Kevin Palmer

  • Portfolio
  • Time Lapse
  • About
  • Archive
    • All Galleries
    • Search
    • Cart
    • Lightbox
    • Client Area
  • Links
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
x

Search Results

Refine Search
Match all words
Match any word
Prints
Personal Use
Royalty-Free
Rights-Managed
(leave unchecked to
search all images)
46 images found
twitterlinkedinfacebook

Loading ()...

  • Mammatus clouds fill the sky over a bluff west of La Grange, Wyoming.
    Mammatus Over Bluff
  • Great River Bluffs State Park provides a scenic view of the Mississippi River nearly 500 feet below. A much smaller river called the Black River flows in from Wisconsin and meets in a delta. Light rain was falling on this overcast day.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 8/5/2013
    Great River Bluff
  • I found this area while wondering the backroads north of Sheridan at night. The aurora I had tried to capture was a bust, but when I left the milky way was perfectly placed above these bluffs. Mars and Saturn were close together after their conjunction last week. I lit up the formation with my headlamp from the side to add depth.
    Planetary Bluff
  • There was an outbreak of at least 3 tornadoes in southeast Wyoming. September tornadoes are very rare in this state. But 2019 has been a strange storm season, both starting late and ending late. This supercell north of Torrington developed a long inflow tail (aka a beaver tail) feeding moisture into the storm. It’s common to feel cool outflow winds coming out of a storm. But when you feel warm and moist inflow winds blowing into the storm that’s when you know tornado potential is high. These opposing winds help tighten up the rotation near the ground. The southeasterly winds were kicking up so much sand and dust I could feel it in my eyes, ears, and mouth. Because of poor ground visibility I didn’t get a very good view of the twister, but the structure was still impressive. When the sun came out it provided a stark contrast between the dark blue clouds and the bright golden grass.
    Beaver Tail and Bluff
  • A rain squall approaches Peoria, Illinois. The heavy rain was close, but it never actually fell where I was shooting from. The top of a bluff in East Peoria provided a perfect view to the west of this storm.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: June 18, 2014
    Peoria Rain Squall
  • A rain squall approaches Peoria, Illinois. The heavy rain was close, but it never actually fell where I was shooting from. The top of a bluff in East Peoria provided a perfect view to the west of this storm.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: June 18, 2014
    Distant Rain
  • An owl hooting, geese honking, coyotes howling, and a river gurgling - these were the sounds that filled the air on this frosty night. At this dot on the map called Moorhead in southeast Montana, there’s nothing really here. But that’s the point. It’s in a black zone on a light pollution map, which means the night sky doesn’t get any darker than this. The core of the Milky Way galaxy, after going behind the sun for the winter, has now returned to the pre-dawn skies. Also joining the Milky Way is a trio of planets: Saturn, Mars and Jupiter. I wasn’t sure if they would make it over the bluff before astronomical twilight began. But they did, casting long shimmering reflections on the Powder River. When two or more planets pass close to each other in Earth’s sky, it’s called a planetary conjunction. Since the planets more or less orbit the sun in the same plane, conjunctions are not all that rare. But they’re always beautiful to see.
    Milky Way and 3 Planets
  • A steep sandstone bluff slopes down to the water at Franklin Creek State Park.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: January 27, 2015
    Sloping Cliff
  • As the storm clouds approached, the outflow winds provided a cool breeze that felt nice on a hot day. This view is from the top of a bluff in East Peoria.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: June 18, 2014
    Cool Breeze
  • A bluff on the rock river turned to gold as the sun rose.A seasonably cool night caused fog to form on the surface of the river, which lingered for a couple hours.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: July 11, 2014
    Golden Rock
  • In early March, Comet Panstarrs rounded the sun and became visible in the northern hemisphere. Even though it was quite bright at magnitude 0, it was a challenge to see. It was only visible for a short time after sunset, and then it slipped beneath the horizon. This shot was taken on March 13th from Gibraltar Rock, Wisconsin, which is a 400 foot high bluff with a great view to the west. This comet will not return to the solar system for 106,000 years.
    Comet Panstarrs
  • At 5am fog was slowly rising from the Rock River after an unseasonably cool night. Once the sun rose, it cast a warm glow across the river valley. This was taken at Castle Rock State Park, which sits on a 100 foot high bluff near Oregon, IL.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: July 11, 2014
    Castle Rock Sunrise
  • At 5am fog was slowly rising from the Rock River after an unseasonably cool night. Once the sun rose, it cast a warm glow across the river valley. This was taken at Castle Rock State Park, which sits on a 100 foot high bluff near Oregon, IL.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: July 11, 2014
    Rock River Dawn
  • This was my first time seeing a fallstreak (or hole punch) cloud. It had a tail that it made it look like a sting ray. It appeared for a short time above the bluffs at Crystal Cove State Park.
    Crystal Cove Fallstreak
  • Franklin Creek flows quietly past sandstone bluffs. After a recent snowfall, this state park was looking especially beautiful. The creek is fed by several natural springs, which flow directly out of the rock. Pioneer families took advantage of this location in the 1830's by building a nearby grist mill powered by a spring.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: January 27, 2015
    Leaning Tree
  • The sandstone bluffs at Medicine Rocks State Park are filled with holes and arches. I especially liked this rock formation since it was easy to climb inside and get lots of different perspectives.
    Windows to the Prairie
  • In Medicine Rocks State Park, sandstone bluffs rise out of the prairie, formed into all kinds of interesting shapes by the wind.
    Prairie Monolith
  • These bizarre sandstone rock formations rise up out of the eastern Montana prairie. They turned gold as the sun set.
    Medicine Rocks Sunset
  • The sun rises beyond Castle Rock on the eastern Montana prairie. The sun was only visible for a couple minutes on this mostly cloudy morning. As far as I know Castle Rock is the only rock formation in this state park that has a name.
    Sunrise at Castle Rock
  • Medicine Rocks State Park in eastern Montana is a great place to shoot nightscape photos. Lots of interesting sandstone rock formations rise out of the prairie, and the full moon provided illumination. This picture was part of a time lapse. I shone a light on the other side of the rock to make it glow inside.
    Like Swiss Cheese
  • The sun sets in between sandstone pillars in Medicine Rocks State Park.
    Through the Crack
  • After hiking the Summit Trail to the top of Scottsbluff, I came across these wildflowers growing on the edge of a cliff.
    Color On a Dreary Day
  • Shooting stars fill the sky during the Geminid meteor shower above the Mississippi River Valley. In the 2 hours after the moon set, I counted about 90 meteors. I also enjoyed watching Comet Lovejoy rise through binoculars and with the naked eye. The comet and it's tail can be seen over the haze on the lower right. I couldn't have asked for better weather for this meteor shower. Wind chills were -15 the night before, and a big snowstorm was arriving in the late morning. But in between the skies were clear with mild temperatures in the mid-20's.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 12/13/13
    Gifts from Gemini
  • The Chalk Buttes are located in the Custer Gallatin National Forest southwest of Ekalaka, Montana. It seems that they're rarely ever climbed so I had to find my own way to the top by studying a topo map. This view is looking east.
    Chalk Buttes View
  • A warm and humid wind gusted across the prairie causing the grasses and goldenrods to sway back and forth. In the distance a supercell thunderstorm spun away furiously. I knew a tornado was on the ground in Montana, but I couldn't see it until it crossed into South Dakota and emerged from behind a distant hill. The first tornado roped out after a couple minutes, but then this funnel quickly formed. It danced around, touching the ground briefly but not doing much. This was a cyclic supercell, which means it produced multiple tornadoes. As one ropes out, the wall cloud regenerates and another forms. Tornado #3 would be a much more substantial wedge that stayed on the ground for about 20 minutes. After I saw the storm's movement, I knew I could move a bit closer to get a clearer view. Sunset was minutes away and there was not much time left before it got too dark to see.
    Tornadic Buffalo Supercell
  • These pillars stand at the east end of Scottsbluff along the Summit Trail. But the area around the pillars is closed since the sandstone is brittle and there is a risk of falling.
    Pillars of Scottsbluff
  • I wasn't sure if the storm clouds would move out in time, but they did and made for a spectacular sunset over Fort Peck Lake.
    Sunset at Hell Creek
  • On my way back from Canada, I stopped at James Kipp Recreaton Area in northern Montana. The cottonwood trees around the Missouri River were at peak color.
    Golden Riverbank
  • The temperature hovered at 4 below zero as the sun rose over the Illinois River. Amazing things can happen in such frigid conditions. Because of the nearly 40 degree temperature difference between the air and the water, steam formed and swirled around the river. The steam turned into ice crystals and drifted up into the air. The ice crystals then acted as prisms, refracting the light rays from the sun on the right. That is how this bright and colorful sundog was formed. This view is from Eagle Cliff at Starved Rock State Park.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 12/24/13
    Subzero Sundog
  • I loved the light in this small Starved Rock canyon covered with fallen leaves.
    Under the Bluff
  • This is the northern overlook at Roundtop Mountain in Jasper, Arkansas.
    Roundtop North Bluff
  • The Buffalo National River is one of the only free-flowing, undammed rivers remaining in the United States. Cutting 135 miles through the Ozarks, the Buffalo is surrounded by rugged mountains and steep cliffs. "Big Bluff" where this was taken is the tallest sheer bluff face found between the Rockies and the Appalachians. Dozens of vultures ride thermals to heights above before swooping down at incredible speeds. Some of the twisted juniper trees clinging to the edge have been dated at over 800 years old. After hiking into the wilderness, a path known as the "Goat Trail" takes you out onto the face of the bluff on a narrow ledge only a few feet wide. This is an incredible place especially during the fall.
    Precarious View
  • Cave-in-Rock is a cavern carved out of a limestone bluff along the Ohio River. The 500 foot long cave has a skylight at the end so it's not completely dark, and a side room where bats were sleeping on the ceiling. Discovered in 1739 by a French explorer, this place has a colorful history. It was first used as a hideout for pirates and outlaws. They would rob riverboats carrying their goods down the river to sell. In the centuries since, this unique cave has been used as a tavern, a church, a shelter, and is now preserved as a state park.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: July 23, 2014
    Ohio River Cave
  • From high up on Big Bluff, I could hear splashing in the water. There were 3 or 4 deer playing in the Buffalo River below me. I wish I had a telephoto lens with me. But there's only so much gear you can bring on a backpacking trip.
    Fog and Deer Crossing
  • A narrow area of sunlight lights up Roark Bluff above the Steel Creek Campground. I went for a hike before sunrise, but there wasn't much color as a rain shower was about to move in.
    Above Steel Creek
  • Early in the morning a very active lightning storm passed by north of Peoria. An overlook on Grandview Drive was the perfect place to watch it approach. The overlook sits on a bluff 300 feet above the Illinois River. This is the part of the river where it widens and forms Peoria Lake. It was raining heavily with plenty of lightning bolts striking on the opposite side of the river. But from where I was it stayed dry enough to take over 400 pictures.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 9/3/2014
    Strike Three
  • I got to Hulett just in time to watch two supercells pass to the north and to the south. Both of them had tornado warnings, and both produced very large hail. From the top of this bluff I had an excellent view of Devils Tower and the Missouri Buttes. It was almost a once in a lifetime chance to capture a tornado over the tower, but it didn't happen. It was still an awesome sight though.
    Making the Tower Look Small
  • I spent the fourth of July chasing tornadoes in Chugwater, Wyoming. Chugwater has a certain legendary status among storm chasers. Storms form over the Laramie Mountains to the west, and the local terrain seems to enhance tornadic potential. On at least 3 other occasions I've seen funnel clouds here. And having one of the few paved, east-west highways also makes it a great place to target. Luckily there is not much around for a tornado to damage. I had to pick a spot either below the bluff or on top. I chose on top, which put me a little over a mile away from the developing tornado. Powerful cloud to ground lightning bolts were dropping during tornadogenesis. My camera was left outside to shoot automatically while I stayed in my car.
    Chugwater Tornado
  • Cave-in-Rock is a cavern carved out of a limestone bluff along the Ohio River. The 500 foot long cave has a skylight at the end so it's not completely dark, and a side room where bats were sleeping on the ceiling. Discovered in 1739 by a French explorer, this place has a colorful history. It was first used as a hideout for pirates and outlaws. They would rob riverboats carrying their goods down the river to sell. In the centuries since, this unique cave has been used as a tavern, a church, a shelter, and is now preserved as a state park. It was a challenge to stay out of the rain on this day, but I liked the way the stormy clouds matched the darkness of the cave.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: July 23, 2014
    Pirate's Lair
  • After hiking to the top of a bluff I noticed a couple horses in a nearby pasture. They walked up to see what I was doing when they noticed me.
    Curious Horses
  • My goal after setting up camp near Big Bluff was to hike into Hemmed-in-Hollow. But I couldn't find the trailhead and it was only afterwards that I realized I walked right by it. After getting lost for an hour I had to make my way through thick bamboo to get back to where I was.
    Hemmed in Hollow
  • I took advantage of the nice March weather by heading to a place called Castle Gardens. I love exploring places like this, well off the beaten path that few people know about or visit. It's an area of fantastic rock formations: bluffs and hoodoos, toadstools and arches. Even though it's not a large park, it's easy to spend a whole day exploring and the photography opportunities are almost limitless. But I had to be careful wandering at the edges of cliffs. Often what looked like a solid rock from above was actually overhanging several feet and supported only by crumbling sandstone below. The arch pictured here likely won't survive much longer; it's connected only by a 2 feet thick section of brittle sandstone.
    Castle Gardens Sunset
  • While camping at Castle Gardens, I captured the stars for 2 hours to put together into this startrail image. A campfire cast a warm glow on the bluffs and hoodoos above.
    Castle Aglow
  • The Mackinaw River is a very scenic river that flows past rolling hills, bluffs, and woods. There was only a little bit of fall color left on this warm November day.
    Mackinaw Bend
  • Paved roads were few and far between. Cell phone signal was non-existent. Hills and bluffs sometimes blocked the view. Mosquitoes swarmed around me and stubborn cows formed a roadblock. These are some of the challenges of chasing storms in Montana. Elsewhere crowds of storm chasers may converge on a supercell. But here it’s not uncommon to be the only one on a storm, and I feel an extra responsibility to report what I see to the National Weather Service. When everything comes together just right the supercells here can be truly incredible. This storm first went up over the Crazy Mountains before tracking east along the Musselshell River, into a part of Big Sky Country I’d never been. It was one of the roundest, most obviously rotating supercells I've ever seen. Evening sunlight snuck in underneath to turn the hail shaft gold. Just when the storm was at its most photogenic I came upon this scene of an abandoned house on the open prairie. It was exactly what I was looking for.
    Melstone Supercell
  • The Rock River flows quietly between small islands and steep bluffs. The side of the river was covered with ice but the middle remained ice free.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: January 27, 2015
    Winter Silence