Circles by Teresa Boardman

Captured during an evening drive along a muddy dirt road in Custer State Park, South Dakota, this image encapsulates the profound stillness of an untouched landscape. Free from the visual clutter of power lines, cell towers, or aircraft, the scene invites the viewer into a moment of absolute serenity. The photographer utilized a 28mm focal length to frame the expansive, quiet beauty of the terrain, emphasizing the raw, natural character of the environment. This photograph is award-worthy for its ability to translate the silence and solitude of the American wilderness into a compelling, meditative visual experience.

Circles by Teresa Boardman
Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi | Exposure 1/350sec @ f/9.5 | ISO 200 | Focal Length 28mm
Copyright Β© Teresa Boardman
Light & Composition Photo of the Day

Teresa Boardman

REGISTERED PHOTOGRAPHER

Based in St. Paul, Minnesota, Teresa Fisher Boardman is a dedicated photographer, writer, and licensed real estate broker. Since acquiring her first DSLR in 2008, she has cultivated a deep commitment to the craft, focusing her lens on landscapes, urban night scenes, and architectural forms. Her work is frequently influenced by the water-rich environment of her home near the Mississippi River and the surrounding lakes, reflecting a keen eye for the quiet, structural beauty found in both nature and the built environment.

Profile View Full Profile
13.4/20
RESONANCE
SCORE
270/500
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SUBMISSION
Award Reach | Reviews
16,674 views | 13 Reviews
Award Winner Photo of the Day
Award Date February 28, 2011
64.0
AWARD SCORE
Value 12.0
Clarity 12.0
Composition 15.0
Style 13.0
Skill 12.0
Photograph Location
Custer State Park, South Dakota, The United States

AWARD SEGMENT | TAGS

Landscape Photography
Teresa Boardman Photography

Resonance Score Breakdown

Transparency in Award Scoring

Transparency Note: The resonance score (13.1/20) is calculated based on social engagement metrics collected before the award announcement.

Social Shares
5.0/5 points
1,935/1,000 Social Share
Page Views
5.0/5 points
16,674/2,500 Page View
Reviews
0.4/5 points
8/100 Review
Submissions
2.7/5 points
270/500 Submission
Jury Score: 64.0/80
Resonance Score: 13.1/20
Total Award Score: 77.1/100

Expert Photography Reviews · 5

Dmitri Kasakov Contrast, Shadow Drama & the Metaphysics of Light Expert Review
The mud here doesn't just hold tracks; it anchors the earth to a heavy, suffocating silence. I’ve stared at these ruts until my eyes ached, searching for the light that refuses to break the horizon. It’s a bleak, honest geometry. Heidegger argued that truth happens when we stop looking and start dwelling. I feel a sudden, cold shiver looking at these circles. They aren't just paths; they’re the dark, circular logic of a landscape that’s forgotten us.
Clara Whitfield Award Criteria, Legacy & What Makes an Image Endure Expert Review
Most landscape entries I see are cluttered with unnecessary drama. What separates this from the rest is its restraint. By focusing on the rhythmic, concentric tire tracks in the mud, Boardman forces us to confront the fragility of the wilderness. It’s a quiet, haunting reminder of our own fleeting presence. I felt a genuine ache looking at those circles; they’re a perfect, temporary scar on the earth that will be gone by morning. That’s why it endures.
Eleanor Voss Composition & Visual Structure Expert Review
The horizon line cuts the frame with surgical precision, anchoring the expansive sky against the rhythmic undulations of the terrain. It’s a study in spatial tension. The tire tracks don’t merely lead; they dictate the viewer’s path, creating a fulcrum that balances the heavy foreground. I’ve rarely seen such disciplined geometry in a landscape. The negative space is handled with cold, calculated intent. It’s a rare moment where the frame doesn’t collapse under its own silence.
Yusuf Al-Hamdan Landscape, Light as Presence & the Spiritual Dimension Expert Review
The evening light in Custer State Park doesn't just fall; it settles, heavy and patient, upon the mud. Teresa waited for that precise, cooling hour when the land finally stopped breathing. I’ve stood in such silence, and it’s humbling. The 28mm lens captures that vast, circular emptiness so perfectly that I find myself holding my breath, waiting for the wind to stir the grass. It’s a rare, quiet grace, found only when you stop rushing.
Isabelle Fontenay Colour Harmony, Tone & Atmospheric Light Expert Review
The umber of the churned earth, reminiscent of a Morandi still life, anchors the frame, while the sky’s pale, bruised violetβ€”that fleeting, melancholic hue of a winter duskβ€”stretches toward the horizon with a quiet, aching grace. It’s a palette of profound, hushed solitude that makes my own heart stutter with a sudden, sharp longing for the silence of those South Dakota plains; one finds here a chromatic harmony that feels almost sacred, untainted by the modern world.
Reflections on this Photograph
By Clara Menezes

The Architecture of Silence

We spend our lives building walls to keep the chaos out, forgetting that the most profound truths are found in the open, unmapped spaces where the wind has nothing to strike but the earth.

Read the reflection →
By Margaret Holt

The Geometry of Silence

In the quiet hours of the morning, I often find myself watching the way dust motes dance in a single shaft of light. They move without intention, drifting in patterns that seem chaotic until you look long enough to see the rhythm.

Read the reflection →

Reviews & Comments

Share your thoughts about this award-winning photograph. Your reviews contribute to the community engagement score.

13 replies
  2. Jim Enix says:

    I like this. The lines are smooth, colors are great, it is simple not cluttered. A good balance of subjects. Thank you for sharing your work. J

    Reply
    • Mike from Indianapolis says:

      i disagree that the dimensions and lighting are the only thing that stands out. i think the color balance is brilliant, and the composition is great as well.

      Reply

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