Rural Lights
Summary
Rural light is not usually blocked by pollution like it is in big cities. Rural light is light in a very open countryside.
Photo by Katelyn H. Taken June 19, 2024.
Beautiful rays of sunlight shining down on an open landscape just outside of Hazen, ND. A heart shaped opening in the clouds above.
Rural lights are especially important because they are not blocked by buildings and pollution. Rural lights are, well, exactly that: lights in the sky seen in rural places rather than cities. In big cities, it can be almost impossible to see the lights we see every day.
The pollution in the air is much worse during the summer than the winter, due to smoke and haze. Even with few buildings around, haze can build up in the air during summertime, making it difficult to see the lights to their fullest. These pollutants are far less apparent during the winter due to the circulation of the atmosphere. This makes it so rural lights shine their brightest during the winter months.
Either way, rural lights–during the summer and winter–are a huge part of who we are. It’s safe to say that they complete the landscape everywhere in the countryside.
Photo by Katelyn H. Taken April 16, 2024.
A grain bin with a fading pastel sunset in the background.
Photo by Holly H. Taken November 14, 2023.
A silhouette of old wooden wagon wheels in a spectacular sunset.
Photo by Katelyn H. Taken April 14, 2024.
A diversely colored horizon behind silhouetted trees. The sunset reflected clearly in a rural pond.
Photo by Katelyn H. Taken Feb. 22, 2024.
The fiery orange/red sunset in a cloudy sky. Its colors reflected on the large puddle of melted snow.
Photo by Holly H. Taken Jan. 11, 2024.
A bright winter sundog pictured in Hazen’s Saint Matthew’s Cemetery. A sundog is refracting sunlight off ice crystals.
Photo by Holly H. Taken March 5, 2023.
A rare moondog captured in the night sky two miles from Lake Sakakawea. A moondog is just like a sundog, but at night.
Photo by Katelyn H. Taken June 2, 2024.
The sun creating a golden glow behind storm clouds right before it started raining.
Photo by Carson H. Taken June 2, 2024.
A vivid double rainbow pictured near the end of the storm.
Photo by Katelyn H. Taken Jan. 31, 2024.
A brilliant multi-colored winter sunrise.
Photo by Holly H. Taken June 21, 2024.
A low yellow glowing sunrise melting into deep blue clouds.
Photo by Katelyn H. Taken Feb. 13, 2024.
Blazing sunset on a rural landscape dotted with snow.
Photo by Holly H. Taken Jan. 20, 2024.
Aureate light glistening in the morning sky.
Photo by Holly H. Taken May 12, 2024.
Gorgeous green northern lights captured in the night sky of Hazen, ND.
Photo by Holly H. Taken June 27, 2023.
A vibrant strike of lightning frozen in a photo.
Photo by Holly H. Taken Aug. 14, 2023.
Orange horizon over the serene waters of Lake Sakakawea.
Photo by Katelyn H. Taken June 15, 2024.
Radiant light from the sunset luminous over the calm waters of Lake Sakakawea.
Photo by Katelyn H. Taken June 10, 2024.
A clear picture of a waxing crescent moon in the open sky.
Photo by Holly H. Taken Nov. 12, 2023.
Brightly shining stars above the tree-tops. The constellation Orion stretching across the sky.
Photo by Katelyn H. Taken June 19, 2024.
A stunningly blue sky at dusk. The full moon dazzlingly bright behind the clouds.
Photographs were taken by me, Katelyn; my mom, Holly; and my brother, Carson. All photography based in or just outside of Hazen, North Dakota.
Comments
Post a commentMercer County Raising Rural Voices: Mercer County
Writings from journalism workshops held in Hazen, North Dakota, in the summer of 2024. Writings come from the youth of Mercer County.
The photography in this essay is absolutely stunning, and the idea of rural lights is a compelling topic. This photo essay reminds me of all the reasons I love living near a rural area. Thank you for sharing!
Your photos and words captured what the sky is like in rural community, which are truly stunning. I especially love the northern lights and the lightning pictures. I also appreciate the captions about the pictures because I would not have been able to figure them out on my own. Great job telling a story with pictures.
Thank you for sharing this incredible collection. I love the idea that the lights we see are a part of who we are and I will be thinking about that for some time. I hope you keep taking photographs, Katelyn!
These are stunningly beautiful photos! I live in a suburb and don’t often get to see a sky untainted by electric light and I am in awe of what you get to experience on a daily basis. It sure gives us perspective of our place in the universe. I also learned new vocabulary and phenomena like sundog, moondog and aureate light - thanks!