High Plains Photography

[geothearch]

As a park ranger, I've been privileged to work at some pretty amazing locations. Perhaps my favorite site I've ever worked at is the least known of the half dozen I've called home. Meet the beautiful desolation of the Pawnee National Grassland. The shortgrass prairie seems to run forever, and you can almost imagine the horsemen riding over the horizon. (G.Havens)

Part of the high plains of Northern Colorado, the Pawnee National Grassland is managed by the United States Forest Service for recreation, grazing, and other resource utilization. As you start walking the grassland, the plains start to reveal their secrets. Buttes rise up to greet you and the grass that was so level has hills and hollows now. (G. Havens)

 You turn a corner and the Western novels comes to life, making for a photographers playground. Many people and photographers I come across never leave the road, or the trail more traveled, and miss out on some of the most stunning shots of all. 

Looks like a wonderful place for outlaws to hide. (G. Havens)

Thankfully, only the raptors call these bluffs home any more. (G. Havens)

 Thanks for looking. Anyone else have a road/park/photography spot less traveled to share?

[PaulPavlinovich]

This is absolutely beautiful @geothearch I envy your job as Park Ranger and the landscapes you get to look after and live in. Thanks for sharing.

[Atsukot]

Thank you for sharing the beautiful photos @geothearch! I hope you will share more photos and stories as Park Ranger with us 🙂

[ak100492]

все ок

[MoniDi]

Hello @geothearch,

Welcome to Connect!

Thank you for sharing these gorgeous photos. It must be nice to escape from the noise of the city every once in a while. Is this your favourite place or you have many others to share? I am curious to see them in your next post. 

As it looks like this is one of your first posts in the forum, why don't you explore the many sections of the site and check out the conversations happening among our Local Guides? You can check these Tips: Using Local Guides Connect.

You can review this post What makes a good post? which lays out the best practices for writing a good post on Connect.

How to take photos for nature lovers might be an interesting read for you. There you can find some stunning photos by other Local Guides.

And last but not least, make sure to Introduce Yourself in our monthly topic for December 2018 and share some interesting fact about you with the community.

[geothearch]

Thanks for the welcome! I look forward to sharing more.

I don't know that it's possible for me to have a favorite place any more. At some point you visit so many parks/protected areas that each stands out for it's own remarkable flair or color or sensation and they become hard to rank. The grasslands will always stand out to me for the feeling of grand isolation and openness. You can can walk for hours in any given direction and not see another soul. The wind bites into your face, kicks up dust in your eyes, and you are faced with the fact that this place, while touched by humanity, is still wild in a way that is hard to match. 

Other places I've been have much grander photographic opportunities and perhaps more interesting subject matter, but the wild openness will always be something I treasure remembering. 

[MoniDi]

Hi @geothearch,

Thank you for replying back. Being into the wild is indeed something everyone should experience. What I like most is that I can see a sunrise or a sunset without any buildings ruining the view.

By the way, if you want to tag me or other Local Guides don't forget to write @ before their names. This way we receive a notification.

[davidhyno]

Beautiful and relaxing photos @geothearch!

Thanks for sharing with us!

Bye,

David

[Harpal]

@geothearch,

Thanks for these wonderful photos. Although the photos have no subject but the quiteness speaks volume. 

It's hard to find such isolated and quiet place nowadays thanks to the growing population.

[geothearch]

Thanks for the helpful tip @MoniDi. Still figuring out all the odds and ends of the connect forums. I love sunsets as well-they're one of my favorite subject matters though I never seem to be in the right place to fully utilize them. Still, I've been blessed with some pretty ones in the last few years. 

Sunset over Missoula, MT (G.Havens)