Tag: Yellowstone

Bears! Oh My!

by Michael

One of the attractions of Yellowstone NP, is the chance to be relatively close to wildlife that you don’t normally see around your neighborhood.  For those of us that live in a metropolitan area such as the Dallas/Ft Worth metroplex, this can include things as common as birds.  But when you plan a trip to Yellowstone, you plan and dream for the big game.  Sure, bison are great to look at and to photograph, but there are a couple thousand of them roaming around the park.  Everyone has snapshots of them.  Elk?  Just head up to Mammoth and you will see that the elk have called that place home for some time now.  But when you mention seeing a wolf or bear, a photographer’s mouth begins to water and they must know where!

On my last trip to YNP, I was fortunate enough to be close enough to photograph a momma grizzly and her two “cubs”.  They are about 2 years old from what I have been told.  They were in a field next to the main road in the Hayden Valley.  Armed with my Canon 5DmII and my 600/f4 lens + 1.4tc, I was able to get a few pretty decent shots while remaining at the “legal” distance.  Now mind you, I was not alone.  There were probably about 50 other people pulled over also snapping away at the same scene.

The bears rooted around eating what they found for quite a while as the crowd remained calm at the side of the road.  There was a Park Ranger present which I’m sure helped keep any who might think about approaching the bears to get a closer shot, and also providing a better meal for the bears, so everyone was good.  Eventually the bears approached the road and the ranger spread the people to give the bears plenty of room to cross over.  Then it was up and over a hill and they were gone.

One of the joys of being in a situation like this is the opportunity you get to share with others.  While I was taking picture with the “big lens”, I had a few people approach me and ask if they could look through my camera to get a better look at the bears.  I was happy to oblige.  There was a lot of ohh-ing and awe-ing as each person got their first close-up view.  I especially enjoyed the squeal of excitement from the group of young Japanese school girls who spoke little english but were clearly excited as they got their first up-close look at the “wild beasts” of Yellowstone.

So, the next time you get the chance, don’t forget to share your experience with others.  Taking good photos is one thing, sharing the experience with others not only deepens the experience for all involved, it brings us all a little closer together through the sharing.

The Coyote

by Michael

I don’t know what it is, maybe some level of snobbery perhaps, but when you go to a place like Yellowstone NP to photograph wildlife, many photographers give the coyote absolutely no respect.  Everyone is all excited about the wolves, and I admit, so was I.  But let us not forget about this little guy.  The coyote may not travel around in packs like the wolves, and may not bring down the big game like the wolves, but, at least in my opinion, they are just as beautiful a creature.

My trip this year gave me the chance to see a few coyotes up close.  One came and sat down about 15 feet from our vehicle one morning, allowing me to get out and take several shots of him in the early morning sunlight.  While he appeared to be tame, one must never forget that at Yellowstone, all the wildlife is just that–wild.

So next time you are out at a place such as Yellowstone, don’t forget about the coyote.  They deserve to be photographed too, and given the chance, they may even pose for you.

Yellowstone: Mammoth

by Michael

In the north-west section of Yellowstone, there lies Mammoth Hot-Springs.  Here can be see numerous geo-thermal features that will amaze and astound.

These travertine terraces have been created by deposits of the minerals in the water coming up from the ground of the hot springs over hundreds of years.  The calcium algae in the water creates all the colors.  I happened to be there on an overcast day which helped prevent the colors from being washed out in the bright sunlight.

A little further down the road is “Roaring Mountain”.  The name for this mountain seems obvious when you stand before it.  The constand steam rising from the mountain is enough to make you think twice about wanting to climb on it.

If you have not seen this wonderful place, I would highly recommend you go at your first opportunity. This is an amazing place, not only for photography, but just for seeing such a wide variety of the things that God has made on this planet, all condensed into a relatively small area.  Words, and even pictures, simply do not do justice to this area of our country.

Go!  Take Pictures!  And Share!