Somewhere in North Dakota.
This week Amy celebrates the sun that gives us life and brightens our days. There are billions of suns in the universe. Still, only one is close enough for us to have become a routine part of our daily existence in more ways than being responsible for the planet’s continuing existence as we know it.
Amy writes, “We will explore the sunlight and things under the sun, whether itβs in the morning, middle of the day, and/or before sun goes down.” You can find her entire challenge post here.
For my challenge response, I will mostly focus on those summer days when we have the longest time to enjoy the sun. Around the time of the summer solstice in June each year, North Dakotans enjoy an average of almost 16 hours to enjoy the sun. In my opening photo, even though we can’t see the sun through those layers of clouds, its light is shining across Turtle River State Park appearing to ignite the trees.
This beautiful antique aircraft is mimicking the color of the sun as if to say, “It’s time to share the morning skies with you, Mr. Sun.” The airplane is about the same age as I am. The Cessna model 195 was manufactured between 1947 and 1954. Cessna’s first aircraft with all-aluminum construction was available in both civilian and military versions.
At Valley City, the Hi-Line Bridge has carried railroad traffic since 1908, and it still is in use today. At the time of construction, it was the longest bridge of its height in the world. Today, at 3,860 feet (1,180 m) long and 162 feet (49 m) over the Sheyenne River Valley, it remains one of the longest and highest bridges in continued use in the United States. Early one morning, positioned so the bridge shielded my camera lens from the morning sun, I captured this image of the eastern ascent where it rises toward its maximum height over the Sheyenne River.
Just east of the town of Napoleon, North Dakota is a tribute to a modern “dinosaur”, the threshing machine. A local farmer, John “Custer” Grenz gathered a collection of steam threshing machines. He lined them up in a row on his farm and even though he has passed on, his family honors his memory by continuing to share his collection with the public. The sun was responsible for helping to grow the crops, and the threshing machine was responsible for helping to harvest them.
Even with hazy skies, the morning sun reflected gold off of the brick facade of this house in the ghost town formerly Sims.
Sunflowers are a major crop in North Dakota. This view from my drone was captured in the late afternoon. When sunflowers are young, their heads turn to follow the sun as it travels across the sky every day. When the plants mature, however, the heads are too heavy to turn. In this image, the heads are facing easterly even though the late afternoon sun is just off to the left side of this view that is looking to the northwest.
In that same field about an hour later, the sun much closer to the horizon, I captured this portrait of a sunflower. I know I’ve shared this image in challenges before, but humor me. It’s one of my all-time favorite images.
I would be remiss in not including a winter image, especially considering winters are so long in North Dakota. This is a view from the front steps of a friend’s home on Christmas day in 2017.
Thanks to Amy for her challenge that allowed me to share some of my favorite sunny images of North Dakota. To view any of these images in HD on my high-definition Flickr site, just click on it. Or you can view and scroll through the entire album in HD here. Next week, for the last challenge in August, it’s Ann-Christine’s turn to provide the theme. If you’ve been considering joining the challenge each week, but aren’t sure how to get started, you can find out here.
John Steiner
Flare Legend Adventures
Beautiful selection, especially the first one.
Thanks!
Beautiful
Thank you!
Too many fab photos to pick a favourite John π
Sunny challenge! Thanks, Brian!
A very beautiful set of sunlight series. I love how you captured the sunlight of the second one. The Dinosaurs on the Prairie is special, indeed. It gets better and better as I scroll down. W.O.W…
Thanks, Amy!
Such a warm glow from your photos this week John, perfect for this theme! My favourite is the abandoned house, probably because it’s a shot I would love to take myself! Followed by the sunflower field and single sunflower. I never knew they stop turning their heads after they get too heavy!
Thanks, Sarah! I was surprised when I visited the field to see the heads facing in the “wrong” direction. Of course, I had to do some research, Google-style, where I learned about why they stop following the sun. π
The sunset in Horace looks very familiar. Nice to see.
It was a beautiful Christmas Day and a lovely sunset.
Love the Cessna 195 at Bismarck.
I would love to fly it, but alas, I donβt know who owns it. π
No problem John.
One day sure you are going to fly it.
Awesome response to this challenge John! I liked that you used the sun as the vehicle for making your subject outstanding. It shows us how to use the sun to our advantage in photography.
Thanks, Anne! I often break the rule about keeping the sun at my back when shooting. Many times, the rule is valid, but when it works, it can lead to great results.
Awesome post!
Thank you, sir!
It’s too beautiful, John. They’re remarkable, all of them. I find the light especially interesting, there’s a soft glow to it.
Thanks, Sofia! Photography is truly all about the light.
Such a perfect post for my color challenge–mustard, John, I added your link to my post! The sunrise, the sunflower field and yellow Cessna–so gorgeous and beautiful! Even the yellow snow!
Thanks, Terry. I didnβt think about the color connection to your challenge! I am away from my computer for the day and donβt like to edit on my phone, but feel free to link to your post in a reply here.
I just added your link to my post. No need to do anything on your end π»
I’m loving the sunflowers π
Aren’t they pretty? My favorite crop (second favorite is canola. ) π
What fun, John, and all beauties!
janet
I loved this challenge. Thanks, Janet!
I did too because I love mornings.
Hard to pick a favorite but the “Portrait of a Sunflower” wins it for me.
Thanks, Dawn.
A beautiful assortment of sun’s variety John – well done! Of the set my favorite is the airplane – not surprising considering they’re second nature to you!
Thanks, Tina. I really enjoyed trying to find images that would tie in well with this theme.
Fabulous images John. Love the abandoned house one especially
Thanks! I even got comments about this house from Flickr users, something that rarely happens there. π
π
What a marvelous response to the Sun Challenge.!
Thanks, Anne!
Another remarkable collection, John. I am particularly fond of the way you composed the Cessna image, and of course there is no denying that the sunflower portrait is a winner by any standard!
I tried a couple of other compositions for the Cessna shot, but this one worked the best for me.
Hmm. A little deja vu here and there? It’s good they are remembered. LOVE the sun behind the Cessna 195. Superb.
Yup, John. My rule of photography is take a thousand photos, one of them might be good. I don’t have that many good ones to choose from. >grin<
Thanks for the compliment on the Cessna!
I like how the sunlight interacted with the other subjects in your photos. I have never seen sunset in a snowy place in person before. It looks great and must be nice to photograph.
Given the right location, sunset on the snow can be really spectacular with the white turning to golden shades.
A very special light in these ones…love it. My favourite has to be the Cessna!
Thanks, Ann-Christine!
Great photos especially the photo with the sun and the field of sunflower
Thank you! This was a fun challenge!
Superb post, John π Love the way the wing of the cessna has split the suns rays π
Thanks, Jez!
What a beautiful collection of sunny images, John. Just lovely….the antique plane, the sunflowers, the abandoned house, the dinosaurs…really terrific.
Thanks, Patti!