Sandra Hale Photography | Kansas City

Winter's Bone: Every Scene Tells A Story

2012-11-27T19:26:00-06:00

Equipment Used: Nikon D5000 & AF-S DX Nikkor 18-70 mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED

Technical Details: from EXIF data

Shutter Speed: 10/6000 sec
Aperture: f/3.5
Exposure Program: aperture priority
Focal Length: 18mm
ISO Speed Ratings: 1800
Flash: did not fire
Metering Mode: pattern

Notes: There's a rather large, rambling park I like to visit and photograph in south Kansas City. I usually visit in the fall and winter, mostly because it's less crowded in colder weather, but also because the leaves have fallen off the trees by then, affording views you can't quite catch when the limbs are leafy and green.

The landscape above reminded me of a movie I recently watched, Winter's Bone. Filmed just a few hours south of Kansas City, Winter's Bone is the story of a teenage girl, struggling to provide for her mother and younger siblings while searching for her missing father in the remote and meth-infested reaches of the mountainous Ozarks. While it's a sobering look at rural life in the Ozarks, it's also a story of responsibility and determination, of family and the ties that bind.

While I can't say it's a film you'll watch and feel happy about afterwards, I can recommend that you see it, sooner rather than later. It is extremely well written, well produced and well directed---a film in which every scene (and every photograph) tells a story.

Candid Moments and Lessons On Love and Friendship

2012-10-31T16:04:36-05:00

I was holding a camera the day these women changed my life.

I didn't start out photographing them. I was shooting my surroundings...the meal before me, the table setting, the potted plants and garden landscape, the leaves and sky overhead. But these women, or at least one of them to start, were on my radar.

I noticed the woman on the left first, sitting singularly, and immediately interpreted her story: She was waiting for someone to join her. As the woman continued to fade in and out of my peripheral vision, another woman walked in: the anticipated lunch companion of the woman already seated. What they did next taught me a lesson in love and friendship I will never forget.

Now I have no idea if these women were old friends, close friends, or if they were somehow related, but I do know this: these women genuinely loved and cared for one another, as well as valued their friendship. How can I be so sure? I could literally see and feel the love and admiration radiating between them.

When these two women saw each other, their reaction was so breathtaking, so heartfelt, so palpable and so full of emotion, it moved me to tears. Their expressions lit with joy, their eyes widened, their voices rose to greet each other in exaltation, and their arms immediately outstretched to embrace. There was no forethought, no planning...only an honest and enthusiastic reaction to the other. They welcomed each other with such intensity, that their abiding friendship, mutual love and respect for one another literally glowed. I felt honored, even blessed, to have been present and witness to their simple yet exquisite bliss. Theirs was one of the clearest expressions of love and friendship I have ever seen.

Candid moments like this don't just make great images, they tell great stories and impart great lessons---they inspire. Watching these two women interact with such unabashed enthusiasm towards each other made a strong and lasting impression on me. They reminded me how important it is to love deeply and fully from the heart, and never squander a single opportunity, no matter how common or mundane it may seem, to express to someone just how much they mean to you---to shower them with love, without reservation, and show them just how happy you are that they are present and active in your life.

As Maya Angelou once said, I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

The Artful Bending of Reality

2012-08-17T13:40:42-05:00

click to enlarge

Photo Title: Field of Dreams

Equipment Used: Nikon D70 & 50mm f/1.4D AF Nikkor lens

Technical Details: from EXIF data

Shutter Speed: 10/80000 sec
Aperture: f/1.4
Exposure Program: Aperture priority
Focal Length: 50mm
Flash: did not fire
Metering Mode: pattern

Notes: One thing I don't get to do a lot of (or at least not as often as I'd like) in the type of photography I shoot for work, is create one-of-a-kind images. Don't get me wrong...I know some photographers who would jump at the chance to argue this point, claiming every image they shoot is a unique work of art, and I'm not discrediting that. To a degree, I believe that as well---you could drop 20 photographers in the same spot, photographing the same subject, and receive 20 different images. But there's a substantial difference in shooting an image 10,000 other photographers could come close to replicating (especially if they were standing in your shoes) versus creating something new: a digital work of art so unique that no one could ever quite replicate it, at least not easily. A digital work that's intimate, elusive and haunting in nature---a photo manipulated so delicately, from a place so deep within your soul, that your instinct tells you to keep it hidden and protected despite it being your gift to the world.

I think this desire, to create haunting, elusive, intimate images lurks inside every photographer. We call it creative voice or artistic vision. But we take that notion one step further when we start creating with a dreamer's eye. I say if you can dream it...you can shoot it, manipulate it, and create entirely new works of art. And that's the place I long to linger...the world I want to dive into and wrap my arms around, soaking up every last ounce of possibility and potential from its great and infinite depths.

Some digital artists excel at this, as you'll see here, and here, and here. I'm far from that level of digital mastery & photo manipulation and to be honest, I'm not sure I'll ever want to (or need to) take it to that level of extremism. Those artists are on a different plane, and I admire them for it. What I am comfortable with, at least for now, is manipulating the type of images I enjoying shooting (flowers, landscapes, people...generally anything outdoors) and bending it just enough so that it resembles reality, but not too closely. Think of it like images look in dreams---real, but not quite. Something is different, and somehow that makes it better than real. It's surreal. That's what I'm after. The artful bending of reality, where fact and fantasy fight it out in some strange but beautiful hallucination. That's what I long to create, day after photography-filled day.

Think about that the next time you pick up your camera body, choose a lens, or open Photoshop: What lingers in your soul to create? What is it you, as an artist, have left unsaid? What would you spend your time doing, or shooting, if money were no object? What reality do you long to bend?

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Innocence Lost, Attitude Gained: Using Juxtaposition To Strengthen Your Portrait Photography

2012-08-08T18:13:27-05:00

click to enlarge

Photo Title: Innocence Lost

Equipment Used: Canon EOS 7D & Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM

Technical Details: from EXIF data

Shutter Speed: 1/50 sec
Aperture: f/9
Exposure Program: Aperture priority
Focal Length: 17 mm
ISO Speed Ratings: 200
Flash: did not fire
Metering Mode: pattern

click to enlarge

Photo Title: Attitude Gained Portrait of an Urban Photographer {for more information, please visit ChadCogdill.com}

Equipment Used: Canon EOS 7D & Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM

Technical Details: from EXIF data

Shutter Speed: 1/80 sec
Aperture: f/9
Exposure Program: Aperture priority
Focal Length: 30 mm
ISO Speed Ratings: 200
Flash: did not fire
Metering Mode: pattern

Notes: One element I love working into my photography is juxtaposition: the act of placing two, not necessarily related, elements or subjects side by side for comparison or contrast. I especially like to do this with my portrait photography.

Sometimes the people I photograph will fit perfectly into their background, effortlessly enhancing the magnitude of the scene in which they are represented. Other times, they will contrast with it dramatically. Which type of location I place people in depends entirely upon who I'm shooting and why, as well as the amount of artistic freedom I am granted.

During my pre-shoot consultation (after I've gotten a feel for who my client is as a person & what sort of images they are looking for), I'll often recommend several locations, some of which may be surprising. But once I explain my rationale for these suggestions, my reasons for wanting to place them in locales that match their personality, appearance or need, as well as locations that contrast with who they are, what they look like, and where they might expect to see themselves, most become excited to try both.

Which images turn out stronger? The ones that resonate with the client of course ;) After all, the client has to love their photos and their opinion may differ from mine. But sometimes, the client will surprise you...and the images that resonate with them may be the ones they least expected. Either way, if your client is happy, you're happy and it's a win-win for everyone.

The next time you grab your camera with the intent to immortalize someone in portrait, think about what it is they, and you, wish to emphasize. How can you enhance an aspect of their personality or appearance by drawing upon characteristics of the physical environment? Could you do that best by focusing on comparisons or contrasts? Similarities or dissimilarities? Should the environment blend with your client, or make them stand out by representing the stark contrast between the two?

Ultimately, juxtaposition is an artistic tool in addition to being a subjective decision, both of which will define your style as a portrait photographer. It's an element that, if used wisely, can bring clients to your door. And when they knock, listen closely to their needs, mirror their ideas and communicate yours, then throw in a few wild-card images to shake things up. The more you get to know your client and understand their willingness or reluctance to try new approaches, the better equipped you'll be to exceed their expectations while perhaps taking them a few places they never expected to go.

{Photography, Travel & Tourism} Hitting Missouri's Back Roads In Search of Hidden Treasures: A Visit to Historic Blackwater, MO

2012-06-14T12:46:31-05:00

If you think you need a time machine to step back into the late 1800's, you're in for a Mid-Missouri surprise.

I've hit the open road, seeking out Missouri's hidden and historical treasures: small towns, ever so slightly off the beaten path, that hold good things...the kinds of things where great times are had and memories are made...in the kinds of places that seem to be hiding in plain view. Today I'm taking you to Blackwater, MO. Let's go...

State Highway K, leading in and out of Blackwater, MO

Founded in 1887, Blackwater, Missouri is a small town that has seen its share of good times and bad. From a booming start in the late 1880's (thanks to a railroad stop at the end of Main Street), Blackwater flourished, then slowly deteriorated over the next hundred years as local plants and businesses closed their doors. But thanks to a dedicated mayor and enthusiastic residents who refused to let Blackwater go under without a fight, the local community pulled together and restored Blackwater to the charming town it is today.

View of Main Street, Blackwater, Missouri

Modern day visitors to Blackwater can shop the historic, brick storefronts that line Main Street in search of antiques, period clothing, western wares and Native American goods. If shopping is not your thing, overnight travelers are invited to escape the cares of the day and relax at the Iron Horse Hotel & Restaurant, a 10-room, period hotel that anchors Main Street and has been painstakingly restored (also open for dining most Fridays & Saturdays except January). And, if your timing is right, you can catch an old fashioned, wild west gunfight re-enacted by the South Fork Regulators on the 2nd Saturday of each month, March-October, 2012 (currently, gunfights are scheduled at 12pm, 1:30pm and 3pm).

That's right, if you visit Blackwater on the 2nd Saturday of each month, March-October, 2012, you can witness an old fashioned, rootin' tootin', rip roarin', wild west, gunslinger gunfight, which appropriately takes place outside the non-alcoholic and beautifully restored Bucksnort Saloon. While you won't find whiskey there, you will find plenty of family friendly, 1800's atmosphere including a beautifully restored bar, swinging saloon doors, and all the sarsaparilla and root beer you need to wet your whistle!

Inside the Bucksnort Saloon

South Fork Regulators inside the Bucksnort Saloon

Once you've gotten your sarsaparilla on, step onto Main Street and get ready to watch the South Fork Regulators shoot it out, wild west style!

South Fork Regulators, as well as Blackwater residents & visitors, gathering for a wild west gunfight on Main Street

South Fork Regulators in period costume

I won't give away the storyline, but rest assured, this Regulator is a regular troublemaker ;)

While it may look serious, I'm happy to report no South Fork Regulators or re-enactment watchers were injured in this presentation :)

Western gunfights not quite your style? Duck into any one of Blackwater's unique antique or gift shops and begin your search for hidden treasure. Filled to every nook and cranny, Blackwater's shops offer a variety of goods and wares to accommodate most styles and budgets.

Inside Antiques & Interiors

Antiques & Interiors, owned by the charming and affable Mary Watson, offers a fine selection of crystal, cut glass, silver, china, mahogany furniture, jewelry, home furnishings and more. I absolutely fell in love with this store!

Charming! And so much to choose from...

Antiques & Interiors, Blackwater, MO

Just across and further down Main Street, visitors to Blackwater will find another antique shop, Blackwater Treasures, filled to the brim with collectibles, house wares and home furnishings. There are so many things to look at, you could get lost in here for hours!

A peek inside Blackwater Treasures

Note: Blackwater Treasures Antiques & Collectibles also offers shoppers an online store front to browse their wares, so you can shop for favorite antiques from the comforts of home.

Other downtown shops include the amazing Bucksnort Trading Company (a must visit!), Annick's Antiques, Courtyard Antiques, and Just In Habit. Planning a visit to Blackwater? Be sure to check this site for updates on current events and shopping.

If you're looking to turn your Blackwater visit into an overnight retreat, consider spending the night (or even the weekend!) at one of Mid-Missouri's most surprising, historic treasures, the Iron Horse Hotel. The Iron Horse Hotel boasts character beyond belief and amenities include an upscale restaurant open most Fridays and Saturdays for dinner (closed in January). Reservations recommended.

The Iron Horse Hotel, Blackwater's finest lodging

Have I convinced you to step back in time by visiting Blackwater, Missouri yet? If not, I have one more surprise up my sleeve! A true Missouri treasure that will keep you coming back for seconds, maybe even thirds. Need another hint? I'll be featuring this surprise on my food blog, My Missouri Kitchen, in an upcoming post. Stay tuned to find out what may be Blackwater's best kept secret yet!

Need more destination ideas and reasons to visit Missouri? Be sure to check out the Missouri Division of Tourism at VisitMO for state-wide listings!

iPhone Photo Apps: A Look Inside MarbleCam

2012-06-05T12:19:45-05:00

Simple, limited, artistic, and fun: these are the words I feel best describe MarbleCam for iPhone by Daisuke Suzuki.

Kansas City, it's all about your perspective. Processed with MarbleCam.

Let's get this out of the way: MarbleCam version 1.1, is an exremely limited photo app for iPhone. It does one thing, but it does it well. Enough.

Want an app with a no-brainer interface that makes your iPhone photos look like you played with a clear marble & a macro lens? This is your app. Want an app that creates an upside down image of your subject while effectively blurring out the background? This is your app.

No, it won't let you create other snazzy effects or add colors, textures, filters and text. You'll need to use another iPhone photo app for that. But using MarbleCam to create this unique, singular effect means you won't have to purchase a Soratama lens for your iPhone either. Plus, MarbleCam is currently free, so there's really no reason to complain.

Now when I tell you this app's user interface is clean and intuitive, I mean it's really clean and intuitive. Let's take a look inside...

There you have it. Doesn't get more clean and intuitive than that. Once you have MarbleCam for iPhone installed and open, simply snap a photo or upload an existing image from your photo album. That's it. Snap or upload and MarbleCam takes care of the rest. No buttons to push, effects to select, textures to add...nothing. In seconds your MarbleCam image is automatically created for you.

Happy with your image? Save it to your photo album by clicking the "save" button on the left, or share it instantly via email, Instagram, Facebook or Twitter via the "share" button on the right. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Sure, there are some non-intrustive ads located at the bottom of this app, but I mentioned it's free, right? And since you're currently limited to one action, the reversible floating marble effect, you won't be using this app all the time so it's not a problem. And did you catch that? I just mentioned reversible. Yes...that's currently the only control MarbleCam offers: you can reverse your final image by 90 degrees, 180 degrees, or back to 360 degrees if you desire.

And that, in a nutshell, is exactly what MarbleCam version 1.1 does. I like it. A lot. I like it more because it's free, and until there are additonal user controls added, I hope Daisuke Suzuki keeps it that way. I wouldn't suggest over-using this app as that might look trite, but have fun, play, experiment and get creative. After all, isn't that what iPhoneography is all about?

Before & Afters

Tips for using MarbleCam version 1.1 for iPhone

Not every photo will render well using MarbleCam. In my use, I've noticed it's best if your subject is somewhat centered and photographed at a distance. The exact opposite of this is also true: you can be extremely close to your subject as well and still create some interesting, artistic shots. What doesn't work as well is using images created at mid-length and/or images bearing a rather indistinguishable subject.

Own an iPhone? Interested in adding MarbleCam to your arsenal? Find it in the App Store, currently available for free! Current version compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPod touch (3rd generation) and iPad (4th generation). Requires iOS 4.3 or later.

Want to learn more about MarbleCam? Here's a spot-on review from PhotoCruncher with a list of "Missing Features" that would make great additions to future MarbleCam updates.

iPhone Photo Apps: A Peek Inside ScratchCam FX

2012-05-26T00:05:53-05:00

I love my iPhone. Yes, I'm one of those...an Apple devotee, an iPhone aficionado, a fangirl if you will. And while my addiction began slowly, just over 4 years ago, I can tell you that owning an iPhone 3G taught me how important it is to carry a camera with you 24/7 (even if it's only 2 megapixels), and how owning an iPhone 4S has reinforced the beauty of having an 8MP pocket camera at arm's length.

Know what makes me happier still? The numerous social networking outlets available to feed an iPhoneographer's addiction (think hot sites like Instagram, Twitter, Flickr, Facebook and Google+, among others). But what if you want to jazz up your straight-out-of-camera iPhone shots and give them a little more feel, a little more mood, a little more oomph before sharing your works of art with the world? Perhaps you want to add some grunge and texture, or some color, saturation and brightening. Perhaps you you need to straighten or crop, or turn a color image black & white. What then?

iPhone photo apps to the rescue!

This is the part where I confess that Apple's App store is my second addiction, specifically, the Photo & Video section. In this online paradise, I can browse and shop and review and buy until my heart is content (or my pocket is empty). And what I've discovered is this: there are some awesome photo apps out there, created specifically for iPhones; most are reasonably (if not value) priced and many are free!

And because I could talk about iPhoneography and iPhone photo apps through the wee hours of night, I've decided instead to share some of my favorite apps here---so you can preview of what's out there, how they work, and find out if a fellow iPhoneographer would recommend them as being worth the purchase price & drive space. I know not every app will fit or mesh with every iPhoneographer, but at least you'll be better informed when you go shopping in the App Store.

If adding color, borders, grunge & vintage texture to your iPhone snaps appeals to you, you'll want to check out today's featured app: ScratchCam FX, version 2.0.

In a photographer's world, words aren't everything, so instead of lip service I'm sharing a peek of what it's like to edit an iPhone image inside the ScratchCam FX app.

First, let's check out an original iPhone photo, straight from the camera...

Although this app offers presets, I want you to ignore those for a minute by selecting ScratchCam FX's edit tab (as seen on the lower right in the photo below). ScratchCam makes it easy to select and edit various color, border, texture and/or scratch options, also known as layers.

Working with customizable layers, you can combine them in any, unique way you choose, even turning a layer off (depicted as "on" by the green light in the screenshot above)---a feature that allows you to experiment between the various looks of individual layers without forcing you to begin editing an image from scratch each time you make a change. No need to start over...simply toggle a layer on or off (to enable or disable) before moving to the next layer.

But what if you're picky like me, and want even more customization options? ScratchCam FX gives you that too.

Once you're working on a specific layer, it's important to note the sliding bar located in the upper, right-hand corners of the screenshots featured above & below. See the red-buttoned sliding bar? That bar is magic, and allows you to control the amount (or intensity) of processing for each layer you're editing. For instance, let's say you're adding scratches to your image, but don't want the end result to look like an angry cat got ahold of your photo and shredded it. Simply slide the intensity bar to the left to lessen the effect on that layer without disabling it completely. This intensity feature gives you complete opacity control over any layer you're working in.

Let's see how this works on an actual image.

Here's an example with more scratches...

...and now with slightly fewer scratches, just by sliding the intensity/opacity bar a bit further left.

Once you've tweaked and edited your image to your heart's content, ScratchCam FX offers a myriad of in-app options for photo sharing or saving. I typically save the newly edited image back to my photo album, in case I decide to edit it further using another app for different effects.

With a simple click, you're done---and have created a second, fully-edited image of your original iPhone photo without destroying or altering the first.

Here's the final version of my iPhone image, edited entirely with ScratchCam FX. The scratches may or may not suit your personal preferences, but they certainly affect the mood & tone of the image, and that's where artistic differences come into play.

Now, remember at the beginning of this review/tutorial when I told you to forget about ScratchCam's presets for a minute? Here's an example of just one preset in action, but there are many more to choose from.

Note: ScratchCam FX offers an array of downloadable effects packs that allow you to edit, tweak and customize your images in even more, unique ways!

ScratchCam FX for iPhone is one of my most used, and most often asked about, photo apps. Although I tend use it in conjunction with other photo apps, combining 2 or more to achieve a magic potion capable of transforming even the most mundane shots into intriguing, memorable images, I know when fellow Instagrammers ask, "How'd you get that look?" they're often referring to ScratchCam effects. In my opinion? This app (version 2.0) performs well, is fun to play with, offers a lot of scratch for your buck, and is definitely a good value.

Own an iPhone? Interested in adding ScratchCam FX to your arsenal? Find it in the App Store, currently available for $1.99 USD. Current version compatible with iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. Requires iOS 4.0 or later.

Exploring Missouri's Natural Wonders: Ha Ha Tonka's Natural Bridge

2012-04-17T20:22:53-05:00

If you're fortunate enough to visit Ha Ha Tonka State Park's Colosseum Trail on a misty morning, the hike down to the natural bridge will help set the mood for the geological wonders that lie ahead.

Even though I've been visiting Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks for years, Ha Ha Tonka State Park was never on my radar until I picked up a copy of Don Kurz's Missouri's Natural Wonders Guidebook a few months ago. Unable to set it down, I poured over Don's guidebook, fascinated by each location he listed. And when I stumbled upon his brief but tantalizing description of Ha Ha Tonka State Park, my world began to change.

Epiphany: Like most adventurous souls, I love to travel, hike and go, go, go, but I suddenly realized I had a limited view of the features and attractions located in my own backyard. In that moment, I made the decision to begin exploring Missouri more purposefully...visiting, photographing and blogging all the natural beauty and attractions hiding in plain view. Fortunately, the Lake of the Ozarks is just a hop, skip and jump away, so I began my explorations there. If you don't live near the Lake of the Ozarks, don't worry: I've been traveling a larger portion of Missouri ever since, photographing and documenting even more of the cave state's amazing features & attractions. I can assure you, regardless of your location, there are hidden gems in your neck of the woods!

Today we're visiting one of my favorite, Lake of the Ozarks wonders: Ha Ha Tonka State Park's natural bridge. It might not be the gateway to the west, but it's certainly the gateway to the Colosseum Trail and I think you will love it!

If you're new to my series on Ha Ha Tonka State Park, I encourage you to check out these previous posts: Winter Hiking & Photography in Ha Ha Tonka Part 1, Hiking & Photography in Ha Ha Tonka Part 2 - The Castle Ruins, Hiking & Photography in Ha Ha Tonka Part 3 - The Quarry Trail, and Architectural + Fine Art Photography: Ha Ha Tonka Water Tower.

Unlike some who visit Ha Ha Tonka to see the castle ruins or the clear, blue waters of Ha Ha Tonka Spring, I came first to see the Colosseum Trail's massive stone arch---the natural bridge. In the stillness of the early morning hours, it's quite a sight to behold.

I love experiencing breathtaking, natural features that remind me of a bigger picture: the largeness, scope & forces at play beyond human creation...beyond ourselves. Nature never ceases to amaze me!

Created by the collapse of an ancient cave system, Ha Ha Tonka's natural bridge (spanning 60 feet across, 100 feet high, and 70 feet wide) is a highlight of the Colosseum Sinkhole (which itself is 150 feet deep). It is a perfect example of Ha Ha Tonka's rich, karst topography and a feature I encourage every visitor to the Lake of the Ozarks to experience in person to get a true sense of its enormity.

Ha Ha Tonka Tidbit: Up until 1980, the natural bridge was actually used as a route to Ha Ha Tonka castle until it was closed to vehicular traffic due to its narrowness.

If you've never hiked the Colosseum Trail, you might be having a hard time visualing the expansiveness of Ha Ha Tonka's natural bridge. If so, look closely at this photo...there's an adult woman with a Labrador Retriever standing underneath the bridge (close to the middle) in addition to the child standing on the front-side of this feature. Use their size to help put this massive, sandstone arch in perspective.

Peering out from underneath the natural bridge provides an impressive, first glimpse of the Colosseum Sinkhole, a prime example of karst topography.

Need even more help gauging size? See if you can spot at least 2 of the 3 people pictured in this photo.

Have I convinced you yet that Ha Ha Tonka's natural bridge is a feature you need to see? Just in case you need more convincing, I'll be taking you on a brief but fun photo hike along the Colosseum Trail---my favorite, short hike in Ha Ha Tonka State Park, and one of my favorite short hikes in the state! Stay tuned...

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Architectural + Fine Art Photography: Ha Ha Tonka Water Tower

2012-04-10T12:00:09-05:00

click photo to enlarge

Photo Title: Ha Ha Tonka Water Tower

Equipment Used: Canon EOS 7D & Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM

Technical Details: from EXIF data

Shutter Speed: 1/100 sec
Aperture: f/22
Exposure Program: Aperture priority
Focal Length: 16 mm
ISO Speed Ratings: 200
Flash: did not fire
Metering Mode: pattern

Notes: If you've read any of my previous posts on Ha Ha Tonka State Park, you already know Ha Ha Tonka is one of the most amazing, feature-filled state parks I've ever visited & photographed. From its fabulous hiking trails and natural wonders, to the remains of a stone castle, carriage house & water tower that look as though they could be the setting of a gothic-romance novel, this state park has a little bit of everything for everyone.

Located just outside Camdenton, Missouri and situated on the fabulous Lake of the Ozarks, when I received a request to photograph the Ha Ha Tonka water tower, I wanted to capture it in a unique way: a way that combined the best of architectural & fine art photography, and a way that immortalized this structure in a very specific moment in time. This photo, and this one as well, do just that.

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(Virtual) Hiking and Photography in Missouri's Ha Ha Tonka State Park, Lake of the Ozarks (Part 3: The Quarry Trail)

2012-03-06T18:10:20-06:00

Welcome! If you're new to this series on Missouri's Ha Ha Tonka State Park, I suggest catching up with this introductory post and/or part 2 on exploring the castle ruins.

One of the more enchanting state parks I've had the pleasure of visiting, Missouri's Ha Ha Tonka boasts mile after mile of unrivaled natural wonder and beauty. Today we're taking the first in a series of virtual hikes through Ha Ha Tonka State Park, beginning with the serene Quarry Trail, located near Ha Ha Tonka's most famous attraction, the castle ruins.

There are two ways to enter the Quarry trail: the first being the trailhead just north of the castle ruins, the second located beside the carriage house site. As most visitors to Ha Ha Tonka will opt to visit the castle ruins first, our virtual tour begins at the main trailhead.

Note - Although I'm missing the photo, one of the first sites you'll see upon entering the trailhead is the original location of the castle's greenhouses. Not your average greenhouses, the original structures were huge with foundations constructed of stone just like the castle, carriage house and water tower. Upon Snyder's death, the greenhouses were dismantled and sold, but the stone foundations remain along with interpretive kiosks for more information.

Fallen, mossy log along the Quarry Trail.

Coming to Ha Ha Tonka to hike and immortalize my visit, this 1.75 mile trail, blazed in green, took a bit longer to hike than the estimated 1 hour & 20 minutes, mainly because I kept stopping to take photos. Considered easy to moderate in difficulty, this trail can be hiked about an hour & a half if you keep moving, including the scenic side trip down to the shore of the Lake of the Ozarks via the red trail. All trails are readily marked via small, colored squares attached to trees---a feature you'll appreciate if you forget to stop at the visitor's center on your way in and pick up a more detailed map.

Moss-covered tree roots adorn north-facing portions of the trail, easy to spot (and not trip over) in winter months, standing out amongst the fallen oak leaves.

In addition to the main trail blazed in green and red trail leading down to the lake blazed in red, the Quarry Trail also offers connector trails blazed in white to shorten or enhance your hike. While hiking the main trail, look for white connectors 5 & 6 which connect the green trail via optional, scenic loops.

Numerous sandstone & dolomite outcroppings line the hillsides here, making it easy to understand why Robert McClure Snyder chose to mine stone from quarries surrounding the Ha Ha Tonka castle to construct his one-of-a-kind mansion.

Coming down the northern slope of the Quarry Trail and rounding the first curve, you're suddenly reminded you're not just in the woods here at Ha Ha Tonka, being greeted with a tantalizing glimpse of central Missouri's beautiful Lake of the Ozarks.

In addition to the red trail leading down to the lake's shoreline, enticing views of the Lake of the Ozarks peek through the trees on this portion of the Quarry Trail.

Once you pull yourself away from the gorgeous lake views, the trail begins a gentle climb upward, softened by sweeping curves and natural wonders such as dolomite and sandstone outcroppings which stand between towering oak trees.

As if not to be outdone by the stone upon which it sits, this tree boasts an almost unreal tangle of gnarled roots, clutching onto the rock below as if its existence depends on it, which, as nature would have it, it does.

Ready to go in for a closer look? Careful though, don't teeter off the rocky edge to the right.

Depending on when you hike Ha Ha Tonka's Quarry Trail (especially after a rain or snow), a pair of calf-high waterproof boots can be your best friend. Some areas were pretty muddy with standing water the day we visited, and I was glad to be wearing these waterproof Bogs. With substantial tread on the bottom, they prevented slipping & sliding. If you visit in the summer, be forewarned: flip flops are a bad idea. I recommend hiking boots year-round, even throughout the summer months. At minimum, hiking sandals or tennis shoes will do a better job at keeping you and your feet protected (although hiking boots will do more if you encounter an unexpected, feisty snake along the trail).

Best year-round tips? Dress in layers, wear appropriate footwear, and bring plenty of fresh water on your hike. An energy/granola bar would not be out of the question here, just make sure whatever trash you bring in you take out with you. Additional summer tip? Bring plenty of insect & tick repellent. You can thank me later.

After using a white connector trail to explore the Ha Ha Tonka hills further, we picked up the green trail once again and continued on, wrapping around to another quarry site before heading up towards the carriage house.

Moss-lined paths are abundant along the 2nd half of the Quarry Trail and add a degree of comfort to your hike...there's just something about them that's entirely peaceful & soothing as you make your way through these woods.

Curved paths, sweeping gracefully around a shallow, stone gorge, are a highlight of this path and mark one of the more beautiful stretches of the Quarry Trail.

A simple sign marks one of the quarry sites from which sandstone was mined for castle construction. In this rocky, hilly, uneven terrain, it's hard to imagine mules pulling carts of stone back up to the castle site where stone masons from Scotland waited, hard at work on Snyder's massive 3-story retreat.

Along the trail, you'll encounter holes, some large, some small, home to various woodland creatures. If you're lucky, you'll spot deer, fox, rabbit and other animals roaming the woods.

And if you keep your eyes open, looking closely as you hike...

...you might just find unexpected surprises like this heart-shaped knot, exposed on a fallen tree limb.

This tree, which we nicknamed The Wishbone Tree, is just one of the many fascinating sights waiting to be seen by those who hike the Quarry Trail.

Before you know it, you reach the ruins of the carriage house and your time on the Quarry Trail comes to a close. If you're up for it, turn around and venture back or better yet, carry on because there are more trails in Ha Ha Tonka State Park ready to captivate you and other hikers.

Stay tuned for our next virtual hike, when I take you on the Colosseum Trail---one of my favorite short hikes in Ha Ha Tonka!