Photos: Visual poetry in southwest Minnesota

Tamie Steffen Hornstein's appreciation for the land — dotted with fence posts and weathered outbuildings — runs deep.

She grew up on a small farm outside Canby, Minn., located 10 miles from the South Dakota border. The part-time nurse still helps her dad at the family homestead and in the fields with whatever needs doing. She and her husband, Steve Hornstein, live just a few miles away.

Preparation is a way of life in these parts.

"I work in a rural hospital so you pretty much have to be prepared for anything: ERs, surgeries, labor and delivery," said Steffen Hornstein whose mother was also a nurse.

The rural landscape inspires the 43-year-old hobbyist photographer. Earlier this year, she began sharing lyrical views — often paired with practical commentary — online via Instagram at @redrocks222. Steffen Hornstein's photographs are usually created within a 60-mile radius of her home.

While Steffen Hornstein's formal photography training is limited to one class at Canby High School, she's always had an interest in the craft. She recently upgraded her equipment to a Nikon 5200 and experiments with apps like Snapseed, Stackables and Enlite.

Weather permitting, Steffen Hornstein and her husband go for Harley rides most weekends. Steffen Hornstein is prepared there too. She brings her camera along — the strap around her neck.

"Sometimes the pictures don't turn out too good, but sometimes you get lucky," said Steffen Hornstein, who is the passenger, not the driver, on the motorcycle outings.

Editor's note: This feature is the third in an occasional series showcasing Minnesota photographers.

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