Nebraska-Dakota 2014 Part 6

[Roanoker]

Trees all around this place. I didn’t want to lose any detail, so I added an enlarged, smaller part of of the image to the bottom and fuzzed up the edge.


The original image, in the center, was portrait-oriented. The sides are portions of the original.


I just cropped the sides off of the original here, allowing a few skinny trees to frame the sides.


I struggled with this portrait-oriented shot, giving in to my habit of flanking the sides with portions of the same image.


This one is almost embarrassing. I took yet another portrait-oriented picture of a tree. I trimmed away everything but the tree and then put it on top of an enlarged portion of itself. Now it looks like a tree with an odd growth.


This is a close-up of the same tree. I like that bark.


Portrait, yada yada.


Something different. I selected everything but the berries and applied a Photoshop filter.


You’d think this would have been a simple crop, but no. I added clouds above the 3:2 image to make it 4:3.


Focus on those fascinating columns.


Finally, a simple crop of the sides.


Couldn’t resist the magical grass.

[Roanoker]

I tried many times to catch (on camera) this little butterfly.


This one is my favorites of the week. Everything worked together satisfactorily. I did nothing but crop it.


I worked longer on this one, but the results aren’t as good.


I spent a long time on this one, just to get rid of the super-busy background and rotate for the right fit.


I selected the flowers, leaves and vine here and then did a lens blur on all the rest.


I kind of like the natural heart in the tree, lower left.


It’s getting late in the day. A few more shots of Devils Tower.


There is always a path to where you want to go.


We really are done for the day. I snapped this shot from the car on the way to a motel. (I hate power lines.)


It is the next day (8/21/14), and we are driving through the Black Hills.


Just before this, I took a picture of a sign that said, “Pactola Dam & Reservoir Rapid Valley Unit."


I duplicated, flipped and pasted this portrait-oriented picture next to itself. Now I’m seeing faces. The Three Bears?
Time to go do something else.

[Roanoker]

The asters were scattered throughout a grassy area, so I came up with a way to focus on the nicer ones.


This portrait-oriented image is sitting next to a larger portion of itself.


You can see a road on the right, and stupid telephone poles.


I’m told this is mica.


My son, taking pictures of flowers with his iPhone.


These were probably what he was photographing.


Each one is strikingly beautiful.


What an odd flower. What you see here is actually a small portion of the entire, portrait-oriented image. I liked this better.


Simple trees against a cloudy sky.


Another image plopped into a smaller portion of itself. I think it lined up nicely.


Can you see the forest for the trees?


Peace in the valley.

[Roanoker]

Just a big rock and a few trees.


Same rock. Different shot and treatment.


Funny what you might find among the trees.


These rocks are almost praying.


These rocks are more laid back.


These flowers wouldn’t look at me. Can’t say as I blame them.


Fuzzy can be charming.


Oh, to be held and be free at the same time.


Guardians of the field.


Front and center.


Peaceful scene.


Another scattered flower problem. Another silly solution.

[loftguy]

Really fun, Roanoker. Great to see how your techniques have developed.

However, your travel postings just make me itch to hit the road. Not good, since I can't......

[Roanoker]

Thank you, loftguy. I very much appreciate your kind comments. You can't travel? I hope you are not incapacitated. Whatever the reason, I hope it is resolved soon so you can get up and go!

We stopped to take pictures of this tunnel for some reason.


Pretty rock we saw along the way.


I think it was here.


I must have asked permission to take this picture.


Sometimes a picture frames itself. Easier for me.


Is this tree growing through a rock?


No.


I just now noticed the faces of Mt. Rushmore! I thought this might be a small city. It is obviously the visitor complex.


Same general area. The rolling, mountainous hills are fun.


Not sure what this is, but it appears to be jewelry material.


Notice the goat on top of this rocky thing above the tent. (We didn’t stay there.)


Goats? Deer? Dunno.