Bison crossing Lamar River

 

This was one of those moments, actually several minutes, that will forever be in my mind. It was a "Serengeti" moment in the Yellowstone.  Images of wildebeests crossing flashed as I witnessed this event. I was alone at the river's edge watching this unfold. Another videographer was several yards behind me and there were cars on the road but I was alone with the herd as it crossed, almost in fact and definitely in spirit.

Dawn's Early Light

The quiet of the Lamar Valley at this time of day is only occasionally broken by vehicles heading out to wolf watching sites. The light and quiet make it worth getting up early and arriving ahead of the crowd.

Technical: HDR capture, blending in Lightroom 6. 

Feeling Small

Standing among the cottonwoods, in the middle of Lamar Valley, in the Yellowstone National Park after sunrise on a September morning. From the road the valley is vast, from this perspective not only is it vast but I also felt very small.

An Afternoon with Scarface

 The last video from Yellowstone National Park this spring. Scarface is a well known and easily recognized grizzly bear that has been known to walk down the main street of Cooke City. We watched him with a couple dozen other tourists at the Confluence one afternoon in May. The choice was watching him or racing over to another location to watch a wolf attacking a cow elk.  The park service photographer captured this action that was occurring at the same time.  The Chase

Always so much to see and so little time!

Lamar Valley Picnic

We snowshoed out to the valley floor for a winter picnic and this is an attempt to share the feeling of space we felt while eating our lunch.  For a sense of scale the road is at the bright line on the right. 

Swollen Lamar River

Three dozen people were watching the drama between two grizzly bears on a bison carcass. My binoculars could almost make out the bears so I turned my attention to a more nearby subject.  There is something very relaxing sitting along the Lamar at dusk. 

Yellowstone Thoughts

Clouds over Lamar River

We just returned from a week in Yellowstone Park and as everyone there is a lot of reviewing, reliving, and editing to do for the next couple weeks.  This was our first trip during May and it was a beautiful time to go. The crowds were tolerable and wildlife is magical, as always in Yellowstone. My theme for the trip was "spring" and the shot list included water, young wildlife, and spring landscapes. I rarely photograph in the presence of others so being around tourists and other photographers was enlightening. I was reminded of the universal love of wildlife regardless of age, race, or nationality. 

Alone with the Wolves

I was the only one in the Lamar Valley a few weeks ago and saw these wolves returning after chasing a coyote off their recent kill. It is not often the Lamar is empty of visitors and this was a rare treat. The pack had been there earlier with about a dozen spectators but the wind, freezing rain, and finally snow drove them indoors. I returned at late afternoon after the morning weather became unbearable.