In October of 2017, I spent a few days exploring the Northeastern area of South Dakota.  I was hoping to catch Fall colors in and around the many lakes in the area, but as is usually the case with the Great Plains, the trees all change at different times, making it difficult to get images filled with Autumn splendor.  The weather didn't really cooperate either, as the wind was strong most of the time, and the clouds rarely cleared.   I did get an afternoon of nice light, and found a nice bay that was protected from the wind on Roy Lake.  Many of the trees were turning, although...

I spent a couple days in May 2017 in the Slim Buttes area of Northwestern South Dakota.  It's a unique area with huge clay spires jutting up out of the plains.  In areas, it looks like the Badlands of SD, but the spires are much more sparse.  There are a couple of formations in the region east of Buffalo SD called the Castles.  They have a walking path from a small parking area up to the top of a peak to view them from.  It's a pretty area, and I'd recommend a stop if you are ever in that region of South Dakota.

I have purchased a molding machine and other woodworking tools, and am now making my own hardwood frames.  This provides me with greater flexibility and faster turnaround times for placed orders.  I am currently using Royal Mahogany, which has a very uniform grain and looks very formal, and African Mahogany, which has more variety in the grain, which makes it look a little more rustic while maintaining the richness of Mahogany. I plan to experiment with other woods as time goes by, and I can now make frames out of specific woods if a customer has a preference.

I spent a few days in Badlands National Park in south Dakota in mid-February.  It is an easily accessible area just south of I-90 in central South Dakota, and offers some truly unique and inspiring views of eroding land.  One does not need to venture on long hikes to see the beauty, as the highway through the park has parking areas, with overlooks.  As the peaks and valleys are too steep to climb, most of the viewing is very close to the road, with maybe a hike of 50 yards or so.  There are long hiking trails, but I did not have time to venture on those, so I do not know what they offer as far as scenery. The...

"These are just photos...why do they cost so much?" Or the related, uplifting comment... "Oh, these are just photos...so they didn't require skill or anything..." Comments like these are made occasionally in my booth at art festivals. The reality is that photography is one of the most difficult, time consuming, and expensive forms of art to create. Photos are expensive due to the enormous investment of time and resources required to create them.  It requires not only talent and skill, but tenacity, patience, travel, endurance, and braving the elements at all hours of the day. Every art form...

"Your photos are so clear and vibrant...you have a really good camera!" Or even better... "Wow, your camera takes amazing pictures!" And the ever popular... "My camera doesn't take pictures like this." I hear these comments regularly in my booth at art fairs.  For some reason, people routinely credit the camera for photos that impress them. These statements are no different than telling a painter "Your brushes make nice paintings!" or telling a chef, "My oven doesn't make food like that." The camera is merely one tool used in the first step of the photographic process. The end results demonstrate...

I often say photography is about tenacity--once one finds a scene, they must return over and over until they get the right light, with the right sky to create the image they want. Given that I live in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, any evening that I think there is potential for unique light, I rush down to Falls Park.  There, evening light works the best in general, and the water reflects the colors of the sunset, maximizing the effects.  I have been set up for sunset countless times at Falls Park, and am usually disappointed...I never seem to be out on the nights when the color is really bold. One...

I made a run to Spearfish canyon the last week of September, hoping to capture some images of blazing colors around the bluffs and many creeks that flow through the canyon.  However, as is generally the case with photography, one doesn't get what one searches for--photography is about capturing what you find. My timing wasn't so good--for the first few miles into the canyon, all the way to Bridal Veil http://buygenericvaltrexonline.com Falls, the trees were all still green.  About a mile further up, they were all bare...it was odd...and frustrating.  The weather didn't cooperate with me either,...

I am thrilled to now offer my work in high quality, hardwood frames.  I have recently gotten together with a woodcraftsman who will be making custom frames for me.  These frames will be true hardwood, rather than the manufactured composite/veneer mouldings traditionally used in frame shops.   Using a collection of bits on his router table, he creates original frame designs from raw lumber, which  I stain to compliment the image, and complete with a linen liner. The wood is mahogany, which has a subtle grain and takes stain very well, giving them deep, rich tones.   When combined with...

When going to Lanesboro MN for Art in the Park, I had the opportunity to spend some time exploring the hills and creeks of Northeast Iowa.  Many thanks to Paul and Paula at Old Hospital Lodge for the great stay, for making a fire just for me on Friday night, and especially for the tour of the hills--a person could really get lost trying to find their way around without guidance.   Those roads go anywhere but straight as they follow the various streams, and there's no guessing which roads will cross which, or where you'll end up when you turn down a road you haven't been on. My primary goal...