South Dakota, September 19, 2022, PMReceding Light, Badlands NP, South Dakota, September 19, 2022, PM
As I noted how the light changed and how those distant features were getting the best of the golden hour light, I realized how bad my spur of the moment decision to shoot here was. I would have been much closer to those distant features at my initially chosen location.
As the shadows began to quickly progress across the landscape, I began to retreat towards the parking lot. In that retreat, I noted that I could navigate around some of the nearby features to the east and get better views than from where I had been shooting.
Badlands NP, South Dakota, September 19, 2022, PM
The image above shows an area into which I could have hiked and gotten much better golden hour images, but it was too late now. Live and learn. If I’m here again, I will know how to get here and when to be here.
Sunset Scene, Badlands NP, September 19, 2022, PM, iPhone Photo
I shot this final image of the sunset sky with my iPhone as I was making my way back to the parking lot.
This wraps up my 2022 photography in Badlands National park. I will begin the multiple day journey home tomorrow morning.
There is a gravel road from Interior, SD that goes into the Badlands NP, connecting to SD 240. I took this road, intending to go all the way to SD 240 and shoot sunset images in the same grassland area from which I had shot earlier this morning, when the sky was completely overcast.
Gravel Road into Badlands NP, September 18, 2022, PM, iPhone Photo
This gravel roadway was very washboarded over long intervals, when I drove it, requiring slow driving. As I got nearer SD 240, I began to realize that it might be better to shoot from a grassy area to the east of the gravel roadway, rather than going back to my morning location.
I had plenty of time prior to sunset, so I pulled over to scout nearby.
Change of Plans, Badlands NP, September 18, 2022, PM, iPhone PhotoScouting Photo Badlands NP, September 18, 2022, PM, iPhone PhotoScouting Photo, Badlands NP, September 18, 2022, PM, iPhone Photo
The big clouds are still hanging around, which bodes well for sunset shooting today.
Scouting Photo, Badlands NP, September 18, 2022, PM, iPhone Photo
After walking around this grassy area and shooting a few scouting images, I decided that this would definitely be a better area from which to shoot than where I had planned to go.
Stay tuned for the results of todays sunset shoot,
I continued traveling along SD240 checking out views at numerous pullouts and/or viewpoints along the drive through the park. Checking the park area map, I noted other sections of the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands on the south side of the park. So I exited the park on the south side, drove SD 377 through the tiny community of Interior, SD, then along SD 44 West along the southern side of Badlands NP.
I topped off my fuel tank at an old convenience store/fuel station in Interior. The diesel pump was separate from the gasoline pumps and an old fashion type that is not commonly seen at more modern stations. The lady running the store/station was friendly. I purchased a copy of a paper back book, “Cactus Needles” that I spotted on display that was only $8. It is a book of hand drawn cartoons, cowboy poems and ranch stories by John F. Solon of Weta, SD, which is a little east of Interior.
About 6 miles west of Interior, I found an entrance into an area of Buffalo Gap National Grasslands that is set aside primarily for off-road vehicle use. The information sign near the entrance noted that rock hounding is permitted. Indeed, the area was strewn with rocks of many kinds and I saw one person walking around picking up rocks.
Camping is permitted here and I decided to make this my home base for at least one night, since it is conveniently located near an area that I planned to shoot at sunset.
Buffalo Gap National Grasslands, September 18, 2022, PM, iPhone Photo
I drove along a dirt route parallel to a fence line along the east boundary of this area and parked at a secluded location, which I planned to make my campsite tonight.
All Alone, Buffalo Gap National Grasslands, September 18, 2022, PM, iPhone Photo
I had this area completely to myself today. I had plenty of time prior to going back to the park for a sunset shoot, so I killed some time by reading the book that I had purchased in Interior and walking along a cow trail parallel to the fence line and shooting a few iPhone photos.
One Sided, Buffalo Gap National Grasslands, September 18, 2022, PM, iPhone Photo
I’m hoping that those big fluffy clouds hang around for my sunset shoot.
Cow Trail, Buffalo Gap National Grasslands, September 18, 2022, PM, iPhone PhotoCow Trail, Buffalo Gap National Grasslands, September 18, 2022, PM, iPhone Photo
Apparently, cows like to walk the same path repeatedly, since they have created such distinct and deep trails here.
Two Lanes, Buffalo Gap National Grasslands, September 18, 2022, PM, iPhone PhotoBuffalo Gap National Grasslands, September 18, 2022, PM, iPhone Photo
Looking back along the fence line towards my campsite. My Sportsmobile is hidden behind the trees. Although, if one enlarges this image, the Sportsmobile is partially visible.
Due to unfavorable weather conditions, I did not get out early for morning photos on the third full day in the Badlands NP area. Instead, I drove through more of the park in the morning hours, scouting more potential shooting locations.
Badlands NP, September 17, 2022, AM, iPhone Photo 1Badlands NP, September 17, 2022, AM, iPhone Photo 2Badlands NP, September 17, 2022, AM, iPhone Photo 3Badlands NP, September 17, 2022, AM, iPhone Photo 4Badlands NP, September 17, 2022, AM, iPhone Photo 5Badlands NP, September 17, 2022, AM, iPhone Photo 6Badlands NP, September 17, 2022, AM, iPhone Photo 7Cloud Tracks, Badlands NP, September 17, 2022, PM, iPhone Photo
I checked out many locations along SD Route 240 this morning, shooting many iPhone photos, most of which were uninspiring. The few posted here are the ones I found most interesting and showing potential for golden hour photography.
As I backtracked out of the park, I spotted a couple of Bighorn sheep high up on a ridge. I stopped, put my big zoom lens on my camera and shot a few images.
Bighorns, Badlands NPBighorn blending into the background, Badlands NP
After my morning excursion into Badlands National Park, I returned to the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands Campground Area, picked another campsite, had lunch and waited until it was time to go out again for sunset photography.
Buffalo Gap National Grasslands, September 16, 2022, PM, iPhone Photo 1Buffalo Gap National Grasslands, September 16, 2022, PM, iPhone Photo 2
As the afternoon progressed, like yesterday, storm clouds began gathering.
Visitors, Buffalo Gap National Grasslands, South DakotaPraire StormBuffalo Gap National Grasslands, Campsite 2
Rain soon began to fall with gusty winds. It was apparent that the storm was too fierce for me to venture back out for a late day shoot. Now I have to look forward to another morning shoot.
After my early morning sunrise session, I scouted other areas along SD Route 240 for potential sunset today and/or sunrise locations tomorrow morning. As typical, I used my iPhone for the scouting photos, so that I could move around more easily, unhindered by heavy camera gear.
Badlands NP, September 16, 2022, PM, iPhone Photo 1
My first scouting stop was a viewing area designated as “Yellow Mounds Overlook”, where I climbed a steep slope to check out the views from a higher elevation, after scanning the area from the parking lot.
Badlands NP, September 16, 2022, PM, iPhone Photo 2Badlands NP, September 16, 2022, PM, iPhone Photo 3Badlands NP, September 16, 2022, PM, iPhone Photo 4
I continued along SD 240, stopping to check out the views from other pullouts.
Badlands NP, September 16, 2022, PM, iPhone Photo 5Badlands NP, September 16, 2022, PM, iPhone Photo 6Badlands NP, September 16, 2022, PM, iPhone Photo 7
At each location, I made a number of images, testing compositional variations. This post contains a few selected images from a few of those stops.
Badlands NP, September 16, 2022, PM, iPhone Photo 8Badlands NP, September 16, 2022, PM, iPhone Photo 9
After arriving at the park, I drove along the main park roadway for a while to scout possible sunset photos today and sunrise for the next morning. Then I began to look for my planned camping area, driving a long way down a dusty, washboarded roadway that went to the camping area, which I had found via an online search for camping in the area of the park. Eventually, I decided that the time it was taking for me to get to my planned camping area was going to be a problem for travel back and forth for sunset and sunrise photography. Even though the distance might not be great, the road conditions required slow travel speed. So I detoured off that rough road and began to look for other possibilities.
I found an online reference to another campsite just off of South Dakota Route 240 between Walls and the park, so I set out to find that site. Before I found the site I was looking for, I again noted campers set up on higher elevation to the east of the roadway. I had seen those on my initial pass though this area, but I had not seen a way to get to the area where those campers were set up.
I began to pay closer attention to that side of Route 240 and I soon found an inconspicuous, grassy, dirt roadway heading into the grasslands. I took that trail, hoping it would take me to a camping area, soon coming to campers set up and/or leaving. I stopped to inquire about this area with one camper that was on the way out. He assured me that there were plenty of free campsite along this roadway, higher up on the hillside.
I continued on, finding many good campsites. I later found a second roadway into this area, just a short distance from the park entrance, with a sign designating this area as Buffalo Gap National Grasslands.
There are some campsites right on the edge of a sharp drop off into badlands that are outside of the main park area. I picked one of these that was level enough that no leveling of my vehicle was required.
A view from Buffalo Gap National Grasslands, South Dakota, September 15, 2022, PM, iPhone Photo
After having a late lunch in my vehicle, I walked around to scout the views from the camping area across the broad area below and to the west of the campground.
A view of an area adjacent to Buffalo Gap National Grasslands, South Dakota, September 15, 2022, PM, iPhone Photo
I found a few places where I thought I might use my 80-400mm lens to shoot down into the adjacent badlands, which were outside the main park area.
One of the problems with driving a camper vehicle, is losing a campsite in these first come first serve areas, if one leaves the campsite even for a short time. I did not want to lose this campsite and I had not scouted enough in the park to locate a good sunset shoot location and there was a storm brewing, so I decide to get by with shooting from the campsite area and get out early the next morning for sunrise photography.
My shots with the big lens are not great and are a bit flat, but here are a few for the record.
Semicircle, View from Buffalo Gap National Grasslands camping area.A wider angle view of the area around the semicircle in the upper rightDistant Cloud Shadows and Near Sunlight, View from Buffalo Gap National Grasslands camping area.Golden Hour and Shadows, View from Buffalo Gap National Grasslands camping area.
These photos may not be very impressive, but the geology shown in these is impressive. One can see the flat grassy areas that are eroding away revealing the layers of rock beneath the flat surfaces.
