Rick Braveheart

UPDATE: JUNE 30, 2010
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 USA, September through 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. This blog includes interactive panoramas, a music video, and over 150 photographs divided into categories such as landscapes, animals and plants. Use the index at the right to jump quickly to a photo gallery of interest to you.

OVER 150 IMAGES & INTERACTIVE PANORAMAS! Use the Photo Gallery Index at the right to make your selections.

WATCH THE NEW VIDEO The music video Under a Dakota Sky was created using thousands of still and time-lapse images from my work in the park, and also the music of award winning Native American flutist Ronald Roybal. Click on the image below to begin watching this streaming YouTube video now.

It’s my sincere hope you enjoy your time here experiencing the beauty of this magical place for yourself. And as always, I welcome your comments and thoughts. ~ Rick Braveheart

     I’ve spent the past week examining, 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.       

     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.

Badlands: Its Life and Landscape

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.

     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.

For nearly a week I’ve heard it each time I’ve been out photographing. The sound was like words whispered in the wind, that were repeated again and again. They were impossible to understand at first. Then, once or twice I could make out a word or two in the whisper. Finally, two days ago, I heard it clearly and immediately felt myself grow smaller and a sadness swell in my heart. The words whispered in the wind had said “It’s time for you to leave.”

     It was a surprise, really, and for that I’m deeply grateful. Of course, even before I began this residency I’d scheduled my departure date and return flight home. But once I arrived in the park, I lost all awareness of the date or even the day of the week. The truth is, it didn’t matter. I lived each day by an internal clock that woke me at 2 or 3 AM to complete a blog entry or work on a photograph. And, that same clock closed my eyes at 8 or 9 PM when my body was too weary to do more. And, with no TV, radio or newspaper to reveal the date or day, I discovered a great freedom in the immense joy of ‘being present” to each moment.

     The park also seems to have heard the whisper too and is doing what it can to make my departure easier. Shaina, Ellen, Paul and Rick, the seasonal park rangers whom I’ve spent much time with have now left for home. The weather is doing its part too. Predictions are for the season’s first serious snow storm to arrive the day after I depart. And somehow, the animals know too. For the past few days the coyote and hawk that would meet me each morning, and the jackrabbit that visited each night have suddenly gone into hiding. Even the horses I’ve visited each evening who’d always gallop to me as I approached and rub their heads against my face or chest asking for some attention or conversation now (see photos below from last night) either keep their distance or walk with their heads lowered as past me.

     I’m deeply grateful for not having had an awareness of my leaving until just a few days ago. And most importantly, in not having let the emotions of it (sadness, suffering, etc.) close my eyes to seeing and photographing the beauty that was as present here today as it’s been each day of my stay. Whether it’s moving from a home, leaving a job, or dealing with the impending death of a friend or loved one, we’ve all had experience of feeling sadness, loss or suffering long before the actual event occurred. And, when that happens, our awareness of the world becomes small and our attention laser-focused on the event and feelings. My wish for everyone is that we can each find ways to remain more open, aware, and spacious in times like this.

“There are moments in our lives, there are moments in a day, when we seem to see beyond the usual. Such are the moments of our greatest happiness. Such are the moments of our greatest wisdom. If one could but recall that vision by some sort of sign. It was in this hope that the arts were invented.” — Robert Henri (1865-1929)

There are many forms of photography such as traditional, contemporary, abstract, stylized and historic. Similarly, photos can be produced with different recording medium such as digital or film, and with various methods such as color or black and white. When it comes to photography, most people have a certain preference for one, or more, of these approaches. And with certain subjects, one technique or approach can be more effective or appropriate for an image than another.

     Since my work is to visually convey a sense of place (a sense of the park), and knowing that people have different photographic preferences, I’ve captured images using many of the techniques mentioned above. While most of the photographs shown earlier in this website were done using a traditional style of landscape and nature photography, dozens more were captured using non-traditional techniques. I’ve prepared an interactive slideshow containing 15 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. When you finish viewing the show return here to learn more about how the photos were created.

Click the Image to Start the Slideshow.

The images in the slideshow above were created using various photo accessories or cameras. These are described below.


Antique and Holga Cameras
The five photos on the bottom row were made using non-traditional cameras. The first three were made using a Holga camera. The Holga (click here for an example) is a modern, inexpensive medium (square) format camera which uses film (color or black and white). Although it’s considered by many to be a toy camera, it’s also used by artists because of the unique characteristics it adds to images. These include vignetting (dark edges), bluring, and other types of distortions. The last two images in the bottom row were created using an medium format camera produced in 1930–a camera made roughly the same time as the Badlands was proclaimed a National Monument. Antique medium format cameras like the Hassleblad, Rollfix, Rolleiflex can be found in many antique shops, certain on-line camera retailers and on ebay.


The Lensbaby
The top two rows of images in the slideshow were made using a Lensbaby–a special camera lens and fitting that’s mounted inside a flexible housing and can be used with most Canon or Nikon cameras. Because of its design (a single element lens) images tend to look softer and more dream-like, overall. Also because you can twist or bend the housing which contains the lens you can position the focus on just one area and distort the rest, or add a gentle distortion to the entire image.

     When I want to add a special effect or create an image which conveys a concept or mood instead of the subject itself, I use the Lensbaby system. I find the entire system easy to work with, fun to use, and its design lets me add special effects and personal expression to an image. The Lensbaby is bulit around a flexible housing called the Composer (see image at right). Into this housing you can insert a variety of optic lenses or accessories. The double glass optic lens, for example, offers razor sharp focus in one area of the image, and gentle distortion elsewhere, while the plastic optic lens gives a more dreamlike effect to the entire image. You can also purchase wide angle, super wide angle, and close-up (macro) lenses for additional effects. Click here to visit the Lensbaby website and read more.

The class then divided into two teams, and given the assignment to create two different panoramas of Interior, South Dakota each of which would include their school. On their own, each team selected the location, determined the GPS coordinates, setup and leveled the tripod and camera, programmed the GigaPan, and took the photographs used to create their panoramas. These students included Dusty, Sierra, Frances, Sky, Marcus, Waniyetu and Nathan, all are from Ms. Arlene Hicks class. Both teams did a great job and I am extremely pleased to have this honor of presenting to you now, their two interactive panoramas which are shown below.

Click the Image Below for the
Panorama by Team Number 1