Fall has always been a special season for me. I grow up in central Wisconsin and northern Illinois, surrounded by the canopy of vibrant colors, walking the carpet of crunchy leaves and inhaling the intoxicating scent of their decomposition.
Now having lived 20 years in western South Dakota, I’ve learned to be intentional about finding fall. It can be viewed in pockets of creek draws, river bottoms and the Black Hills. The prairie has shown me that brown comes in hundreds of shades and yellow is it’s most frequently seen autumn color.
” The sea, the woods, the mountains all suffer in comparison with the prairie… The prairie has a stronger hold upon the senses. “
Albert Pike
Welcome Home
Nikon D700 + 70-200 mm/2.8 @ 70 mm, ISO 100, f/16, 1/50
10/2019 ©Cristen J. Roghair
If you look closely, you can see a Great Horned Owl in the loft doorway. He watched me for a while and then soared off.
I spent an evening exploring the fall season with the Reynolds Barn in view. Often, a certain pasture, piece of land or homestead is given the name of a past owner as a reference. Such is the case with the Reynolds barn, no longer owned by the Reynolds family but very much remembered.
The sky is very much a part of my photographs, for on the prairie it is magnificent! I will alter my composition to include portions of the sky I find to be captivating. With this the perspective of the landscape can change.
A few years ago I photographed the Reynolds Barn in the summer (click here to view) and the clouds were so dramatic in the early morning light that I needed to compose the image from the ground. This perspective looks as though the barn is surrounded by flat prairie when it fact, to the north are beautiful rolling hills.
Nikon D700 + 70-200 mm/2.8 @150 mm, ISO 200, f/11, 1/60
10/2019 © Cristen J. Roghair
“Photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting in an ordinary place. It has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with how you see them. “
Elliot Erwitt
Nikon D700 + 16-35 mm/1.4 @ 16 mm, ISO 200, f/11, 1/60
10/2019 © Cristen J. Roghair
As always your images feed my soul.
I love the quote from Elliot Erwitt. I am a landscape pastelist and I see things too. Aren’t we lucky.
I remain your fan.
Oh Evelyn! Your words are so much appreciated this morning. 🙂
We are truly blessed by the beauty that surrounds us!
Lovely photographs Cristen! Your voice adds so much to the views. I love how you call out the “browns”. I’m always amazed in the fall to see all the colors the tall grass has to offer.
Thanks, Kate! The past few years I’ve been noticing the colors of the grass more and the array of browns that I completely overlooked in my annoyance of loosing green. 🙂
Well done! I appreciate both your photographs & your descriptions. Keep up the good work! SDG 🙂
Thanks for the encouragement, Pastor Jim!
Is this in Reynolds prairie? I’ve driven through there by Deerfield lake so many times and never seen this barn.
Hi! The Reynolds Barn is out on the prairie near Murdo, SD. The current owners call it the Reynolds Barn because they purchased the land from the Reynolds family many years ago. 🙂
Thanks! I love your pictures!