yellowstone national park
Photographing Grizzly Bears
Historically, April and May are the best months for Photographing Grizzly Bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. As the snow melts and the temperatures begin to climb, the bears emerge from a long hibernation. Although we have had some unseasonably warm weather and there have been confirmed sightings of Grizzlies already out in Yellowstone, I expect that the region will receive some more snow and that the majority of the bears will emerge in early April. Grand Teton and Yellowstone Natio...
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Yellowstone in the Winter
Yellowstone in the winter is simply an amazing experience. I've just returned from a six day tour of the park with two excellent photographers from England; the trip was everything that I'd hoped it would be. We started by taking a snowcoach from West Yellowstone to Old Faithful, following the Madison River. The coach stopped for every wildlife photo opportunity, which included three locations of Bald Eagles, Trumpeter Swans, Elk and Bison. After two more stops at Fountain Paint Pot and Bl...
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Yellowstone Photography Tips
My clients often ask about Yellowstone photography tips. Other than getting out early and staying out late for the best light, one of my best tips is the proper use of different filters. A circular polarizing filter is quite useful for increasing contrast in the sky and also for enhancing colors. I like to use this filter when shooting the hot pools in Yellowstone; it can really make the colors pop. Polarizing filters have the greatest effect when the sun is at a 90 degree angle to the su...
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A Great Week for Jackson Hole Photography Tours
I've had a great week with wonderful clients these past few days. The Yellowstone, Sunrise and Night Jackson Hole photography tours do take a certain level of commitment from my clients; mainly the desire to rise early and stay out late! The reward for this effort is outstanding light conditions and better opportunities to observe wildlife; both of which we had in spades this week. The Grizzly Bears are still being found and the Elk are looking magnificent with their summer coats and antle...
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South Entrance to Yellowstone
With the south entrance to Yellowstone now open, the drive to the park from Jackson Hole is now much quicker. The Grizzly bears have emerged from their long hibernation and are concentrated in the snowless areas around the Lake and Hayden valley areas so I headed there first. I didn't locate any bears on my first pass through the valley and as the light was getting higher I travelled a little farther north to photograph the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River before the colors washed ou...
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The Return of Spring To Wyoming
The return of Spring to Wyoming is a time for transformation. The monochrome white landscapes of winter begin to green and wildlife become more active. The elk have started to migrate off the National Elk Refuge and the Grizzly's are ending their long hibernation. Many species of birds have already returned this spring, including these Sandhill Cranes. As the snowpack retreats even further, new opportunities begin to unfold. The maintenance crews in both parks have been busy, clearing roads a...
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