Pops Digital
Devils Tower National Monument
This tower of rock is a beaut of a butte! This is Devils Tower National Monument in northeastern Wyoming. It was a little out of our way when we visited South Dakota but, as you can see, well worth the drive. I suspect you will see future posts from this visit.
According to Wikipedia, “Devils Tower is a butte, possibly laccolithic, composed of igneous rock in the Bear Lodge Ranger District of the Black Hills, near Hulett and Sundance in Crook County, northeastern Wyoming, above the Belle Fourche River. It rises 1,267 feet above the Belle Fourche River, standing 867 feet from summit to base.”
You can see a larger, more detailed version of this image by clicking on the photo.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me (pops@popsdigital.com) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Morning Lake Mist
This is an early morning view of Stockade Lake in West Custer Township of South Dakota. Stockade Lake is the largest of Custer State Park’s five lakes. This image was captured just before the sun rose over the trees.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me (pops@popsdigital.com) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Directionally Challenged
This aerobatic pilot performed an amazing series of loops during one of the air shows at EAA’s AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
Some images just make me smile. This is one. There is not much to it, but it conveys an interesting idea in a minimalist way.
You can view a larger, more detailed version of this image by clicking on the photo.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me (pops@popsdigital.com) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Crazy Horse Memorial
This is the closest we got to the Crazy Horse Memorial on our recent trip to South Dakota. It was impressive in size, but clearly they have a lot of work to do. They’ve been at it for 75 years.
The Crazy Horse Memorial is a mountain monument under construction on privately held land in the Black Hills, in Custer County, South Dakota, United States. You can learn more at Wikipedia.
You can view a larger version of this image by clicking on the photo.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me (pops@popsdigital.com) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Portrait of Plains Power
I’m sure if this American Bison knew I would be taking his portrait he would have paid more attention to his personal appearance. (Gee, fella, look in a mirror once in a while!) Even though a bit deshelled, this big bull exudes confidence and power.
This guy was photographed while resting on a hillside, along with several others of a small herd, at Custer State Park in the Black Hills area of South Dakota. He seemed pretty carefree.
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All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me (pops@popsdigital.com) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Horsetail Falls
Horsetail Falls is a waterfall located on Horsetail Creek along the Columbia River Gorge in Multnomah County, in the U.S. state of Oregon. The falls drop over a cut over the columnar basalt cliff within the Oneonta Gorge. It is one of the waterfalls along the Columbia River Highway’s waterfall corridor. (From Wikipedia.)
In October of 2023 I attended a church leadership conference in Portland. When time afforded, we took in some of the local sites and landscape. This was the first Oregon waterfall of many I photographed on that trip. I will, no doubt, post more when time and inclination align.
You can click on the photo to view a slightly larger view.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me (pops@popsdigital.com) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Prickly Poppy
This was a delightful find! This is a prickly poppy. I didn’t know this type of flower existed until I found this one by happenstance.
On our recent trip to Custer State Park in South Dakota, we had pulled over in the area of a small prairie dog town. As I was trying to get some good photos of the prairie dogs, I noticed this white flower. It was the only one in that area. I believe I found this particular bloom at its peak. We have poppies at our home in northeast Wisconsin but they are the large, redish-orange variety that have a very short blooming period in early spring. Finding this delicate white flower on a prickly plant blooming in late summer was a nice surprise.
From the little I was able to find online, the prickly poppy is a beautiful wildflower that lives for only one growing season. It grows naturally in sandy, dry areas. New plants grow from seed produced the previous year. The papery white flowers bloom throughout the summer. The plant has blue-green leaves and the stems are covered with sharp spines.
You can get a better view of the details in this flower image by clicking on the photo.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me (pops@popsdigital.com) for digital purchase and licensing options.
A Night at Mount Rushmore
On our trip to South Dakota’s Black Hills, we visited Mount Rushmore. We were sure to plan our visit for early evening so we could take part in the nightly program and lighting ceremony. This photo was taken as we exited the Memorial.
The rows of flags leading to the monument were flags of the states and territories of the United States. The evening ceremony and historical program they present is well worth the time. The only charge is a $10 parking fee. ($5 for seniors and free for military and veterans.)
I took a lot of photos of Mount Rushmore from various locations at the monument and around the area. You’ll see them posted here…in time.
Of course, the photo was taken in the dark and contains a boat-load of digital noise. I did my best to remove what I could but I could only do so much. (I might have to try harder.)
You can view a larger version of this photo by clicking on the image.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me (pops@popsdigital.com) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Yellow Mounds of the Badlands
This is a panoramic view of South Dakota’s Badlands National Park. This was taken in the Yellow Mounds area of the park. This is another one of those “otherworldly” places.
This is a very large image and the normal size screen can’t begin to do it justice. Still, you can get a much larger, full-screen view by clicking on the image. When you do a much larger version will open in a new browser tab. Enjoy!
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me (pops@popsdigital.com) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Cute Deery Ears
I found this gentle soul resting in the grass on a hillside at Badlands National Park in South Dakota. This is a mule deer doe.
This wasn’t my first glimpse of her. We saw her while on a hike through some rugged terrain – the Notch trail. That trail ends on a bluff, overlooking a valley. The doe and her fawn were grazing the grasses below us. (Zoomed in photo on left.)
Shortly after, we were hiking another trail and I caught a glimpse of her while climbing some wooden stairs. She was still and quiet, as you see here here, and I almost missed her. She remained quiet and watched while I took photos from a couple of angles on the trail stairs. A few steps farther up and I saw her fawn resting in the shade. (Photo on the right.) The fawn was difficult to see and take a photo of because it was in some brush.
We have plenty of white tail deer in the area of Wisconsin where we live. As far as I know, we don’t have any mule deer. This was a fun find. I am most intrigued by the abundance of hair in their ears.
You can get a larger, more detailed look at the doe by clicking on the photo. When you do, a larger image will open in a new browser window.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me (pops@popsdigital.com) for digital purchase and licensing options.