Oregon Trail Landmark

Chimney Rock - Nebraska

I'm working on a personal project that I started last year and which will likely take me years to complete. Photographing the Oregon Trail. For Memorial Day weekend, I headed to western Nebraska to photograph that section of the trail. Chimney Rock (along with Independence Rock) is probably the landmark most frequently mentioned by travellers along the way. It can easily be seen on the horizon from over 30 miles away. Since leaving Missouri, its the first thing they could watch on the seemingly endless and featureless prairie from which they could easily discern they were making progress westward.

Cool project, Doug.

This is one picture where I think centering was the right thing to do. The bright Spring grasses certainly help here; in the Fall it would be mostly blah...

That sounds like a great photographic project, and this is a great image to add to the project!. I keep meaning myself to try and get upto the Wyoming area of the trail and see wagon tracks, and the Fort Laramie area.

This is a nice image to add to your project. If you get to Independence Rock, be sure to go a few miles down the road and get a picture of Devil's Gate.

Great project idea ~ good luck. I've been to Chimney Rock, which I thought was tough to photograph. You did well - did you happen to try a vertical?

This is a puzzling shot to me--what time of day is this? Were clouds blocking the sun?

Clean. I think the centered composition is a good choice on this one. I like the solid green/blue palette.

Mel-

Thanks for all the comments.
Dave - I do have a view verticals, but for whatever reason this version just seemed to be the best one.
Stan - What exactly is puzzling about it? The shot was taken between 9:30 and 10 in the morning. There was not a single cloud in the sky this morning. The sun was directly behind me.