By Scott Shephard

I think that many people who have never travelled some of the backroads of South Dakota might be surprised to know that the landscape of our amazing state can in fact hold its own with Tuscany, which was featured in yesterday’s post.

This photo was taken several miles south of the small town of Timber Lake in north central South Dakota. We are looking at the meandering Little Moreau River as it flows towards the Missouri River, which isn’t visible in this photo but which is present. This area was meeting place for some groups of Sioux, who hunted and made camp here hundreds of years ago.

The Sioux were hunter/gatherers and as I think about it, I guess I am the same when it comes to finding photographs. The photo doesn’t come to me; instead I go to it. And while a landscape photo like this stands as a record and an interpretation of a location, it is also a portrait. And, as with good portraiture, I look for the right moment, the right light and just the right angle. But I’m not a very good photographer if I can’t get a flattering portrait of this place.

DJI Mavic 2 Pro Hasselblad L1D-20c 1/160sec f 4.5 100 ISO (5 frame HDR)