Lessons From Yellowstone

Yellowstone is a wonderland of geysers, hot springs and, of course, wildlife. The park, established in 1872, is “the core of one of the last, nearly intact natural ecosystems in the Earth’s temperate zone.” On the Mammoth Hot Springs Terrace, travertine formations grow rapidly to create an ever-changing scene that looks like an icy moonscape thanks to a chalky white material leaching from the limestone by the hot water.

I recently had the opportunity to spend a week in Yellowstone at a time when it is possible to see more wildlife than people—early March. We stayed in Gardner Montana, near the north entrance at Mammoth Hot Springs. The 'Snow Coach' excursions had ceased and the only way to get anywhere was by car on the road between Mammoth and Cooke City, about 60 miles of east-west road through the Lamar Valley. Although relatively short in length, that stretch of highway might be one of the most ecologically diverse and scenic 60 miles in the United States. We drove it every day for a week, and it was an adventure that I never tired of.

Of course, my primary focus for the trip was photography and I had my DSLR, a wide selection of lenses, a tripod, filters, etc., whenever we hit the road. I soon discovered that I was constantly switching between 'landscape' and 'wildlife' shooting modes as opportunities presented themselves. In many respects, these two modes require opposite techniques, camera settings, and equipment. Not being blessed with two camera bodies, the switching soon became an issue, especially in the case of fleeting and unpredictable wildlife sightings, as well as changing light conditions. Experience is a great teacher, but sometimes it takes a while, and opportunities missed are a harsh way to learn. So here are a few tips to keep in mind if you find yourself in a similar situation.

As you travel, whether hiking or in a vehicle, have your camera and lens ready for wildlife - it more often requires quick response and if you are in 'landscape' mode the chance may pass before you can switch. This means: a long lens mounted with no polarizer or Neutral Density filter attached, higher than normal ISO (400), aperture priority at wide open or close to it, continuous autofocus, high speed continuous shooting mode, and spot metering. All of the above allow for faster response time and increases the chance of sharp images - especially if the subject is moving. Other settings that I sometimes use for landscape mode will ruin that elusive wildlife shot. Such as 'exposure delay', or HDR auto-bracketing mode. The former reduces mirror vibration, but makes a DLSR act like a point and shoot with a huge shutter lag time. The later will just get you a lot of improperly exposed images. Also, if the light is poor, use a higher ISO than you might like. A noisy picture is better than a blurry one.

In low light or harsh sunlight/shadow conditions, consider using a 'flash extender' to bring out the details of those critters. They consist of a plastic fresnel lens attached to a bracket on your flash unit to focus the light. While they are inexpensive and do work up to a certain point, they are also bulky when added to your flash unit. But I sure wished I had mine attached when wolves crossed the road 100 yards from me early one morning!

Finally, and most importantly, after taking that idyllic landscape shot, and before you begin to move on to another location, reset your camera to 'wildlife' settings so you are ready for that once in a lifetime opportunity.

--Tom Spross