Castlewood State Park

This week's excursion to Castlewood State Park was the first time that I had ever visited the park, and I could not have asked for a better experience. It was a beautiful day and the perfect opportunity to take some pictures. I spotted this fallen tree as we were walking along the trail and decided that it was a perfect example of nature and all of its possibilities. The tree could have fallen from a storm, from the wind, or maybe even from old age.

Close to the end of the trail, we passed a tree that looked a little different than the rest of them. It was completely hollowed out, and you could see all the way through the top. I love the way the sunlight is shining down through the whole tree and how much detail is visible. If I wanted to, I probably could have stepped inside of the tree. This picture is especially interesting to me because I had never seen a tree like this before.

Out of all of my pictures from this excursion, this has to be my favorite. Hiking through the trail and seeing all of the breathtaking sights opened my eyes to how beautiful the world really is. One quote in particular came to mind as I was standing on top of this ledge, overlooking the river. "Take a good look at God's wonders--they will take your breath away."

This photo is interesting to me because it almost reminds me of a desert scene. The large rock and smaller stones scattered throughout the orange dirt contribute to this desert-like feel. This shot is unique because it leaves a little to the imagination. You can tell that there is a drop at the end of the ledge, but you can't see what is at the bottom.

I really enjoy this shot because it has a little bit of everything in it. Instead of focusing on just the river or trees or plants, it brings it all together in one photograph. The tree in this picture looks like it is reaching the end of its life, but it adds a lot of character to the photo. I also like how the plant brings some green color into this shot. Winter is just starting to wrap up, so a lot of plants have not started to bloom or transition into their spring-like states yet. I was surprised and excited to see a little bit of green starting to show up throughout the forest, so I had to snap a picture.