Kevin Palmer

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  • When this evening thunderstorm popped up, I knew I had to go to Chimney Rock to try to shoot the lightning behind it. After taking over 100 pictures, I eventually caught a couple bolts. A green light shines on the rock formation all night long.
    Lightning at Chimney Rock
  • 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
  • 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
  • One of the most notable landmarks on the Oregon Trail, Chimney Rock towers hundreds of feet above the surrounding plains in the Nebraska panhandle. The pillar was at least 10% taller 150 years ago, but it has since been weathered down by wind, erosion, and lightning. I was glad to be able to capture some nice light at sunset on the west side of the rock formation, even though it didn't last long. The anvil in the distance is from a thunderstorm which produced a tornado nearby a couple hours earlier.
    Last Light On Chimney
  • This strange rock formation is found at Shoshoni Point overlooking the Grand Canyon. The milky way was shining brilliantly above at 4AM. Jupiter is the bright object on the right, while Mars and Saturn are near the top left.
    Shoshoni Point Galaxy
  • Chimney Rock  is a very distinctive rock formation south of Bayard, Nebraska. Rising 300 feet above the surrounding river valley, it is the most famous landmark along the Oregon Trail.
    Chimney Rock Afternoon
  • 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
  • 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
  • These bizarre sandstone rock formations rise up out of the eastern Montana prairie. They turned gold as the sun set.
    Medicine Rocks Sunset
  • While driving the backroads through the Custer National Forest I came across some interesting sandstone formations.
    Turned to Stone
  • Sharp granite spires protrude out of the Black Hills as seen from the top of Harney Peak. The mountain was recently renamed to Black Elk Peak, and it is the highest in South Dakota. The jagged rock formations seen here are known as the Needles, and the Needles Highway winds around them with sharp switchbacks and narrow tunnels. This was the original location proposed for the Mount Rushmore carvings, but the sculptor rejected it because the granite was too soft. In the distance a forested hillside can be seen, scarred by the pine beetle infestation. In the last 20 years, 25% of the trees in the Black Hills have been killed by this destructive beetle.
    Needles Black and White
  • This natural bridge is found in Makoshika State Park in northeast Montana which is filled with many interesting geological formations.
    Makoshika Bridge
  • Red Rock Canyon is located just outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. It is a beautiful desert landscape with colorful rock formations, distant mountains, and a nice view back toward the city. There is a scenic loop drive that allows you to see a lot of the park and stop at some overlooks. This is also a popular climbing destination.
    Red Rock Canyon
  • 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
  • Normally I like to explore a location during the day before taking pictures there at night. But the Southern California traffic robbed me of the time to do that here. Arch Rock was a little bit hard to find in the dark, but it wasn't too bad. I just had to be careful to avoid rattlesnakes. The 30 foot long arch is located near the White Tank campground in Joshua Tree National Park. The eastern part of the park has very dark skies the farther you get from the desert cities. To illuminate the scene, I shined my headlamp on the rock wall opposite the arch. A soft, warm light was reflected backwards. I was grateful the skies cleared up long enough to see the milky way. A few minutes after this clouds started to cover the sky as monsoon thunderstorms moved past the area.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: August 19, 2014
    The Opening
  • Vedauwoo is a scenic spot filled with interesting rocky outcrops, located in between Cheyenne and Laramie. The area is popular with climbers. The last light of the day was casting a soft golden glow across the granite.
    Turtle Rock Sunset
  • I've seen pictures of this arch at Bighorn Canyon before, and haven't been able to locate it. But after visiting a 3rd time, I finally found it. The arch frames an incredible view of what is sometimes called Montana's Grand Canyon. After waiting here until 9PM, I gave up on seeing any color in the sky. But before I could make it back to my car, an orange glow emerged in the west and pink clouds briefly overtook the sky. I hurried back to the arch to take this final picture. It always amazes me just how empty this place is. It's not unusual to see more wild horses than people. I had to drive very carefully back to the campground to avoid hitting the mustangs that were standing on the road in the dark.
    Through a Window
  • I've seen pictures taken from this arch above Bighorn Canyon, but I've never been able to locate it until now. And it's not too difficult to reach. Compositions are limited because of the way the arch is set against the cliff and you can't get very far back. Just as I started to leave, the sky unexpectedly took on a pink glow and I ran back to the arch to capture the color before it faded away.
    Bighorn Canyon Arch
  • Delicate Arch is the most famous landmark in Arches National Park. The 65 foot tall arch is depicted on Utah license plates and postage stamps. In the background you can see the snowcapped La Sal Mountains.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 11/7/2013
    Delicate Arch
  • Devil's Tower stands tall above the grassland on a July evening.
    Tower and Grassland
  • The 290 foot long landscape arch is the longest in the world. But it is also very fragile and could collapse at any time. In the 1990's the arch lost 3 large chunks one at a time. The trail you see in the picture has been off limits for over 20 years because of the danger from rock falls.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 11/7/2013
    Landscape Arch
  • 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 jumbled mess of giant boulders known as the Fallen City can be seen from Highway 14 below. I've always wanted to climb to the top of this peak and see them up close. Some of the boulders are the size of houses, others are the size of office buildings. Deeper snow past this point kept me from getting closer, I will have to come back another time.
    Fallen City Sunset
  • On my way back from South Dakota I had a chance to intercept this severe storm at Devils Tower. I got there in time to watch the shelf cloud roll by over the tower. This storm was a prolific hail producer. I misjudged the movement of the storm and ended up getting caught on the edge of the hail core as I fled east towards Sundance. Golf ball-sized chunks of ice left additional dents in my car. But I got off easy, there were a lot of cars with smashed windshields. Hailstones up to 4.5" in size damaged crops further east where the storm also produced a tornado.
    Dark Sky Over Tower
  • I've seen pictures of this arch at Bighorn Canyon before, and haven't been able to locate it. But after visiting a 3rd time, I finally found it. The arch frames an incredible view of what is sometimes called Montana's Grand Canyon. After waiting here until 9PM, I gave up on seeing any color in the sky. But before I could make it back to my car, an orange glow emerged in the west and pink clouds briefly overtook the sky. I hurried back to the arch to take this final picture. It always amazes me just how empty this place is. It's not unusual to see more wild horses than people. I had to drive very carefully back to the campground to avoid hitting the mustangs that were standing on the road in the dark.
    Overarching
  • The moon glows above the salt flats at Badwater Basin during twilight.
    Badwater Moon
  • Distant flashes of lightning kept me awake much of the night at Joshua Tree National Park. Finally at 4am, I got up to try to photograph it. I never got any bolts because the lightning was too sporadic. In this image a flash of lightning behind me lit up the rocks, while a smaller storm moves under the moon and stars.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: August 20, 2014
    Night of the Monsoon
  • Mammatus clouds move overhead as a wildflower shakes in the breeze. This type of cloud usually forms after a strong thunderstorm moves through. But these clouds were unusual because they only brought light rain with no thunderstorms around.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: June 3, 2012
    Wildflower and Mammatus
  • Delicate Arch is the most famous landmark in Arches National Park. The 65 foot tall arch is depicted on Utah license plates and postage stamps. In the background you can see the snowcapped La Sal Mountains.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 11/7/2013
    Delicate Panorama
  • The Double O Arch is one of the longer hikes in Arches National Park. After reaching the viewpoint on the other side, you have to climb through the "lower O" to reach this view. The light on the arch at sunset was amazing, as was the view of the distant desert.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 11/6/2013
    Double O Arch
  • There was a lot to see in this view from Castle Gardens outside of Ten Sleep. Hoodoos and toadstools, red rock canyons, and the snow-capped Bighorn Mountains all lit up in the golden evening sunlight.
    Cloud Peak From Castle Gardens
  • The sun sets in between sandstone pillars in Medicine Rocks State Park.
    Through the Crack
  • On my way back from South Dakota I had a chance to intercept this severe storm at Devils Tower. I got there in time to watch the shelf cloud roll by over the tower. This storm was a prolific hail producer. I misjudged the movement of the storm and ended up getting caught on the edge of the hail core as I fled east towards Sundance. Golf ball-sized chunks of ice left additional dents in my car. But I got off easy, there were a lot of cars with smashed windshields. Hailstones up to 4.5" in size damaged crops further east where the storm also produced a tornado.
    Tower and Storm
  • The Needle's Eye or Keyhole Arch stands above the entrance to Tongue River Canyon. The thin lingering clouds behind it lit up with a soft pink glow after sunset.
    Needle's Eye Sunset
  • The Open Door is an 11,113 feet high peak in the Gros Ventre Mountains.
    The Open Door
  • Devils Tower rises dramatically above the pine forest and grasslands of Northeast Wyoming. Towering almost 1300 feet above the Belle Fourche River at the edge of the Black Hills, this monolith is thought to be volcanic in nature. About 4,000 people climb the National Monument every year. The best view at sunset is found to the north on the Joyner Ridge Trail, where this was taken.
    Golden Monolith
  • It is no wonder that lenticular clouds often get mistaken for UFO's. This kind of cloud forms often in the California deserts as strong winds lifts air up and over mountain ranges. The air then condenses to form a cloud that stays in the same area for quite awhile.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: August 19, 2014
    Flying Saucer
  • As my alarm dinged at 4AM I didn't know what I'd see when I peeked outside my tent. The chances were about 50/50 whether it would be too cloudy to see the lunar eclipse. But to my delight the sky was clear. Right on schedule, the moon was entering Earth's shadow - called the umbra. The left half was dark while the right half was still brightly lit. As the moon sunk lower, the shadow deepened and took on the characteristic reddish color. While the middle of the US never got to see the moon in totality before setting, it was close enough. <br />
Chimney Rock is perhaps the most well-known landmark in Nebraska and on the Oregon Trail. The towering rock spire was seen by half a million migrants who passed by with wagon trains in the 1800's. It was visible from up to 30 miles away , which is a 2 day's journey. Back then it may have been up to 10% taller than it is today.
    Chimney Rock Moon
  • Before visiting the Terry Badlands, I had no idea that Montana had it's own Chimney Rock. It looks remarkably similar to the one in Nebraska, but it's a little shorter. This one can be viewed from the rough road called the Calypso Trail.
    Montana's Chimney Rock
  • During the fall, the zodiacal light, or 'false dawn' shines brightly in the east before sunrise. It is caused by dust within our solar system reflecting sunlight. But it can only be seen in dark skies away from light pollution, which makes Arches National Park ideal.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 11/8/2013
    False Dawn
  • 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
  • Normally I like to explore a location during the day before taking pictures there at night. But the Southern California traffic robbed me of the time to do that here. Arch Rock was a little bit hard to find in the dark, but it wasn't too bad. I just had to be careful to avoid rattlesnakes. The 30 foot long arch is located near the White Tank campground in Joshua Tree National Park. The eastern part of the park has very dark skies the farther you get from the desert cities. To illuminate the scene, I shined my headlamp on the rock wall opposite the arch. A soft, warm light was reflected backwards. I was grateful the skies cleared up long enough to see the milky way. A few minutes after this clouds started to cover the sky as monsoon thunderstorms moved past the area.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: August 19, 2014
    Arch Rock Galaxy
  • In Medicine Rocks State Park, sandstone bluffs rise out of the prairie, formed into all kinds of interesting shapes by the wind.
    Prairie Monolith
  • The first sunlight of the day shines on Double Arch. This is the view directly underneath the 104 foot arch, looking straight up.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 11/8/2013
    Light on the Double
  • The sun sets behind two pillars at Garden of the Gods, Illinois. This part of the Shawnee Hills is filled with strange rock formations and extensive views of the surrounding forest.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: July 22, 2014
    Two Pillars
  • While climbing Ryan Mountain, I got a great view of a distant thunderstorm, along with shadows and sunlight. The road at the bottom is Park Boulevard.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: August 20, 2014
    Ryan Mountain Panorama
  • These layers of rock are made out of sandstone and are known as fins. They slowly erode away and form the arches that this national park is known for. This scene was behind the Delicate Arch, looking north at sunset.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 11/7/2013
    Fins at Dusk
  • Date Taken: July 22, 2014
    Garden of Gods Panorama
  • While camping at Garden of the Gods, I watched a storm roll through at 8am. I would have liked to make a time lapse but the storm was just approaching too slowly. A proper shelf cloud never formed, it was mostly dark scud clouds that drifted across the sky. Once the rain started falling, and the lightning started striking nearby, I quickly made it back to my car where I waited out the storm.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: July 23, 2014
    Garden of Gods Storm
  • I don't know how much of this rain was hitting the ground. It was in the direction of Yucca Valley from Ryan Mountain.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: August 20, 2014
    Desert Rain
  • The milky way shines in the dark skies behind a cliff at Garden of the Gods, Illinois. I used a flashlight to light paint the cliffs from an angle, which created shadows and texture. The sky was a bit hazy which made the stars a little less clear.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: July 22, 2014
    Behind the Cliff
  • In December the constellation Orion rises in the east immediately after sunset. While camping in Joshua Tree National Park, I picked a campsite that faced a boulder formation in that direction. When clouds moved in, I wasn’t sure I would get any pictures. But then a small gap appeared, leaving halos around the brighter stars. The red supergiant star Betelgeuse is visible in the center. It is one of the largest stars in the Milky Way, 1400 times the size of the sun. It's also a variable star, which means the brightness changes regularly. But in recent days it has been attracting attention because it’s currently dimmer than ever recorded before. Betelgeuse is at the end of its stellar life cycle and when it goes supernova its brightness in Earth's sky will rival that of the full moon. Since the star is 640 light years away, it may have already exploded centuries ago. But the likelihood of seeing a supernova anytime soon is still very small and they remain unpredictable.
    Boulders of Orion
  • These cannonballs are an interesting geological formation in the north unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
    Broken Cannonballs
  • The courthouse towers are a large rock formation in the middle of Arches National Park. The three spires on the right are known as the "Three Gossips". The early morning light gave the scene more depth and even brighter colors.
    Courthouse Towers
  • Mammatus clouds are a common sight while storm chasing, but never have I seen them in a sunset like this. They seemed to become more defined and filled nearly the entire sky as the sun sank lower. The fiery colors were so intense that I had to cut back on the saturation. A strong MCS (mesoscale convective system) had moved off to the east as I was passing through Wheatland on my way home. When I noticed this sunset developing I searched for something nearby to serve as a foreground and this old tractor did the trick. Mammatus clouds usually form beneath the anvil of a strong thunderstorm, which means they can be either ahead of or behind the storm. The lobes are about 500m wide on average and show a sinking motion, making it look like the sky is falling. Pilots typically give mammatus a wide berth because of the turbulence they bring. Even though they happen frequently, their formation is not very well understood.
    Farmer's Delight
  • The night started out clear and quiet with the Milky Way shining brightly to the south. Then one by one the stars began to disappear, first to the north, then to the west. Flashes of light soon caught my attention, each one closer than the last. Even though I was trying to go to sleep, I could ignore the storm no longer. I went to the opposite side of the 400' high rock formation called Boar's Tusk, where I was camping. The long-dormant remnant of a volcano now came alive with a different kind of rumble. Focusing and exposure were tricky in the pitch black, but eventually I caught this double lightning strike. I felt lucky to witness rain in the Red Desert because under 10 inches falls here annually, with even less in a drought year. The parched ground absorbed the water and released the smell of petrichor. In Southwest Wyoming the Continental Divide splits to form the Great Divide Basin. So the little rain that does fall here never makes it to the ocean and mostly evaporates.
    Boar's Tusk Rumble
  • Mammatus clouds are a cellular pattern of pouches that hang beneath a much larger cloud. The formation isn't very distinct here as the wind breaks it up. This stormy scene occurred over the Bighorn Mountains in northeast Wyoming.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: August 8, 2013
    Bighorn Mammatus
  • Tucked away in a dusty corner of northwest Nebraska, the Toadstool Geological Area is a place very different than the rest of the state. It's similar to the Badlands of South Dakota, yet different. The badlands and geological formations here are very brittle and are constantly changing and being weathered away. Many of the toadstool formations that the park is named after are no longer standing.
    Toadstool Moon
  • A flowering yucca plant stands out among the swaying grass in the sunrise light. Tucked away in a dusty corner of northwest Nebraska, the Toadstool Geological Area is a place very different than the rest of the state. It's similar to the Badlands of South Dakota, yet different. The badlands and geological formations here are very brittle and are constantly changing and being weathered away. Many of the toadstool formations that the park is named after are no longer standing.
    Yucca Badlands Sunrise
  • Tucked away in a dusty corner of northwest Nebraska, the Toadstool Geological Area is a place very different than the rest of the state. It's similar to the Badlands of South Dakota, yet different. The badlands and geological formations here are very brittle and are constantly changing and being weathered away. Many of the toadstool formations that the park is named after are no longer standing.
    Jumbled Toadstool Rocks
  • The snowcapped La Sal Mountains form an incredible backdrop for all the red rock formations in Arches National Park. This was taken after sunset while there was still a soft glow in the west to light up these formations known as fins.<br />
<br />
Date Taken: 11/6/2013
    La Sal Mountains
  • The temperature was somewhere around 10 to 15 degrees below zero when I went for a hike besides Piney Creek in the foothills of the Bighorn Mountains near Story. There were all kinds of interesting ice formations along the edge of the creek. Delicate frost feathers had formed on top of the clear layers of ice and all the boulders were simply lumps of snow. The water flows fast enough that I didn't see any parts of the creek that were frozen over completely. Standing above snowy trees at the entrance to the canyon is this colorful stained cliff. It doesn't see any sunlight until late afternoon.
    Piney Creek Cliff
  • In the dry climate west of Kaycee, it does not stay this green for very long. But I love the contrast of the greenery with the red rock formations. I came across these 6 horses at the Hole in the Wall Ranch while driving by. They were on the other side of the field but trotted over to greet me as soon as I walked up to the fence. This area has a history of horse thievery. At the end of the 1800's this was the hideout of the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang, which included Butch Cassidy and many other outlaws. They would lay up here after robbing trains or rustling cattle. This rugged country was easily defended with only one way in from the east. While there were shootouts, in 50 years no lawmen were ever able to capture any gang members here.
    The Gang's All Here
  • At first it had the appearance of puffy clouds on the southeast horizon. Then as it rose higher the Milky Way revealed more detail. The clouds were made not of water vapor, but of stars too numerous and densely packed to resolve individually. The bright core of the galaxy is split in two by a dark lane of cosmic dust known as the Great Rift. The Milky Way was soon followed by the rise of Jupiter, and then Saturn. Meanwhile shooting stars periodically flashed across the sky during the peak of the Lyrid meteor shower. The Lyrids are the oldest known meteor shower, first observed 2700 years ago. Of the 15 meteors I captured, this one was the brightest. Devil’s Kitchen is a small basin containing badlands-type terrain, but it may as well have been another planet. It’s a barren wasteland located on the west side of the Bighorn Mountains filled with fascinating geologic formations of all different colors. When I first found it last summer I knew I had to return to shoot it at night.
    Night at Devil's Kitchen
  • Crazy Woman Canyon is is located south of Buffalo in the Bighorn Mountains. A steep, narrow, and bumpy road ascends the canyon all the way up to Highway 16. It's a fun drive, with lots of scenic cliffs and rock formations, and plenty of dispersed campsites available.
    Narrow Passage
  • The last sunlight of the day shines on rock formations in the Terry Badlands.
    Golden Pyramid
  • High on the eastern slope of Quandary Peak in the Colorado Rockies, I came across these bizarre shapes in the snow. Drifts several feet high were curved back over themselves, like waves frozen in time. Only recently when reading a book about Antarctica did I learn these formations have a name: 'Sastrugi'. Sastrugi are sharp irregular grooves or ridges formed by wind erosion. They are common in polar regions or other barren, windswept areas. Here at 13,000 feet there were no trees or any other barriers. The winds were relentless, gusting to 60+ mph and producing a wind chill far below zero. Sastrugi are known to make skiing very challenging, and the few skiers I saw on this day looked like they were having a rough time. In Antarctica sastrugi have even been blamed for plane crashes, since they make landings and takeoffs quite difficult. The peak visible in the distance is Red Mountain and down below is Highway 9 just before it crosses the Continental Divide. 2 additional 14’ers, Grays Peak and Torreys Peak, can be seen on the far left.
    Quandary Sastrugi
  • Devil's Golf Course in Death Valley is filled with these sharp and jagged salt formations. In the distance the planet Venus can be seen setting over the Panamint Range.
    Devil's Golf Course Night