A PERSONAL NOTE FROM RICK

Rick Braveheart

UPDATED NOVEMBER 30, 2009
Welcome to this “Visions From the Badlands National Park” blog. It was created during my assignment as photographer in residence at Badlands National Park in South Dakota between September and November 2009. Although I’m no longer posting updates, you’ll find a wealth of information here about visiting and/or photographing in the park. It also contains over 100 photographs divided into categories such as landscapes, animals, panoramas, and more. Use the index at the right to jump quickly to a photo gallery of interest to you.

WATCH THE NEW VIDEO I’ve just released a music video titled Under a Dakota Sky. It features many of the photographs from this blog as well as the music of Native American flutist Ronald Roybal. Click on the link at the right to watch the streaming video now.

Limited edition fine art photographs, greeting cards, portfolios (collections of smaller size prints) and more, have also been added to the website. They feature many of the images from this blog and others taken throughout the Dakotas. Click here to view a current catalog of items.

Enjoy your visit here, and as always, I welcome your comments and thoughts. ~ Rick Braveheart




11/08 – Honoring the Land – A Landscape Photo Gallery

There is an immense diversity of landscapes within the Badlands National Park. In a drive through the Northern Unit alone, one enters the park surrounded by towering rock formations reminiscent of a mars-type landscape, Driving less than ten miles farther along the park along the Loop Road, the terrain turns nearly flat and similar in looks to the prairies of western Kansas. Then, only a few miles beyond that, the topography changes yet again with elevations soaring and some areas looking more like Switzerland than South Dakota.

     I’ve spent the past week examine, organizing and reviewing nearly 100 landscape images. These include traditional landscape photos, panoramas, and photos taken with antique black and white cameras. These landscapes represent a wide variety of popular and remote locations scattered throughout the park, were taken during various times of the day and night, and in various weather conditions. I’ve created the interactive slideshow found below which contains 16 of my favorite landscape images and which I feel best represent the great diversity found within the park. Once you begin the show you can either click on a specific photo to view it in a larger size, or easily navigate from one photo to the next.

Click the Image to Start the Slideshow.

  Images (C) 2009 Rick Braveheart. All rights reserved.       




11/07 – Honoring the Horses (Animals – Part 2)

In my many years photographing animals, I’ve had perhaps the most amazing experiences possible with horses. Once in New Mexico, a wild stallion appeared directly behind me as I was photographing in an empty field. Where it came from I’ll never know. It stayed for less than a minute, just long enough to capture it beauty against the background of a quickly approaching storm. Then, it galloped away, out of sight.

     Another time, near Grand Teton, I photographed horses in a coral for five consecutive evenings. While always keeping his distance from the herd and my camera, one older and strikingly beautiful saddle horse always caught my eye. He carried himself with dignity, had a handsome cinnamon color mane, and stood well over 17 hands high (about 6′). While sensing he didn’t want to be photographed, I’d always spend several minutes each night admiring and talking to him. On my final evening there, as I approached the coral, he galloped to a place not more than 10 feet in front of me and stood motionless for 20 minutes in the soft golden light of the setting sun and allowed me to photograph him.

     Horses are found throughout the Badlands. Some are working animals used by park rangers or by Native Americans on the reservation. A few are there having been abandoned by their owners. Others are found on nearby farms and ranches which run (maintain) small herds. I’ve seen a great many horses here, spent one-on-one time with a dozen or so, and had the honor of photographing several. I’ve created an interactive slideshow containing some of those images. Once you begin the show you can either click on a specific photo to view it in a larger size, or easily navigate from one photo to the next.

Click the Image Below to Start the Slideshow.




11/05 – Recommended Books & Maps

In response to the many requests I’ve received for suggested books and maps about visiting the park, I’ve put together a short list of recommended resources. From the more than 50 books, newsletters and maps I read to prepare for this trip, or relied upon while there, I found a handful to be extremely useful and I can highly recommend them to anyone interested in planning a visit or learning more about park.


BOOKS
Badlands: Its Life and Landscape by Joy Keve Hauk
Published by The Badlands Natural History Association

Don’t let the copyright date of this book turn you away. While first published in 1969, this 64-page book is an excellent resource to learn about the park’s history, geology, animal and plant life. The easy to read text includes many photos to help in identifying various types of formations, plants and animals found within the park. The book can be ordered through the Badlands Natural History Association by clicking the title above.

Insiders’ Guide to South Dakota’s Black Hills and Badlands by T. D. Griffith & D.D. Floyd

An up-to-date, well organized guide containing nearly 400 pages of information on the areas’ history, towns and historic sights as well as concise travel information and recommendations on lodging, dining and recreation. The book is written by two long time residents of the area.



Badlands Theodore Roosevelt and Wind Cave National Parks: Wildlife Watcher’s Guide
by Michael Milstein & Michael Harlowe Francis

A wonderful, well written guide for locating and identifying many types of wildlife in Badlands, Theodore Roosevelt and Wind Cave National Parks. Includes concise descriptions on dozens of the most frequently seen mammals, reptiles, and birds found in these parks, maps showing where they’re often found, and excellent photographs.

Exploring the Black Hills and Badlands: A Guide for Hikers, Cross-Country Skiers by Hiram Rogers

If you’re interested in hiking or leaving the beaten path, this is a great resource to help plan your trip. The book includes detailed directions and topo maps on over 800 miles of trails, with suggestions on various trails to pursue. The author also provides information on the history of this area and descriptions of its major geologic and natural features.

MAPS
Trails Illustrated Badlands National Park
Published by Trails Illustrated

In my experience, this is the most detailed and useful map available on this region. Published on tearproof paper that can be folded and unfolded repeatedly, and treated with water proof material, this full color 4×9″ folded map unfolds to a very useful 28×32″ size. In addition to nearby highways and roads, the map identifies trails, campsites, recreational features, rivers/streams and areas of interest.

DeLorme South Dakota Atlas & Gazetter
Published by DeLorme

If you’ll be hiking or venturing outside the park or elsewhere in South Dakota, this, like all DeLorme Gazetterrs is THE resource to have. This atlas with highly detailed maps of the state is an excellent resource for trip planning or for spur of the moment exploration. These detailed maps identify highways, roadways, rivers and streams as well as a general idea as to the terrain of the area.





11/02 – My Friends, The Stone People (B&W Portfolio)

With just a casual glance, most of the rock formations at Badlands National Park look simply like … well … like large, irregular rock formations. But if you take time to study them, and with a soft gaze, the unique, incredible shapes of animals, people and mythical creatures will slowly emerge. And, although they were carved by wind and rain, it’s easy to think these huge, elaborate shapes were created at the hands of highly skilled artists.

     Over the past few weeks I’ve had the honor of photographing nearly 50 of these unique rock formations. Most, in the shape of humans, animals (like dogs, fish and birds) and other creatures, were found throughout the Northern Unit of the park. A few were seen quite easily from a road or hiking path. Most however, took time and patience before they’d reveal themselves. And each time when they did, I felt humbled and in awe of Nature’s handiwork.

     In 1929, when the Badlands National Monument was established, the most well known camera was the black and white Graflex ‘Speed Graphic.’ It was the camera of choice in newspapers and photogravures and featured interchangeable lenses and a bellows for close-up work. To convey a sense of history–of how people in 1929 would have seen the first images of these rock formations, I photographed them using speed graphic equipment and historic lenses from 1910-1930. Click the graphic below to view an interactive slideshow containing 15 rock formations photos. Once you begin the show you can either click on a specific photo to view it in a larger size, or easily navigate from one photo to the next.

Click the Image to Start the Slideshow.