Fall arrives in Siouxland, slowly, slowly, Orange City

Fall is a time of year I dearly love. The crisp autumn air, the colors as the leaves turn on the trees, the smell of wood smoke from fire places on chilly mornings and the of hot cider inviting a guest inside a house to chase the chill away. I took a couple quick trips up to Orange City north of where I live and saw the trees just beginning to turn. I hope that it is a slow fall, with the bouquet of colors lasting a couple of weeks or more, and not dropping to the ground overnight. Orange City is home to one of the Tulip Festivals in Iowa. Off the downtown area there is a small park, Windmill Park. It is fun to watch the towns people dressed up in costume and giving visitors a taste of their Dutch Heritage.

I am looking forward to seeing more color in other parts of Northwest Iowa as the time moves forward in hopes of capturing some more of the beauty in this state.

Jerry Mennenga

Sioux City, Iowa

Learning to see in Siouxland, Sioux City

I teach a few photo courses through a lifelong learning program at the local community college. One of the courses deals with some technical aspects all cameras have in common, such as exposure and color space and learning to use manual and Aperture preferred settings. Mostly I spend time with teaching various compositional techniques and then giving “assignments” asking those taking the class to go out and photograph subjects using specific compositional approaches, like the rule of thirds, leading lines, shapes and patterns and repetition. All to get the attending students to learn to see. However their own particular vision directs them. Another course is a Photo Safari course, where I meet with students in the field at various locations and we just photograph. I help them with some technical aspects, but mostly point out possible photographs that might involve light, shapes and patterns that intersect, leading lines, etc. My goal is just to get them to expand beyond whatever snapshots they may currently shooting. I also challenge them while out shooting to use only one lens. And if that happens to be a “kit” lens, to use only one or two focal lengths. These photos were shot recently using only a 50mm. A few with a Holga 50, and the rest with a Canon 50. It forces one to “zoom” with your feet and to work your composition more. But above all, to photograph how one sees the world and just enjoy it.

Jerry Mennenga

Sioux City, Iowa

Siouxland’s greener pastures, organically speaking, Eden Valley Apple Orchard

This past weekend I drove north in Siouxland into South Dakota just across the border from Iowa. This part of South Dakota is still considered part of of Siouxland. A friend had told me about an organic apple farm, the Eden Valley Apple Orchard and Farm.

It was nestled back into the countryside among rolling cornfields yet to be harvested. The orchard/farm offers 18 different varietals of apples. Most good for just eating or baking, and some just for baking. Red delicious, Honeygold, Honeycrisp, McIntosh, Wolf River, Sweet Sixteen, Haralreds, Haralsons, Connel reds, Northwest Greenings, Cortlands and Firesides to name a few. You could take those already picked, or walk the acreage and pick your own. I believe they said the apple orchard covered 28 acres. A nice autumn day, apples to eat on the way back, not a bad way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Jerry Mennenga

Sioux City, Iowa

Siouxland’s Renaissance Festival, the Riverssance Festival

Siouxland has its own renaissance festival every fall, the Riverssance Festival. So named because the Missouri River borders Sioux City and splits the area known as Siouxland, which includes western Iowa, southeastern South Dakota and northeastern Nebraska.  This year an early winter chill descended onto the festival with much cooler temps and those Plains winds that can effectively add a distinct wind chill to any outdoor activity. But still those who showed up had fun, both as enactors and those who came to watch. A lot of people wearing costumes of a period they believe the renaissance festivals encompass were dressed warmly with coats and cloaks, but their hats still stood out. And there was a variety of head dress worn by people participating and those attending and dressed up that made the event a visual feast.

Jerry Mennenga

Sioux City, Iowa