Trip Report 2: Close-Up Details of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota

Last week I first reported on my trip to North and South Dakota and posted a few landscapes I captured while visiting the badlands. This week I’m posting more intimate nature images I captured in each of these areas. I love exploring the little details of flowers, foliage and abstractions that I come across while hiking and I often spend long periods of time in one place just trying to find the best composition. Anyway, Here are some of the small worlds I captured while on my recent journey.

Dew on spiderwebs is a favorite of macro photography everywhere and for good reason. The small drops shimmer in the early morning light and look like a string of diamonds. Here is a good example of spending time finding the right composition. I stayed in the area for almost an hour working around the various spiderwebs that were bridging shafts of prairie grass.

Technical Details:
Canon 70D, 100 f/2.8L Macro, f/4, 1/250 sec.

On the Painted Canyon overlook in Theodore Roosevelt National Park there is a trail that descends into the canyon and for about a mile one can hike around the bluffs and rocks at the bottom. Near the far end of the loop was a patch of sunflowers glowing in the morning sun.

Technical Details:
Canon 70D, 100 f/2.8L Macro,, f/3.5, 1/3200 sec.

These bluebells were sprouting in the shade of a small stand of trees at the bottom of the Painted Canyon. Their blue violet color contrasted with the verdant green making them pop out everywhere one looked.

Technical Details:
Canon 70D, 100 f/2.8L Macro, f/3.2, 1/1000 sec.

I am especially drawn to abstractions in nature, patterns and designs. This rock outcropping had some interesting patterns created from the wind and water erosion in the area.

Technical Details:
Canon 70D, 100 f/2.8L Macro, f/11, 1/200 sec.

Just below the spiderweb from my previous image, I spent some time capturing the various drops of water clinging to the side. I loved how the reflections green blades of grass from the surroundings filled the little droplets.

Technical Details:
Canon 70D, 100 f/2.8L Macro, f/5, 1/320 sec.

Lastly, I found these foxtails swaying in a gentle breeze in a large field. While many had already lost their droplets from the dew, I found a few that had small drops on the bristles. This was another time I found myself spending quite a bit of time quietly capturing various versions of this composition.

Technical Details:
Canon 70D, 100 f/2.8L Macro, f/4.5, 1/320 sec.

Be sure to also check out Trip Report 1: Journey to the Badlands of North and South Dakota – Landscapes posted last week!

Products used in the making of these photographs: