Badlands of South Dakota......

I got out to Badlands National Park about an hour before sunrise and just in time to silhouette some rock formations near the crescent moon.

I worked to find interesting shapes for the foreground looking east.

It wasn't the most beautiful sunrise ever, but the air was clean, the meadowlarks were singing, and I was back out in western South Dakota.

Life was good as I worked to find interesting images.

The sun was in and out of clouds to the east so light was catch as catch can.

In the few minutes that it lit the rock wall to the west I made some of my favorite images.

The rock seemed to catch fire as the morning sun hit it and a nearby butte allowed for cool sky, wall, and shadow shots.

No matter how many times I shoot this scene it's never exactly the same and I'm always glad to get it.

The light didn't last long, but it sure felt good to be back in the badlands of South Dakota.

Oxbow Bend...

It was overcast as I pulled into the turnout at Oxbow Bend in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.

All I needed was a little light for just a little while and I was good.

The sun made it through for just a few seconds and with that Mount Woodring and Mount Moran caught a little pink on top. 

It was another twenty minutes before light hit the snow covered peaks again.

I had traveled more than 1200 miles to be there that morning and it was so worth it.

A pair of trumpeter swans called out as they flew over before landing 70 yards away.

I had the place all to myself as the light filtered through the clouds and fell on the Teton Range.

The only other photographer there when I arrived left just after sunrise and before the sun actually lit the mountains.

He was happy as he left, but I wondered if he knew what he was missing. 

An American pelican glided in and landed in front of me before I headed to Jackson Lake hoping for more reflections.

I was in luck, the lake was like glass when I got there.

Grand Teton was visible on the left.

Mount Moran and Bivouac Peak on the right.

Seemingly the entire range was reflected in the calm water of Jackson lake. The light was never as good as it might have been and still it was a beautiful morning and a great day to be in Wyoming.