My first visit to pawnee buttes

Took the family out late yesterday to see the flowers around Pawnee Buttes. It was our first time out in the area. I did not expect so many dirt roads with deep ruts. But besides the quality drive, the flowers were blooming all along the way and the pronghorn were out grazing.

We took the trail down to the western butte from the trail head parking area. The flowers were blooming near the start, but appeared to be just starting to bloom down near the butte. I had not expected the difference between the plateau and valley. I suppose I will need to try again in the future.

I did find a few flowers blooming to the south of the western butte and I composed this image towards the eastern butte. C&C welcome

Not real fond of the harsh light, but the comp is good. That's what I noticed about the flowers out there, there's just enough to tease you into thinking they'll make a great photo, but come up just short in the final analysis.

Yes, the light does look a bit harsh, but it was an afternoon hike and I needed to get the kids back home before it was too late. Clearly this one wasn't going to be a killer shot, but more of a comment about what I found when I was out there.

Thanks for the comments about the composition and well said. There are just enough flowers out there to frustrate you when analyzing the end results. But it looked to me like it was just getting started out there near the western butte. Would you agree?

Like Todd mentioned the lighting is very harsh, but the comp. works, and I'm sure you had a fun first visit!. The handful of times I have been out to the grasslands I've always found the flowers to be better on some of the other gravel roads, and have often just followed the advice of the Greeley USDA Forest service rangers, calling a week in advance.
However, if you catch the cactus blooming, with a stormy backdrop/sunset light, the buttes can be pretty darn nice!. I think you'll just have to go back

Thanks Nick. I wonder if the harshness is partially due to the white flowers on the green plants (e.g., the one in the foreground is covered in small white blossoms) as well as the limestone. Just a thought.

As for the cactus, there better be a lot of blooms on the cacti to be worth the effort. The prickly pear were blooming, but just not a lot of blossoms - yet. I s'pose a few more warm days might do the job, but that is a guess. And if the storms weren't tossing out large hail stones I wouldn't be so nervous about being out with storms in the area.

You are correct that I will just have to go back and try, try again.

Hope the family enjoyed the outing. My wife and 4 daughters would have just stayed in the car and read their books if I had taken them along when they were younger. I saved all of us from that experience most of the time. I do like the comp, and am looking forward to when you get a chance in better light.

I dont mind the mid afternoon light, that's really the way the Plains look most of the time afterall. The crisp shadows really enhance that summerlike feel. But it could use a bit more space at top.

Thanks for the comments Morris and Stan. I can add space above with no problem as I cropped it down. I wasn't too sure if I took a bit too much off the top. But I would like to have light later in the day.

I agree about adding more space at the top. I do like the texture on the ground.