Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

A Sense of Place - Haiga: Near The Homeplace Time Passes

The North-central plaines stars are roughly divided by the Missouri River into
"East River" and "West River". West River, once mixed-and short-grass prairie is today mostly rangeland where the rivers run west-to-east out of the Rockies to enter the "Big Mo" ( Missouri River) East River, where the Grahams live, was once tall-grass prairie and is now given over to tillage agriculture. Here, the rivers run either North-to South to enter the Missouri as it trends eastward toward the Mississippi River, except for a few that run South-to-north to ultimately drain into Hudson's Bay.

"Our" River, the Big Sioux, meanders its way to several spots within a mile of our place. About five years ago, one of the Big Sioux's cut banks, in the normal process of being undercut by the faster flowing water on an outside curve, began to disclose the skeleton of a wooly mammoth that had been killed and butchered on the floodplain of the Big Sioux about 10,000 years ago. As I have skied or snowshoed on the frozen River, or hiked along its banks my mind has taken fascinating time trips considering the events and natural conditions passed which its waters have flowed for the ten or more millennia since the glaciers last withdrew to the north.
So...welcome to this, our home and favorite place in the Cosmos.

Dave

the homeplace

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Big Sioux in spate

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Spring...still flooded

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High summer

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Dakota autumn

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some regrets....

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premonition of winter....

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Glorious deep winter

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Spring -eternally on its way

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RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia

I very much like your presentation and it looks like a grewat place to call home.

pfrancke Loc: cold Maine

I really like this journey through time you have given us. All the images join beautifully as a group with the copse of trees nicely recognized. What a beautiful, timeless, display of the river valley.

I have a strong sense that if I drove down that road and saw those trees, I would know that I have been there before. It is a very strong feeling.

Frank2013 Loc: San Antonio, TX. & Milwaukee, WI.

One of the finest sets of work to have been posted by you Dave, truly mesmerizing.

Some minor technical issues aside, I feel the change of season with each and every view. Laid out to form a series that easily becomes a group to show a sense of place, relentless in it endurance to time. Any image able to stand on it’s own if need be. You have also show the use of matting to induce depth and enhancement. I thought the Haiga’s might distract but found they are perfect for this presentation. My only suggestion is to keep it up.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Completely absorbing and powerful work, Dave. You had me at "favorite place in the Cosmos" and kept me rapt throughout. Outstanding artistry.

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

HOW TO CRITIQUE: Think about your emotional response along with the usual technical considerations. Also, are the images connected in terms of subject and processing to form a series? Are they alike/different enough to be interesting as a group? Do the images tell a story? What suggestions do you have for the photographer?

Thanks, Dave for sharing this interesting series. What a rich variety of images you've shown us as you guided us through the seasons.. We "drive" in , find the river, and watch the year go by. Using black and white to differentiate the entry from the destination is a clever way to distinguish. Each image is a joy to study, and yes, you have established a firm sense of place for us to grow familiar with. They are definitely alike enough, with the exception of #3 which shows us a wide view rather than the angled view we have in the others. I don't know if that is a barrier but it did confound my eye a moment.

The processing is all within the realm of similarity. That some have perspective shifts and some don't is another thing that bothered me a little and made me wonder how this group would be presented as prints. The verses add to my enjoyment, as yours usually do, just because they are so interesting.

Suggestions? I'd probably not be bold enough to use the varied perspectives in framing, and I probably would not have that wide view in the group. I would probably address the blues in top portion of #2 to get them under more control. But not much else. Lovely set, and thanks for sharing your "place."

jim hill Loc: Springfield, IL

Beautiful set of photographs, Dave. You make it difficult to pick a favorite. Love 'em all.

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

Thanks, Richard, for looking and commenting.
Dave

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

That's a feeling I'm glad to hear was elicited.
Many thanks,
Dave

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

Thank you, Frank,
I'm especially glad to hear that the Haiga format was positive and that the technique of selective depth perception enhancement was effective.

Dave

rockdog Loc: Berkeley, Ca.

So...welcome to this, our home and favorite place in the Cosmos.

Dave[/quote]

Very nice Dave! You have made me feel welcome in this favorite place. The Haiga concept works well here and the shifts in perspective contribute successfully to a sense of temporal continuity. I think time (marked by the seasonal cycles or the span of a person's life) is the critical element in the development of a sense of place. These are beautiful, thank you.
Regards, Phil

dansmith Loc: Southwest Alberta Canada

I keep coming back to look at this engaging series of your river. You have, as others have said, through your photography and verse truly made us familiar with this particular stretch of the Big Sioux as it marks the passing of the seasons.

...and your similie ... years...."spent like loose change"..

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

Thank you, Linda, for looking and for your generous comments.
Dave

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

Hi, Min,
I appreciate your looking and especially your thoughtful, detailed, and insightful comments.
I agree about theTwo image of distinctly different perspective from that of the rest of the series. I debated ...but, because of the contribution I perceived each to provide yo the narrative, I decided to include them.
As to the apparent inconsistent use of perspective enhancement there is a method to my madness. Those images in which depth recession appears to about equal across the breadth of the image receive no enhancement, while I feel that those in which depth recession is mor obvious on one side of the image, for example when the distant horizon is seen only to the left, then I do apply enhancement. I'm still developing and learning the technique...gimme time.
And thanks also for your appreciative comments re: my added haiku.
As always, I never fail to get new perspectives on my work by benefit of your thoughtful examination.
Best,
Dave

jim hill Loc: Springfield, IL

Linda,

Forgot to tell you how much I like your new avatar photograph. It's really nice - and a hoot to boo

Jim.