Brookings SD (KELO AM) - Photographer Paul Horsted didn't take any surveying classes while pursuing his psychology degree at State, but during the course of his unique career he has learned much about topography, map reading and global positioning systems.In fact, he was one of the featured speakers at the 2014 meeting of the State Land Surveyors in Chamberlain.He will share his discoveries at two presentations in Brookings Nov. 5. At 5:30 p.m., he will address a gathering of the American Society of Civil Engineers student chapter at South Dakota State University in Room 204 of Crothers Engineering Hall. At 8 p.m., he will give a public presentation in the auditorium of the South Dakota Art Museum at Medary and Harvey Dunn streets.
Both sessions are free and sponsored by the South Dakota Humanities Council and the student chapter of ASCE.Horsted, a 1987 SDSU graduate and former Jack Rabbit co-editor and Collegian photographer, is known for his "re-photography," taking carefully matched modern views of rare historic photos. "I really enjoy searching for the sites of historic photographs and then trying to duplicate that scene with a new photo. You see so much looking at the past and present in the same view—it's like standing in history," he said.Horsted, of Custer, has overseen the publication of five such books documenting Yellowstone National Park, the Black Hills and the Dakotas.His most recent work, an ongoing project in 25 national parks, will be shown via slides for the first time in Brookings. Searching for photo sites, in the past year he has hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and to the top of Yosemite's Half Dome, among other places.Horsted said the yet-untitled book is tentatively planned for release in late 2016. It will document parks from California to Maine and from South Dakota to Texas.Continuing his work in other national parks was a logical move after publishing a successful Yellowstone book two years ago, Horsted said. "Our readers have asked for more 'then and now' from our national parks, and I'm happy to give it a try," he added with a smile."These photo pairs reveal a lot about history, preservation and ecological change in our nation's favorite places," Horsted said.Horsted's first work, "Exploring with Custer: The 1874 Black Hills Expedition," was published in 2002 with Ernest Grafe handling the writing. In 2009, they teamed with Jon Nelson for the companion volume "Crossing the Plains with Custer." Horsted's other works are "The Black Hills Yesterday and Today," "Yellowstone Yesterday and Today" and "Custer State Park: From the Mountains to the Plains."He will be selling and signing books at both sessions Nov. 5.For more information, contact Horsted (editor@goldenvalleypress.com, www.paulhorsted.com) or ASCE student chapter adviser Chuck Tiltrum (605-695-1757).