Old Faithful

I can get caught up in getting an image with a clear subject but one that doesn't tell a story. The story that is the real reason I took these shots. The second image requires the viewer to think for a second about what is in the rest of the shot, sometimes it is what is missing from the shot. Enjoy!

 

Yellowstone Review

This was my first early November trip to Yellowstone. The usual animals were visible: bison, coyotes, and migrating elk. One of the perks of volunteering is access into the interior when the roads close to visitors in November.  Consequently we were the only ones at Old Faithful during an eruption. The sound amid the surrounding quiet was unforgettable.

Some memories:

 

Technical: Recorded and edited on an iPhone 8

Ravens dining

I usually think of ravens as beggars and freeloaders looking for Cheetos from a tourist. On a slow afternoon I watched them and became intrigued with their more natural traits. This pair is dining on an an avocet after one of them prepared the meal by plucking the feathers, kind of looks like me trying to find things in the kitchen.

What am I going to buy?

To you ever have one of those last minute shopping panic attacks?

 

Wolf Morning

I just returned from Yellowstone after 10 days volunteering for the Park and teaching with Angela for Yellowstone Forever. One of my most memorable mornings was watching and listening to the Mollie Pack howl. A magic moment seen by only about a dozen other Park visitors.

Technical: Unfortunately the focus is soft and not archival quality. Lesson: Images and clips do not have to be perfect to be magical.

Time to Reflect

I have been traveling for several weeks over the last couple months and its time to reflect on those incredible experiences. This shot was taken last week along the Yellowstone River and makes me wonder: Is the experience or the reflection more memorable?

Antelop Fawns

These guys have been around for a few days and only need some growth to look identical to mom. Well, maybe some exercise too.

 

Big Horn Lambs

These guys were frisky and frolicking with their mothers on a cliff side that gave me motion sickness when filming them. Loose stones were tumbling down a few hundred feet as they moved across the cliff. Perhaps this gives a little better idea of their playground.

 

Summer in Yellowstone

I recently returned from a volunteer week in Yellowstone National Park. When I arrive a video assignment is given for the week. Usually it is a wildlife related project but this time my assignment was recording boardwalks and parking lots. Not the most glamorous work but it provided me with a different view of the Park.

Technical: 3 or 4 second intervals over 15 or 20 minutes to produce a 10 second clip, about the time it takes to sip a can of Pepsi

 

Trying to get a little rest

This youngster was not letting mom get any rest between its running around and nursing. She looks exhausted.  Her energy needed later when a small herd of bison moved in and she made a hurried exit. Grizzly bears have a mortal fear of bison although calves are used for food in the spring.

Grizzly on the path

 I was surprised at the amount of grizzly traffic on this paved trail. The new grass makes this a prime area to explore when they first come out of hibernation. There were three fences and a boiling pool between us as we stood beside the car. Nevertheless, we backed to the other side of the car as it approached.

Technical: Filmed at about 600 mm focal length, cropped 10%

Mom, Let's Play!

This mother grizzly was resting peacefully on a nice warm rock until her youngster had different ideas. This year old cub has another year with mom before being sent out into the world alone.

Technical: Post production stabilization  applied, the 20 mph cross wind was too much for image stabilization system in the long lens.

Shake those cobwebs out!

Happy Easter!

Tired Out

I got back for Yellowstone yesterday and feel like this napping grizzly bear.  With the assignment of filming spring grizzly bears we (fellow volunteer Angela and I) had unlimited access to the Park interior. Despite that 5 bears were seen within a hundred yards of a single parking lot. More to follow.

Technical: shot with a SonyA7r2 and 600 mm lens with 1.4 teleconverter, cropped significantly

Looking for Bear

I will be in Yellowstone NP for most of the next two weeks looking for grizzly bears. I have to admit grizzlies scare me. Fortunately most encounters are near the road and the safety of the car. I'm also reminded that bad encounters occur in wooded areas when they are surprised at a meal or with cubs. While the fear is rational it might be overstated. Now I have to find the bear spray and make sure it has not expired.

 

The original snow cone

This coyote took a break from his carcass feast to get a couple refreshing bites of snow. The day was perfect and I watched him for several hours until he waddled through the snow to rest on the hillside.

The snow bites have been slowed to half speed. While watching any of the current nature shows note the speed of the action. Slow motion is currently in vogue, given the quality of capture with Sony and high end video recorders, but tends to be overused in my opinion. I like to select a small portion of the clip to adjust and make the slow motion seamless with normal speed.

Getting Back on Track

I watched this raven struggle in the snow as it worked its way to the trail leading back to a carcass while in Yellowstone. It's tempting to relate this raven's struggle with current events.

Slow Motion Birds

These ravens and magpies presented a perfect opportunity to experiment with slow motion. From a storytelling perspective there is something about the inertia of the carcass and the life it provides shown by the frenzy of the birds.

 Technical: Sony a7rii at 1/250 second, frame rate 120 fps. processed to 1/4 speed in FCPX

Thank You

I often have mixed feelings about rangers when I am being reminded about safety while trying to get that unique shot. However seeing them in action in weather like this I have renewed respect for them. It's nice to have them and have someone remind us of potential dangers when we are overwhelmed with the scene and forget to take care of ourselves.

Winter Rest

I just returned from Yellowstone and am adjusting to a brown landscape again. Winter was in full swing last week with white out conditions most days. The wildlife, other than the always present bison, were also laying low. I found this teenage bull moose early one morning before it moved into the forest. The other bulls have already lost their horns.

Technical: ISO 6400, 600 mm and 1.4 tele-converter, cropped