Tuesday, July 26, 2016

In and around Yellowstone in July

I am having fun with some new photo gear.   Chris gave me a wide angle lens for my birthday and an 11-20 mm lens does great things for the big skies of Wyoming and Montana, is nice and sharp, and makes me look at the bigger picture.  I had become accustomed to an 18-300 zoom and am finding I look at things quite differently with the new lens.  Also new to the camera bag is a 24 mm prime lens from Rod, a fellow photo guide here in Yellowstone.  It is incredible for close ups of flowers.   I also have a new 10 stop neutral density filter, allowing for super slow shots of things like waterfalls.

I've been doing more black and white work.   The next step is mastering more photo editing options.

I spent a night in Cody recently and began my trip back to the park early in the morning.  Afterall, I am accustomed to waking up a bit before 4 a.m. for my tours in the park.  Here are some samples of the new wide angle:
This one and the next are above the Buffalo Bill Cody Reservoir, west of Cody, WY


Ranch along the route between Cody and Yellowstone with small portion of a double rainbow

In the Beartooth Mountains

Along the Chief Joseph Hwy
Upper Geyser Basin (near Old Faithful) in the early morning

Firehole Spring on Firehole Lake Drive in Yellowstone

A few images of Moose Falls in the southern part of the park




I caught my reflection in sideview mirror as I photographed a grizzly by the side of the road

Lewis Monkeyflower is named for Merriweather Lewis.   I photographed this with the 24 mm prime lens after an early morning rain.  Same lens for both photos of the Monkeyflower and for the Inadian Paintbruxh below



Saturday, July 9, 2016

July in Yellowstone

As traffic hits all time records and bad accidents become almost daily events, I have to remind myself of the beauty of early mornings before most people are up and about, or evenings as folks head back out to the surrounding gate-way communities.

The day is coming when Yellowstone is going to have to restrict vehicular traffic, especially in the most popular areas.  Until then, we deal with it but watch in horror as people pass on blind curves with double yellow lines, park "creatively" in places never intended for that purpose, and park at greater distances to things they want to see and then take shortcuts through unstable geothermal areas to reach their destinations.   From the 4th of July thru mid-August is the peak season.

But here are a couple images to remind us all why this is such a special place.
Morning along the north rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone


Sunset on the Firehole River, steam from Grand Prismatic in the background.
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Moose Falls