Badlands National Park - The beginning of a 6 week journey.

(Above: Park entrance sign. You can see quite a few Bison (Buffalo) in the field behind the sign)

This is the first entry of many to come over the next 6 weeks as I explore some of the western United States. I am also expanding the reach of my blog a little bit, as the journal entries from this trip will be shared with the students of Oshki Ogimaag elementary school back in my home town of Grand Portage, Minnesota. I have lived in Grand Portage my entire life, and it certainly is one of the most beautiful places in this world. It is where I choose to live to this day. Outside of the bounds of our little reservation, however, there is a big wide world of wonders to explore. It is my hope that by viewing the images in my blog the students of Oshki Ogimaag gain a sense of wonder and curiosity about the world outside of the reservation. In many ways it is a very big world, which can be intimidating. But when you travel you realize that it is also a small world, and that we are indeed all connected in some way. I love exploring and seeing the beauty of other places while trying to capture some of that beauty with my camera. However, my heart always returns to my home on the shores of Lake Superior. Grand Portage is home, and while I am tempted sometimes by other beautiful places, my heart always longs to be back in Grand Portage. Its always a great comfort to return and see Grand Portage Bay and Pete's Island again.



This trip begins with a week spent in Badlands National Park and the Black Hills of South Dakota. This area is very close to the Pine Ridge and Rosebud Reservations, home to the Lakota Sioux people. My friend Roger and I spent the first week of my 6 week trip together in the Badlands and Black Hills. Our first two nights we camped under incredibly starry skies in Badlands National Park. It was a little cold at night, but we were plenty warm inside our sleeping bags. Each night we spent some time photographing the stars and the night sky, and during the day we looked for wildlife and other interesting things to photograph.



The Badlands is a very dry area which receives very little rainfall over the course of the year. In many ways it is a stark, desolate landscape but if you look a little closer you find many interesting things. Prairie Dog towns dot the landscape, and Bison, Sheep and Mule Deer can often be seen. Sunrises and sunsets can be incredible here!



(Below: Medicine wheel made out of stones outside of the Badlands National Park visitor center)



(Below: My friend Roger photographing the Badlands landscape at sunrise)



(Below: A couple of young sheep pose on the side of a hill)



(Below: Roger and his dog Thule taking in the awesome views of the Badlands)



(Below: There's a reason they want you to stay on the boardwalk here!)



(Below: Roger takes a break from shooting to enjoy the sunset)



(Below: Moon at sunset)





(Above and below: Some night scenes from the Badlands. The above left image is a 25 minute exposure taken near the Sage Creek campground. The above right image is a 30 second exposure, during which I used my headlamp to shine some light onto the tree. In the image below, the moon was behind the tree providing some nice backlight, and the lights in the lower right are from the town of Rapid City)