The Moment Before the Click | Lone Tree on the Badlands

The Moment Before the Click | Lone Tree on the Badlands    Nothing says Great American Prairie like a lone tree on the rolling mixed grass prairie of the Badlands.  Lone tree images convey sense of quiet solitude. They remind us how a solitary figure stands tall against all odds. The lone tree provides raw strength to the image as well as a sense of resilience and perseverance.  Like many photographers, the lone tree is one of my favorite subjects.  Actually, unlike many of my images, I visited this site in Badlands NP many times before the clouds provided a nice background.  Then, I moved around the tree to get the right angle on the composition until this basic image filled my viewfinder.  The wind was making the leaves on the tree move too much so I waited and waited and waited.  All the while, the clouds were moving as well.  So, I waited longer.  The early morning light was beginning to change.  Finally, everything lined up.  The clouds looked nice. The wind calmed down a bit.  Everything was right with the world in front of me.  Click!   For the whole story with all images, see The Moment Before the Click | a 7 Image Story.