By Scott Shephard

One trick photographers use to recharge is to have a "project." I'm not so good at that because I am easily distracted. But on our recent visit to the Black Hills I decided I needed something to get me see things I don't normally see. So on my last day in the Hills, my project was "rocks."

What I discovered, as I hope you see in this photo, is that there is plenty to look at. There is so much color, so much texture and so much to ponder. For example, it took me a few minutes to make this photo but the subject was in the making for a few million years. How does it happen that mountains get weathered down to smaller rocks? And what's it like to be strong and sturdy after all those years?

Canon 5DIII 1/60s f/4.0 ISO200 85mm

A few more rocks (in black and white):