The Badlands

• Photographer
  Michael Knapstein
• Prizes
  Bronze in Fine Art/Landscape

These images attempt to capture the stark, other-worldly beauty of the area called "The Badlands" in the American Midwest. This area in South Dakota, USA is subject to some of the most extreme temperature swings on Earth. Summertime temperatures can top 116 degrees F while Winter temperatures can plunge to 40 below zero F. The land is barren and desolate, but also quite beautiful with unusual rock striations and dramatic cloud formations. These images are combined from four visits.

Michael Knapstein (b.1956) is a fine-art photographer who has earned international recognition for his insightful and nuanced visual exploration of the American Midwest. A Wisconsin native, he now lives in Middleton, Wisconsin with his wife, Annette.