I had taken a drive up to Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, north of Pawhuska, OK. this particular trip was back in 2010. Looking back through old images allows time to help you with a new perspective on things. Back then, I skimmed through and had not gotten too excited about the images I had captured. But with time, I have a new found appreciation for them, and knowing how I wanted to edit some of them, I set to work on them.
One morning I woke up early, packed my camera gear, woke my niece up and said “get dressed we’re leaving in 15,” not really, we planned to be up that early.
We stopped at the QT by our house, got gas, snacks and drinks then hit the road. Driving north, our route took us about an hour forty, we went through Bartlesville, OK. Its a bit out of the way, but its easier and simpler. Winding our way through the county roads we finally got to the entrance, where a sign saying free range bison then we rolled over the cattle guard. I looked down to the dashboard and the read out said the temp was 21 degrees, BRRRRRRH!
I wanted to get some images of the sunrise with the frost, maybe even a few bison with frost in the morning light. I noticed the lighter it got the hazier it got, the fog had set in and I needed to change plans. I was trying to use the fog to my benefit, I just started to shoot some of the prairie grasses.
Here are a few of the shots that I was able to capture, before all the fog was gone, burned off by the sun.
Finally we found some bison. I was able to, after a bit, to position some bison between me and the sun.
I love those days when things are unexpected, they make you rethink what and how you are going to shoot. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn’t, thankfully this day it worked out great.
Billy Sauerland Photography 