Photographer Christian Begeman captured the brilliant fall colors in Sioux Falls this month. See more of Begeman’s photos at cbegeman.blogspot.com or on our website.
Sioux Falls Fall
Tag: fall foliage
The Golden Season
With beauty that can be as brief as the next north wind, fall signals the end of the growing season and the coming cold of winter. I often hear people say autumn is their favorite time of year. I like it too, although I think its stay is too brief.
Finding the perfect fall foliage is not always easy. I have some favorite spots to check each year, and every once in awhile I find something unexpected. One constant is the cool overnights. This change in weather can leave heavy dew or even frost in the early morning. This has the potential to make photographic macro magic, so this year I tried more close-up detail than I ever have.
Early one September morning in Spearfish Canyon, I discovered the magic of frost on fallen leaves. Because my mind doesn’t always function to its fullest during the early hours of the day, I forgot one of my favorite lenses in my vehicle and didn’t realize it until I had walked all the way down to Spearfish Falls from the parking lot of the Latchstring Inn at Savoy. All I had was my macro lens. While getting ready to head back up the trail I noticed what looked like sugarcoated red leaves and grass in the chilly shadows by the creek. I spent the next half hour on my knees among those fallen leaves. It’s funny how things work out –as I tarried with the frosted leaves, I happened to be there when the first sunlight appeared over the canyon walls and bathed the falls in a unique display of color and light.
Have you ever noticed that fall foliage can look absolutely breathtaking from a distance, but among the trees that beauty can seem less than you expected? Maybe it’s just me, but I often run in to situations like that. So this year, I decided to shoot many of the autumn scenes I encountered with a long lens. A telephoto lens allows a photographer to better isolate the subject with its background. Since you”zoom in” from a distance, you can concentrate more color in your photo, whereas the full measure of that combined color may be lost when you’re close and shooting with a wide-angle lens. The high draws of the Sage Creek Wilderness in Badlands National Park are a great place to use this technique. I like to walk out on the hills above the little valleys and feature the color in the foreground while pulling in the distant and rugged badlands as the background. If I walked up to the start of the draw and shot with a normal lens, I would lose all that concentrated color and the drama of the distant badlands.
Whatever your style or favorite technique may be, autumn is a great time to get out and shoot. Even after the gold, red and orange disappears, there are still opportunities for colorful leaves on the forest floor or in your yard. But you better hurry. Soon the wind will leave the land bare with only a white cover for a blanket. That is, until the rhythm of the seasons starts all over again next spring.
Christian Begeman grew up in Isabel and now lives in Sioux Falls. When he’s not working at Midcontinent Communications he is often on the road photographing South Dakota’s prettiest spots. Follow Begeman on his blog.
Farm Island Fall
John Mitchell, Pierre, shared these photos from Farm Island Recreation Area and nearby Lewis and Clark Trail in Hughes County. Fur traders explored Farm Island in the early 1800s, and then tilled the land and planted crops, thus the name Farm Island. In 1934 a causeway was built, and the island became a recreation center. Big Bend Dam was finished in 1965, and much of the island was flooded beneath Lake Sharpe. Nature has reclaimed much of the island. See more of Mitchell’s work at http://www.sodakmoments.com/
Fall Medicine
I had a good day last week. A good medicine day. You know, one of those”good for the soul” kind of days. October is always a bittersweet month for me. The days noticeably grow shorter and it is not hard to feel the whisper of winter on the wind. I don’t mind winter, but the transition to it always seems to get me down. The Saturday before last, however, was one of the rare, late fall days when the sun was shining, the breeze was light and I had nothing to do but go and explore.
I haven’t had a lot of time between my work schedule and overcast weather to seek out fall color here in the southeastern corner of the state this year. Up until that Saturday, the only good East River fall photograph I was able to capture was taken in Brookings County in the last light of evening after the sun broke through departing rain clouds. That Saturday, however, I was on a quest to find more fall color.
I started at Beaver Creek Nature Area south of Brandon. There I found Allen Severtson harvesting corn with tools of yesteryear, including a 1954 SC CASE tractor. Allen spied me on the road with my camera and motioned for me to come join him. We didn’t harvest much corn where I grew up on the border of Ziebach and Dewey County, but riding with Allen a couple times around the small nine-acre corn field reminded me of when I was a kid and loving riding with my dad in the tractor or combine.
After that trip down memory lane, I made my way to Newton Hills State Park, south of Canton. Hiking along the Big Sioux River on the northeast edge of the park, I discovered some beautifully golden leaved trees hanging their limbs over the edge of the water. Squirrels and birds were still quite active on this late fall day and I even spied dragonflies along the banks.
The next stop was Union Grove State Park, south of Beresford, followed by Adams Nature Preserve near McCook, SD. I saw downy woodpeckers and blue jays while there but was unable to get a decent photo. I decided to head back up the Missouri River. When looking eastward from I-29 I thought I could see the afternoon light glinting on golden bands of cottonwoods near Vermillion.
I wasn’t disappointed. Clay County Park provided wonderful views of the Missouri River framed with fall color. As evening approached, I started making my way to an intriguing unused barn east of Wakonda that I remembered from an earlier trip. On the way there, I drove by beautiful, tall stands of colorful trees south of Gayville. The evening light was perfect. There were high, wispy clouds in the sky above the barn when I got there. What I didn’t realize was that the back wall had a significant hole in it. So when the sun set behind the structure, I could see it clearly through the front opening of the barn. By luck and by being at the right place at the right time, I was able to frame up a unique shot of the barn and setting sun through the two openings. It was a perfect ending to my day.
I’ve learned over the years that days like that don’t come as often as I’d like. I guess it makes it that much more enjoyable when they do. Days like that Saturday have a way of renewing my love for the hobby and life in general, and that alone made the day really good medicine.
Christian Begeman grew up in Isabel and now lives in Sioux Falls. When he’s not working at Midcontinent Communications he is often on the road photographing our prettiest spots around the state. Follow Begeman on his blog.
Fall at Farm Island
John Mitchell shared these photos of Farm Island Recreation area near Pierre. View more of his photos on Facebook and at sodakmoments.com.
Good Earth State Park
Scott Korsten shared these photos from a hike yesterday in Good Earth State Park at Blood Run. The park southeast of Sioux Falls is South Dakota’s newest state park and one of the oldest sites of long-term human habitation in the United States. Early occupants of the 600 acres of land were primarily Oneota Tradition Peoples, including Omaha, Ponca, Ioway and Otto. Naturalists are restoring the area to its original grasses and wild flowers.
West River’s Fleeting Fall Color
The colors of fall can be elusive in a predominantly prairie state like South Dakota. Our national forests are mostly made up of evergreens. Autumn winds can blow relentlessly through the rest of the trees as winter’s long arm begins to creep down from the north. Wild weather swings, as evidenced by this past week’s brutal snowstorm on the west side of the state and tornados clipping the southeast corner, don’t help autumn’s splendor stay around for long either. To me, fall’s fleeting nature is what makes photographing its beauty so fun and fulfilling.
This year, I was able to break away from the normal routine to spend a few days searching for autumn color. From Sunday, September 29 through Tuesday, October 1, I made a wide circle through some of the prettiest country our state has to offer west of the Missouri. Last year, I discovered that the valleys and draws of the Sage Creek Wilderness offer some unique fall scenes with the Badlands as a backdrop. I got there maybe a week before the trees were in prime color, however, I found that the early morning sun backlighting the leaves brought out fall’s tints anyway.
My next stop was the northern Black Hills. This area contains two of the most scenic canyons in the state and they are particularly beautiful when dressed in autumn’s hues. Vanocker Canyon Road between Nemo and Sturgis is a short but beautiful drive. Spearfish Canyon’s scenic highway is also a must see during this season. At Savoy, you can get out and hike to waterfalls, alongside creeks and nature areas that will take your breath away.
Around a hundred miles north and a little east of the Black Hills is the furthest eastward unit of Custer National Forest. This narrow band of trees grace the tops and sides of the Slim Buttes of Harding County. I have seen and been impressed with other photographers’ images of that area taken in the fall and always wanted to go and experience it myself. I’m glad I did, as there are views and vistas that had me saying”wow” out loud. I’m not kidding. After only allowing for an afternoon’s visit, I was kicking myself for not allowing the whole weekend to explore. It’s that good.
On the way to the Slim Buttes, I stopped off in the Hoover, SD area to shoot the South Fork of the Moreau River. I grew up near the Moreau River proper around 90 miles to the east of Hoover so this landscape of cut banks, cottonwoods and cattle made me feel like I was home again. After spending the night in Isabel, I made an early morning stop at Little Moreau Recreation Area south of Timber Lake. This relatively wide and scenic creek valley in the middle of the prairie is thick with trees. I had never witnessed what it looked like in the fall before this year. The early morning view was not a disappointment. I had arrived a few days before prime colors, but the scene was still impressive. As a photographer, I’d rather catch fall early than late as the remaining greens can contrast nicely with the autumn’s yellow, oranges and reds.
My last stop was the Foster Bay Road of extreme northwest Stanley County. Here the draws were in full autumn splendor. I found bright reds in the thickets and rich oranges and yellows along the hillsides. I spent a good hour, just taking it all in. A lot of miles lay behind me, but viewing these last bursts of color before the dull and muted hues of winter arrive was truly a blessing. Yes, fall is fleeting in our great state, which means catching it even for just for a moment is a treasure. It’s a good life lesson, really. Life is fleeting, but there are moments and experiences that stand out in vivid color. Enjoy those moments, take pictures and treasure the views!
Christian Begeman grew up in Isabel and now lives in Sioux Falls. When he’s not working at Midcontinent Communications he is often on the road photographing our prettiest spots around the state. Follow Begeman on his blog.
Fall’s First Blush
Photographer Christian Begeman offered to help us commemorate the beginning of fall in South Dakota with photos of early fall color he took at Good Earth and Hartford Beach state parks last Saturday. See more of Christian’s photos at his blog or in his photography columns for this website.
Custer’s Four Seasons
Custer State Park in the southwestern Black Hills is a place of superlatives. South Dakota’s first and largest state park boasts one of the largest publicly-held herds of wild American Bison in the world. The scenery is also some of the best you will find in our state. Thickly forested heights in the north give way to windswept prairie valleys in the south, providing a unique crossroad of geography as well as ecology.
I’ve spent as much time as I could in the park the last few years. Although I love the high country that includes scenic Needles Highway and Sylvan Lake, my favorite part of the park is in the southeastern half among the grassy valleys and prairie hills. I especially love the interior gravel roads that crisscross between points northeast and southwest along the wildlife loop road. I’m a sucker for wildlife photos. The wildlife loop is our state’s version of the Serengeti with all the wildlife that can be seen outside the car window.
My ultimate goal is to get shots of a wild mountain lion. I haven’t seen one yet. A couple summers ago, I thought I hit the jackpot. About dusk driving north on Highway 87 from Wind Cave National Park I rounded a bend in the road and saw the shape of a large feline casually strolling across the road. I hit the brakes and grabbed my camera. By the time I got my prize in the viewfinder I was only able see his rear end disappearing into the pines. I also noticed the tail was bobbed and the ears were pointed. So what I saw was not a mountain lion, but probably a very large bobcat or maybe a Canadian Lynx (if there are any of those roaming the Black Hills). Not my goal, but the rush of seeing the cat was exhilarating.
It’s that kind of adrenaline that drives me to cruise the back roads of the park in evenings and early morning. I’ve also learned the hard way that I need to stay on those roads. On Memorial Day weekend of 2010, an unseen rock punched a hole in my oil pan when I made a turn on what I thought was flat ground in the Fisherman Flats area. Dumb move. Thankfully I had enough cell coverage to reach the park headquarters and even more thankfully, the park ranger was a nice guy with good stories to tell as we waited for a tow truck to arrive from Custer. I’m sure I was now on his list of”things boneheads from East River do” stories. Oh well. Because I was without a vehicle the next day I hiked all around Stockade Lake and found my first shooting-star flowers high up along the trail.
Up until this September, I had visited the park in every season except fall. This time around, I was able to spend a couple days cruising the park as the fall colors were reaching their prime. Vibrant reds, yellows and oranges along the creek beds and canyon floors accented the already scenic views. My main goal was to shoot some of the wildlife amongst the autumn colors. With the abundance of wildlife used to vehicle traffic in the park, this goal wasn’t as challenging as I thought it might be. I was able to get bison, pronghorn and deer all with fall colors in the shots.
My last morning in the park, I drove up Needles Highway and waited for the clouds to clear so the early sunlight would hit the cathedral spires. While I waited, I heard a few weird calls in the valley below and then noises of wildlife scrambling in the rocks and then away and out of earshot. My mind imagined a mountain lion pursuing an elk or deer, but I really don’t know what it was. Soon the sun came out from behind the morning clouds and I got my photo. It was a good end to another successful stay in Custer State Park. Any time I have a chance to visit the granddaddy of all South Dakota state parks, I do. It is truly a priceless treasure nestled within our great state. I’ll be back…but not soon enough.
Christian Begeman grew up in Isabel and now lives in Sioux Falls. When he’s not working at Midcontinent Communications he is often on the road photographing our prettiest spots around the state. Follow Begeman on his blog. To view Christian’s columns on other South Dakota state parks and recreation areas, visit his state parks page.
Spellbinding Spearfish Canyon
There is a place in the northern section of the Black Hills that can legitimately be called a”must see” destination for every South Dakotan. That is purely my opinion, but I’ll bet you’ll agree with me (if you don’t already) after stepping foot in the area where Little Spearfish Creek joins Spearfish Creek at a place called Savoy. It is a landscape that will simply take your breath away. This is true for all seasons of the year, but if you can, visit the area in autumn. Come early on a sun-filled morning. Come and marvel at the yellow, red and orange of aspen, birch and oak coloring the canyon walls. Add deep greens of ponderosa pine as well as the rich blue sky above and it won’t take long to fall under the spell of one of the state’s most beautiful places.
I was in grade school the first time my dad turned the wheels of the family car up the scenic Spearfish Canyon byway. I remember looking out the backseat windows in awe. I also remember daydreaming about flying a fighter jet through the canyon chasing some alien spaceship. Quite an imagination for a farm kid, I guess. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to linger in the beauty. I’ve also learned that it is a superb yet challenging place to take nature photos. I took some of my first long exposure waterfall photos in Spearfish Canyon. Roughlock Falls to be exact. I was in college and at that time there wasn’t much for groomed trails or any viewing decks. Nowadays the Game, Fish and Parks Department maintain an interpretive trail, as well as wide walking trails and sturdy viewing platforms in what is called the Roughlock Falls Nature Area.
Last week I was able to spend two full days in the area. The fall colors were nearing their peak as I hiked the trails with my tripod and camera gear. Just below Latchstring Inn is a trail that leads to Spearfish Falls. It is one of my favorite places in the whole canyon. Further up Little Spearfish Creek is lower and upper Roughlock Falls. In between these waterfalls is the trout-filled Little Spearfish Creek which affords many opportunities to spot wildlife and wildflowers. There is a small dam along the way that allows for fly fishing and/or watching the trout glide through crystal clear waters. I spent at least an hour watching and attempting to photograph brown trout feeding on aquatic insects with quick strikes to the surface.
Driving further up the Roughlock Falls road towards Cement Ridge on the Wyoming border has become another favorite trip for me. The winter scene from Kevin Costner’s Oscar-winning film, Dances with Wolves, was filmed in this area and there is a sign pointing out the exact place. Mature aspen groves, as well as thick birch stands, add brilliant colors to the drive. Abundant wildlife such as deer, squirrel, chipmunk and marmot can also be found along the way.
The approaching drive from Spearfish to Roughlock Falls Nature Area is also beautiful. Bridal Veil Falls is a well-known pull-off for tourists. You’ll often pass bikers peddling away as well as motorcycles cruising through the scenery. Photographing such a place is both easy and hard. Easy, because it feels as if anywhere the camera is pointed, a great shot can be taken. Hard, because good fall foliage photos require compelling composition, good light and interesting detail. Each of these aspects can be daunting in their own right, but combining all three takes a lot of thought and patience. I’m still learning myself as often the euphoria of the autumn scene in front of me at Spearfish Canyon can turn my photographic brain off. That is why I took the time to linger in the canyon this time around. I went back at different times of day to discover and enjoy the different moods and scenes spread out before me. I’d do it again tomorrow if I could. It’s really that good, but don’t take my word for it. Get out and see it yourself!
Christian Begeman grew up in Isabel and now lives in Sioux Falls. When he’s not working at Midcontinent Communications he is often on the road photographing our prettiest spots around the state. Follow Begeman on his blog. To view Christian’s columns on other South Dakota state parks and recreation areas, visit his state parks page.
