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Fences

debra gail photography

Good fences are not only about making good neighbors.

Fences provide purpose to all sorts of things.

For example, a fence can limit access to an area. It can also provide a barrier to animals. Sometimes a fence is just for aesthetic purposes.

Most fences that I come across are barbed wire.

What I love about fences is that for a pretty much dull subject, a fence can provide all sorts of interest to a photograph.

A fence provides a line with seemingly endless depth. And that line can disappear into the snow, the fog, or the prairie. Furthermore, a fence leads us on a path throughout the image.

fence photography


About the images below: most are shot in Kansas, although some are in California and Oregon.

Additionally, there are various perspectives on fences throughout this post. Some have a subject other than the fence itself.




Behind a barbed-wire fence along a gravel road in Marion County, Kansas, a windmill peeks out from behind the tallgrass prairie.

Flinthills, Kansas, barb, barb wire, country, country school, ecosystem, grass, grassland, midwest, pasture, prairie, rock wall, school, tall grass prairie
Marion County, Kansas

In Butler County, Kansas, the hedge-post, barbed-wire fencing seems to disappear into the horizon. Our eyes follow the fence deep into the photo and around to the rising sun.

Fences, Flint Hills, Kansas, barb, barbed wire, country, ecosystem, grass, great plains, waterfall, grassland, midwest, pasture, prairie, rock wall, tall grass prairie, oregon, california
Butler County, Kansas

photography


In this photo, the spring flowers capture the attention. The old fence post and barbed wire provide little more than perhaps scale, although I liked the contrast in the natural versus human-made qualities.

Fences, Flint Hills, Kansas, barb, barbed wire, country, ecosystem, grass, great plains, waterfall, grassland, midwest, pasture, prairie, rock wall, tall grass prairie, oregon, california
Near Millerton Lake, north of Fresno, California

The metal fence posts in the image below provided interest for me; one is straight and the other is not. The crooked post draws my eye to the warm sun rays above.

Fences, Flint Hills, Kansas, barb, barbed wire, country, ecosystem, grass, great plains, waterfall, grassland, midwest, pasture, prairie, rock wall, tall grass prairie, oregon, california
Butler County, Kansas

Although the barbed-wire fence below is in the foreground, it is the gently-sloped hills and blue skies that are the focal point in this image. The fence lends some interest and color contrast to the image.

Fences, Flint Hills, Kansas, barb, barbed wire, country, ecosystem, grass, great plains, waterfall, grassland, midwest, pasture, prairie, rock wall, tall grass prairie, oregon, california
Butler County, Kansas

I love the lines that this simple fencing provides, on both sides of this one-lane gravel road in the hills.

Fences, Flint Hills, Kansas, barb, barbed wire, country, ecosystem, grass, great plains, waterfall, grassland, midwest, pasture, prairie, rock wall, tall grass prairie, oregon, california
Chase County, Kansas

This metal fence provides a barrier to the almost 300-foot drop at Salt Creek Falls.

Fences, Flint Hills, Kansas, barb, barbed wire, country, ecosystem, grass, great plains, waterfall, grassland, midwest, pasture, prairie, rock wall, tall grass prairie, oregon, california
Salt Creek Falls, Willamette National Forest, West of Willamette Pass, Oregon

Although the four trees in the middle ground are interesting, my eyes are drawn to the white-tipped T-posts. Morning Clouds Art Print.

Fences, Flint Hills, Kansas, cowley county, barb, barbed wire, country, ecosystem, grass, great plains, waterfall, grassland, midwest, pasture, prairie, rock wall, tall grass prairie, oregon, california
Cowley County, Kansas

fence photography

This little chipmunk enjoys the warmth radiating from the barrier fence and ledge at Crater Lake.

crater lake, Fences, Flint Hills, Kansas, barb, barbed wire, country, ecosystem, grass, great plains, waterfall, grassland, midwest, pasture, prairie, rock wall, tall grass prairie, oregon, california
Crater Lake National Park, Cascade Mountains, Southern Oregon

And finally, this fence. Wait!! There is no fence!! 😨

Fences, Flint Hills, Kansas, barb, barbed wire, country, ecosystem, grass, great plains, waterfall, grassland, midwest, pasture, prairie, rock wall, tall grass prairie, oregon, california, crater lake
Rim Drive, Crater Lake National Park, Oregon


One of my FAVORITE websites is The National Park Service. Please go check it out and plan a trip to the one closest to you!

3 thoughts on “Fences

  1. Wonderful pictures. Capturing the unbelievable loneliness of those places is amazing. Just you and the wind.

    1. Phil, Thank you very much for your kind words! And thank you for your feedback!

  2. […] For more beautiful landscapes check out my post, “Fences.” […]

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