Darren Clark Photography

Last night I fished the Henry’s Fork for the first time this year. It was beautiful (calm, overcast, warm). I caught 5-6 fish, all big, and all on dries. It was about as perfect as it gets.

Approaching Storm, Henry’s Fork near Chester, ID 2013

Rainbow Trout, near Chester, ID 2013

Reflected Sunset, Henry’s Fork near Chester, ID 2013

Every ten years or so I take a portrait of Susan. Tonight we were out at Market Lake and the light was really nice. I convinced Susan that she should let me take her portrait. Here are a couple of efforts.

Susan at Market Lake, ID 2013 (black-and-white)

Susan at Market Lake, ID 2013 (c0lor)

Found these Cottonwoods (probably 25 trees or so total) yesterday on a drive with my youngest son. I’m sure there’s a reason to cut down these beauties. I still don’t like it.

Chopped Down Cottonwood, Egin, ID 2013

A couple of signs I discovered while wandering around:

Country Dancing (made with plastic cups), Chester, ID 2013

Did You Forget Something, Mud Lake, ID 2013

The landscape in and around Twin Falls contains some of the most scenic landscapes in Idaho (I think so anyway). Down in this area we stopped and photographed Caldron Linn (which was a bit of a disappointment), Centennial Falls, Niagara Springs, and Thousand Springs.

Centennial Falls looking West, Twin Falls, ID 2013

Centennial Falls looking Northeast at Sunset, Twin Falls, ID 2013

Niagara Springs, ID 2013

Thousand Springs, ID 2013

Our last major destination of the trip was Bruneau Dunes State Park. I have to say it was a bit of a disappointment. I did manage to make a photograph in fairly ordinary light that I really like. It was a pretty quick stop and then we made our way towards home.

Russian Olive and Parking Lot, Bruneau Dunes State Park, ID 2013

As an afterthought, on the way home we drove through Craters of the Moon National Monument. It was fairly cold and windy and we toured the park in less than an hour. Here’s one of the few photos from our stop:

Pine on Cinder Cone, Craters of the Moon National Monument, ID 2013

Southwest of Arco we drove by a couple of caves, on our way to Twin Falls. The Shoshone Ice Caves were closed for the season, but the Mammoth Cave and Shoshone Bird Museum of Natural History was open. This is a lava tube with a homemade museum built on top of the cave entrance. It was pretty fantastic and bizarre. The museum holds fossils, taxidermy, Indian artifacts, and other items of interest. I’ve never seen so many interesting things stuffed into such a small space. If you ever find yourself halfway between Carey and Twin Falls, Idaho, you’ve got to stop and check it out.

Cave Sign, Mammoth Cave, ID 2013

Basalt Sculptures, Mammoth Cave, ID 2013

Entrance to Mammoth Cave, ID 2013

Inside the Cave Looking towards the Entrance, Mammoth Cave, ID 2013

Signage inside the Cave, Mammoth Cave, ID 2013

Two-headed Duckling, Shoshone Bird Museum, ID 2013

Canada Goose hanging from the Ceiling, Shoshone Bird Museum, ID 2013

Between semesters a couple of friends and I decided to take a photo road trip through southern Idaho to visit a few waterfalls, the Bruneau Dunes, and a couple of weird little towns. We had a good time, found some cool and strange places, and managed to make a few images.

Our first stop was Atomic City,  a small town that was conceived as a community where people who work at INL might want to live. It never really took off. It now consists of a couple of bars, an abandoned garage, a few houses, some potato cellars, and a race track.

Twin Buttes Bar Cafe, and a Chrysler, Atomic City, ID 2013

Trailer as a Boom Box, Atomic City, ID 2013

Abandoned Garage, a Tree, and a Trailer (with Scott Instagraming), Atomic City, ID 2013

After Atomic City, we drove west and into Arco (the first city in the country powered by Nuclear Power) for lunch.

Mountain Man and Biscuits n’ Gravy Signs, Arco, ID 2013

Donkey Hood Ornament, Arco, ID 2013

The wind was howling at Market Lake this evening, despite that it was really beautiful. Birds were plentiful and the light was amazing. I took a couple of similar photographs. Enjoy:

Reeds in the Wind (shortly before sunset), Market Lake, ID 2013

Reeds in the Wind (shortly after sunset), Market Lake, ID 2013

Willow in Henry’s Fork, St. Anthony, ID 2013

Potato Cellar with Tree and Barn, Idaho Falls, ID 2013

Spring is slowly arriving in the Upper Snake River Valley of Idaho. Snow is melting, birds are migrating, and the temperatures are hovering at or above freezing (even overnight sometimes). I’ve had a fun time photographing the minimal landscape this winter (it’s one of the only ways I have to cope with the misery). Here are a few photographs I made over the last couple of weeks. I hope I don’t have to make any more snowy photographs until November or so.

Broken Tree in Another Tree, Plano, ID 2013

Dirt Road with Falling Hoarfrost, Burton, ID 2013

Young Tree with Supports, Ashton, ID 2013

Willow in Fog and Snow, Rexburg, ID 2013

Trees with Power Pole and Sprinklers in Fog and Snow, Ashton, ID 2013

Landscape with Great Gray Owl, Plano, ID 2013

Roadkill Deer, with Magpie Tracks, Plano, ID 2013

Snowy Field at Dusk, Walker, ID 2013