Friday, June 15, 2012

Go West II - Snap and Go

Monument Rocks National Natural Landmark, western Kansas
  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved


It may surprise you to know whirlwind road trips can be a challenge to photographers, or anyone else with infinite curiosity. The temptation to stop repeatedly to explore can be heart rending. I wanted to stop at least 72 hundred times during our adventure... to take a photo, or look at a bird, or a rock, or a yak for that matter.

But we had to press on to see everyone we wanted to see, and visit all the places we wanted to visit. I took pictures when I could. Hence, my road trip photography is of the "snap and go" variety.

"Snap and go" is not especially conducive to good nature and landscape photography, which is often predicated upon capturing beautiful light to set a mood. Yet some subjects are strong enough to endure the snap shot style.

Monument Rocks (or Chalk Pyramids) is such a subject. They are a strange anomaly, towering 70 feet above the endless agricultural flatlands of the Kansas high plains. These chalky formations were sculpted by wind and water. But the layers of fossil rich rock date back 80 million years, when this region was not an ocean of wheat, but an ocean of sea water (talk about climate change!).

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27 comments:

  1. John "By Stargoose And Hanglands"June 15, 2012 at 2:18 AM

    That certainly is a landmark! my curiosity is such that I rarely manage to travel any distance at all...

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  2. GinnieJune 15, 2012 at 3:07 AM

    In Kansas of all places! Who would have believed it! As I would say, Doug, snap-and-go is better than no vacation at all!!!

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  3. JoeJune 15, 2012 at 3:26 AM

    Oh my goodness Doug. This is sensational. Needs to be framed and displayed in prime position on someone's wall.

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  4. fabrizioJune 15, 2012 at 3:54 AM

    beautiful nature... awesome

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  5. AnonymousJune 15, 2012 at 4:21 AM

    My compliments Doug!

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  6. Cezar and LéiaJune 15, 2012 at 4:39 AM

    These rocks are really impressive!
    Outstanding image!
    Léia

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  7. Joop ZandJune 15, 2012 at 5:51 AM

    Fantastic shot with nice colors.

    Greetings, Joop

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  8. GigaJune 15, 2012 at 5:56 AM

    Skała z "oknem" na świat jest niesamowita, a zdjęcie cudowne. Pozdrawiam.
    Rock with a "window" into the world is amazing and wonderful picture. Yours.

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  9. PhotoAttractionJune 15, 2012 at 8:55 AM

    Great colors and contrasts.
    And this photo matches your header...

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  10. BirdmanJune 15, 2012 at 9:25 AM

    Well, ya gotta keeper here.

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  11. UnknownJune 15, 2012 at 9:25 AM

    For a snap-and-go shot, it's absolutely perfect!! :))
    That's how I usually do shots - so much to see and so little time... :))
    Greetings

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  12. Roland TheysJune 15, 2012 at 10:38 AM

    WONDERFUL photo Doug!

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  13. yiannis krikisJune 15, 2012 at 1:36 PM

    fantastic framing, colors and scenery

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  14. HarryJune 15, 2012 at 3:35 PM

    An awesome photo, Doug, rivialing some I have seen of Delicate Arch in Utah. I had never heard of these formations despite driving through Kansas many a time and laughing at some signs that said "Welcome to the scenic flint hills of Kansas" when the landscape had been unchanged for a hundred miles.

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  15. London CallerJune 15, 2012 at 4:37 PM

    Kansas is amazing!
    That's where they made the cartoon, Wile E Coyote and the Road Runner?
    Beep beep, don't run like the bird.
    Hold your horses, perhaps coyotes or yaks, and enjoy the view, D. ;o)

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  16. MarcieJune 15, 2012 at 8:24 PM

    Gorgeous color...and love the detail in the rock strata.

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  17. Andrew Graeme GouldJune 16, 2012 at 12:20 AM

    This certainly doesn't come across as any casual snap, Doug. Beautiful light and very impressive detail!

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  18. Traveling HawkJune 16, 2012 at 3:02 AM

    This is a very interesting region, which I know more from National Geographics (both TV and magazine) and westerns.

    I sympathize with you, Doug, in this "snap and go" matter, as I always lack time in my marathon travels in Asia.

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  19. cieldequimperJune 16, 2012 at 6:56 AM

    Kansas will now have to be on my to-go list... I've perfected the art of snap and go...

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  20. Frank de JolJune 16, 2012 at 7:40 AM

    Very interesting place.

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  21. MarisaJune 16, 2012 at 11:21 AM

    Excellent!

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  22. franzJune 16, 2012 at 1:07 PM

    i find absolutely nothing to complain about here, doug! this is as good as it gets, both motive-wise and from an aesthetic point of view! never heard of these strange chalk rocks in the prairie before ... america is indeed the land of wonders !!!

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  23. yzJune 16, 2012 at 5:32 PM

    excellent framing

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  24. Ignacio SantanaJune 17, 2012 at 3:47 PM

    Hola, Doug!!! He estado viendo tus últimas fotografías...son muy buenas, felicidades!!!

    Un abrazo, amigo!!! ;)

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  25. georgeJune 18, 2012 at 11:37 AM

    What a superbly placed hole in the rock, it must have known you were en route, and in "snap and go" mode - a situation I can utterly emphasise with

    Cherill, my wife just refuses to go out when I'm shooting - probably something to do with me stopping and leaping out of the car every 100 metres as each magical potential pic appears. And then stop to have supper somewhere and that magical light appears half way through the main course...

    It can't be fun to be a photographers partner!

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  26. ChristopherJune 18, 2012 at 8:22 PM

    Wonderful framing and a really impressive sight. As you can imagine, I can totally relate to the push/pull of stopping vs. moving on. My poor family--I think sometimes they're tempted to drive off and leave me.

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  27. rianJuly 10, 2012 at 5:06 PM

    i didn't know there were formations like this in kansas, i'd better take this down.. :D

    i know what you mean.. it's a shame to not capture beautiful sceneries.. i still manage to get a few while driving.. i call it landscape paparazzi.. ;D

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