Dakotagraph

06/23/2026

This isn’t exactly my same story of jumping into toy photography, but explains a lot of the process.

Stephanie DeFranco on scene construction, creative constraints, and what happens when the subject is two inches tall.Sometime in 2020, Stephanie DeFranco ran out of subjects.Her clients weren't available. The world had closed. She had a camera, time she hadn't asked for, and a few LEGO sets that her...

06/20/2026

I witnessed something I've never seen before last night. As this tiny spider worked laboriously to spin a web at the 1880 Town sunset light was hitting it just right to make an iridescent rainbow of colors. I'm no expert, but I'm guessing that the new web was damp and the angle of the light created the effect that wouldn't happen later when it dried. Nature can create some amazing things!

06/15/2026

June 28, 1897 - Members of the "Wild Bunch" - Harry Longabaugh, known as the the "Sundance Kid," along with George "Flat Nose" Curry, Harvey "Kid Curry" Logan, Walt Punteney and Tom O'Day robbed the Butte County Bank in Belle Fourche, South Dakota.

Reports say even though the bank held around $30,000 at the time, the gang got away with only $100. O'Day had been drinking heavily, lost his horse and was captured hiding in an outhouse.

The rest were captured after a shootout in Montana and brought to the jail in Deadwood where they escaped, stole horses and headed for the infamous "Hole in the Wall" bandit hideout in central Wyoming.

06/01/2026

Since I'm doing this cowboy reenactor thing this summer and most of my clothing is borrowed, I thought I'd take the opportunity to get some self portraits with my grandfather's Wi******er Model 1886 and my father's lariat. It was fun evening other than stepping on that rattlesnake...

05/28/2026

Here's another piece of South Dakota History that I bet a lot of locals don't know - "The Star Spangled Banner" started its journey to becoming the U.S. national anthem at Fort Meade near Sturgis. Beginning in 1892, the tune was played at flag retreat at the end of each day at Fort Meade. The custom spread to other military posts and the song was named the national anthem in 1931.

Established in 1878, Fort Meade was home to the Seventh Cavalry for several years after the defeat at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in Montana.

https://traveltheparks.com/valuable-history-at-the-old-fort-meade-museum/

05/25/2026

Navigating Little Spearfish Creek in the Black Hills of Dakota Territory.

05/24/2026

Big News! Registration for the 2026 Black Hills Photo Shootout will be opening at around 9:00 pm Central, tomorrow (Memorial Day.)

I will post the link on this page, and on the Group. The two Early Access groups will have had their opportunity to register since this past Friday - so don't delay if you really want specific sessions as your first choices.

I would suggest taking the time tonight and tomorrow to look at the updated website and create a list of all the things you would like to do!

PLEASE message me with any questions before registration opens! Jay

Photo: Sundance area, high above the tower in the upper left. By Jay Grammond.

05/20/2026

So it's been three days now in Deadwood. In that time, Wild Bill Hickok has been killed 12 times. I helped track down his killer Jack McCall three times and took him to trial, was a non-shooting participant in two gunfights, and have chased a charlatan snake-oil salesman out of town. Oh yes, also portrayed a drunken riverboat captain at the trial twice. There's no lack of excitement in this place!