One of the best things about spending time in prairies is that, except when clouds interfere, you can get spectacular and unobstructed views of both sunrises and sunsets.
It is, of course, a bad idea to look directly at the sun, even when it is near the horizon. The sun’s light is diffused and scattered, but it can still be damaging to your eyes. Don’t do it.
Hypothetically, though, if one were to risk a quick glance at the sun, I bet it would be really pretty – especially with some prairie in the foreground.
Sunrise in the Nebraska SandhillsBison and rising sun at The Nature Conservancy’s Niobrara Valley PreservePlains sunflower (Helianthus petiolaris) and sun at The Nature Conservancy’s Platte River PrairiesSkipper butterfly and sun – Lincoln Creek Prairie in Aurora, NebraskaDrone photo of the Niobrara River at sunrise – Niobrara Valley PreserveVariegated meadowhawk dragonfly in the morning – Lincoln Creek PrairieSand bluestem – Niobrara Valley PreservePlains sunflower – Niobrara Valley PreserveVariegated meadowhawk and autumn sunrise – Platte River PrairiesScarlet gaura (Gaura coccinea) – Niobrara Valley PreserveBig bluestem and sunrise at the Platte River PrairiesPlains larkspur (Delphinium virescens) at sunset – Niobrara Valley PreserveRestored prairie and sunrise – Platte River PrairiesLincoln Creek Prairie sunriseIndiangrass and sunrise – Lincoln Creek PrairiePrairie cordgrass and sunrise at the Platte River Prairies
These pictures are amazing! (As usual. :) ) Thank you for taking the time to capture these moments! It really is eye-opening to be immersed in a landscape, and you learn how many fleeting moments of wonder there are to discover.
The Prairie Ecologist 
Wow! Just wow! Awesome photos.
First email I saw today. What a beautiful way to start the day! Thanks, Chris!!
Absolutely beautiful photos. Thanks for posting.
“Hypothetically,” the dragonfly is my favorite. Great photos!
“Hypothetically,” the dragonfly photo is my favorite. Greta photos!
outstanding!
Stunning
Absolutely beautiful!
Thank you for sharing the beauty of your prairie. All your photos are breathtakingly beautiful.
thanks. I’ve never seen dragonfly silhouette photos like that, with the shadow play. Ingenious. thank you so much. have a fantastic weekend
p.s. Do you sell your prints? I am interested. Please let me know. Thanks again
Susan, send me an email at chelzer9288(at)gmail.com.
These pictures are amazing! (As usual. :) ) Thank you for taking the time to capture these moments! It really is eye-opening to be immersed in a landscape, and you learn how many fleeting moments of wonder there are to discover.
Thank you again – and keep it up!
You have a great eye for composition. You obviously have a lot of patience :-) I appreciate your work.