Upcoming time-lapse video to feature Badlands in SD

• Badlands night sky

This May 20 photo provided by Randy Halverson shows the Milky Way from Badlands National Park in South Dakota. Halverson uses still photos with long exposures, that bring out details not visible to the naked eye, to create time-lapse videos of South Dakota's night sky. (AP Photo/Courtesy Randy Halverson)
• Badlands sunset

This May 19 photo provided by Randy Halverson shows a sunset in Badlands National Park in South Dakota. Halverson uses still photos with long exposures, that bring out details not visible to the naked eye, to create time-lapse videos of South Dakota's night sky. (AP Photo/Courtesy Randy Halverson)
• Badlands aurora

This April 24 photo provided by Randy Halverson shows the aurora borealis over Badlands National Park in South Dakota. Halverson uses still photos with long exposures, that bring out details not visible to the naked eye, to create time-lapse videos of South Dakota's night sky. (AP Photo/Courtesy Randy Halverson)
• Badlands Orion

This April 7 photo provided by Randy Halverson shows the Orion constellation from Badlands National Park in South Dakota. Halverson uses still photos with long exposures, that bring out details not visible to the naked eye, to create time-lapse videos of South Dakota's night sky. (AP Photo/Courtesy Randy Halverson)

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KENNEBEC — A Kennebec farmer who showcases South Dakota’s natural beauty through time-lapse photography is changing the setting for his next video shot in Badlands National Park.

Randy Halverson has created several time-lapse videos showcasing stunning images of South Dakota’s night sky filmed against backdrops of rural, flat prairie lands. The videos feature still photographs pieced together to capture the stars and moon set against sky views that encompass every color of the rainbow. The long exposures creating the photos bring out phenomena not visible to the naked eye.

His “Temporal Distortion” video, released earlier this year, gained national attention for its shots of the sky in South Dakota, Utah, Colorado and Wisconsin.

Halverson began photographing the night sky in South Dakota’s Badlands National Park a few months ago for his next video. He plans to continue shooting through the summer, with the final video possibly finished as early as December.

“The formations are pretty unique,” he said. “It has a different look compared to the other stuff I’ve done.”

It took Halverson a few months to obtain the necessary permits for commercial shooting in the Badlands. To start the video, Halverson is taking the same approach that he has with his other video projects. He will start by setting up a rotating dolly with his camera positioned to take photos for three to four hours. He will piece the still photos together using computer software and then add music.

Bear McCreary, a Los Angeles-based composer who has created scores for TV shows including “Battlestar Galactica” and “The Walking Dead,” is expected to once again provide a score for the piece, Halverson said.

The photographer said shooting in the Badlands will bring some challenges that weren’t a factor in previous videos, mainly cars and tourists. “It only takes one car to drive through the middle and it’s kind of messed up,” Halverson said. He does have an extra hand this time around, though. His 16-year-old son, River, is helping him with the project as a production assistant.

“It’s fun and you never know what you’ll see after the long exposures are done,” the teen said.

AP File Photos

Above, this photo provided by Randy Halverson shows the aurora borealis over Badlands National Park in South Dakota. Below, the Orion constellation can be seen over the Badlands. Both photographs were taken in April.

Tags: time lapse, life, updates, state, badlands, photography, art, kennebec