Is Nebraska the WORST PLACE ON EARTH for photography?

Nah. It's pretty awesome.

I had a conversation the other day with a local photographer here in Omaha, and he told me how he constantly struggled to find photographs “in the worst place on Earth for photography.”

He was serious. He said it with a straight face and stern shake of his head.

I’ve heard this from other photographers before, and I keep telling them that I totally disagree! I will admit that Nebraska isn’t the easiest place to photograph… but the worst place on EARTH?

Nope. I freaking love it here.

Check out this photograph I took the other day while exploring western Nebraska:

I mean… this is freaking beautiful. The pleasing greens with the sandhills in the background are fantastic. The bull just hanging out next to the water? Incredible.

There’s a softness here, though… a gentle whisper of wind and birdsong plays in my head when I look at the photo.

Just minutes from the above scene, I found a group of deer “circling the wagons” to look for predators:

The next three photographs were taken within minutes of the ones above, showcasing a touch of the animal diversity we have here:

And yet even outside of the sandhills, scenes with amazing beauty are common in Nebraska’s countryside. This shot could be taken almost anywhere in Nebraska with a field like this:

For me, the beauty just doesn’t stop! Simple grasses can be breathtaking:

Each sunset reveals even more opportunities for photographers:

And while Nebraska’s “American history” isn’t very long (Nebraska became a state in 1867), there’s still plenty of things to photograph like this quiet schoolhouse nestled into the bluffs.

You know what Nebraska isn’t? It’s not obvious. The beauty doesn’t shout out to you like a mountain or an epic waterfall.

Here’s a cool quote I found by Jason Momoa, a legit photographer himself when he’s not saving the world as Aquaman:

Anyone who spends time on the road knows there's something special about being in the middle of Utah or Nebraska - you sit with it, and there's a peace about it. You can go left or right, and it opens up all kinds of doors. You take your own path.

He’s right. The beauty is here, and it’s almost as if finding these scenes in Nebraska is a conversation between our soul and the spirit of the land.

As a photographer, I’ve found it incredibly rewarding to continue to find new and wonderful scenes to photograph. I have to dig a little deeper. Push a little harder to “see” the beauty in a random cornfield.

I think it’s made me a better photographer, and even though I’m almost 50, I feel like I’m only now getting started, even in my home state!

Do YOU want to make the most of Nebraska’s incredible beauty?

If you live in Nebraska, or find yourself close to the area, I’d love for you to reach out. I can give you some advice on where to go, and I also have an opportunity for you to think about!

My friend, Jeremy and I, recently took a group of photographers on a Nebraska Photo Adventure, and it was an amazing experience. Here is the brave crew:

Why brave? Because we were all almost KILLED by a rattler! (Not really… most of the time these things are just trying to get away!)

Once we were done gawking at this poor thing and taking hundreds of photos of it, it slinked off on its own, definitely more terrified of us than we were of it. Still… a little danger is pretty cool sometimes, right?

We were definitely in some more “hidden” parts of Nebraska. Toadstool National Park was one of our highlights:

And here are a few shots of our incredible photographers at some of the locations:

If you want to be a part of our next adventure, I’ll be sure to announce it here - and you can also check out our website:

https://www.neiaphotography.com/

Until then, let me know what YOU think of your home state. What challenges do you have? What joys exist there for photographers no one else knows about?

I’d love to hear!