Trip Report 2: Spring in the Nebraska Panhandle – Close-Ups

Sometimes the most intricate and colorful subjects are found close to the ground or are small and often hidden. Over time as a photographer my Macro lens has become one of my favorite lenses for exploring the world. I can and often do spend hours studying one flower. The white lily, for instance, was my subject for almost an hour and a half as I crawled around to get the perfect vantage. I wanted to accentuate the drops and explore the beauty of this Great Plains flower.

This spiderwort at Ash Hollow State Historical Park was also no exception. I spent a good hour capturing this specimen from different angles. I knew I only had one chance, Spiderworts only bloom for a day!

From a good distance I spotted these brilliant pink flowers. I had to be careful not to get too close as the cactus below would prick me, and did, once.

On my first day on this journey I came into a fairly steady rain. As I walked through Ash Hollow I saw several places near the ground that glistened. As I moved closer I found that spider webs were catching the drops on the fine filaments creating a pattern of sparkling spheres.

Every time prior I had visited Toadstool Geologic Park in Sioux County I had always captured its essence in wide sweeping landscapes. On this return trip I took more time to capture the more intimate details of these badlands. I found it very satisfying to simply stroll through the landscape and look for the patterns that inhabited the area.

Lastly, I found this blooming Milk Vetch that seemed to sprout from one of the most inhospitable areas I have seen. Dry and barren, this flower still thrivs and bloomed.