Darn Mosquito!
Rocky Mtn Bighorn Sheep ram captured by Nikon Z 8 / Z600f4TC Z2x @1680mm
“I can’t do a thing about it and it itches so. What to do?” I know … ah …
Rocky Mtn Bighorn Sheep ram captured by Nikon Z 8 / Z600f4TC Z2x @1680mm
Free Water
Coyote captured by Z 8 / Z600f4TC
First its mate hopped up on the rock, next it did, both taking a turn at the puddle in the bowl of the rock. The second Coyote kept an eye on me as it took a long, long drink. It’s winter and some water is locked up in ice already. Other water long ways from a creek or river is, well, rather bad. I know I wouldn’t want a long drink from a puddle Bison have been at. Animals need water just like us and clean water (by their standards) is a treat. From my vantage point, when they jumped up on the rock, I was wondering what they were doing. Once their head went down, it was obvious. Free water!
The Magic to Isolation
Great Gray Owl captured by Z 8 / Z600f4TC w/Z2x @1680mm
Great Gray Owls had a good year with lots being seen in Montana and by most folks in Yellowstone. With that said, when one has the opportunity to photograph a Great Gray, we try to make the most of that opportunity. We want to come back with that prize photo of this spectacular member of our wild heritage. That can be easier said than done at times. When they are hunting as this individual was, they are on the move, it takes very little if any, “push” for them to move to the next perch. Since they are hunting open meadows from the trees on the ecotone, they tend to perch in photographically busy locations. Nothing is more frustrating than having a Great Gray surrounded by branches. What to do?
Great Gray Owl captured by Z 8 / Z600f4TC @840mm
In the perfect world, you can zoom with your feet. Getting closer is a great way crop out those busy elements. That wasn’t an option in this case. That obnoxious branch in the lower right corner (bottom photo) was driving me nuts! Then there were the dead pine needle clump and finally the interesting trunk on the left. I couldn’t get closer physically but I could optically. Without hesitation I added the Z2x to the Z600f4TC, which was already at 840mm. Shooting now at 1680mm, I moved a tad to my right to grab as much darkness as I could (exposure range is a great tool for isolating a subject) and went vertical. With that, I made the most of this very special moment with an incredible critter. It all came together in the camera with the magic of isolation.
The Mountains are Calling!
Absaroka Mountains captured by Z 8 / Z180-600
No two mountains are the same, each one having their own characteristics, charm and inhabitants. While I live just a few mountain ranges to the west, I so look forward and enjoy venturing through each and every one for their own uniqueness. What will they share with me this week? The mountains are calling!
Holding On to the Last Moment
Last Color captured by Z 8 / Z180-600
Nestled in the corner in a wall of green, the last vestiges of fall hold on against the inevitable. The white outline of the night’s snow brings detail to every needle on the pine, setting the stage for the eye-popping color. Though it was across the valley, I couldn’t help but see the color as I drove by. The God skrim brought the right softness to the light and at the same time, saturation. All that was required to make the shot was a little telephoto isolation to what I felt was color holding on to the last moment.
The Morning of Awe
Yellowstone River captured by Z 6III / Z24-70f2.8II
As winter starts to creep over the landscape, the cooler temps and dew point introduce fog to the landscape. There are a couple of locales in Yellowstone that, when I see the right combo of numbers, I like to head to for sunrise. One of the furthest is where Alum Creek feeds into the Yellowstone River. We’ve been fortunate to be there in the past when the magic unfolds, filling cards and the heart. The end of October, though, was a special morning on the river. The fog was moving about as the sun slowly rose, raising and fading with the slightly warmer temp. As the fog danced, so did the color. Behind us at the forest’s edge, the Wapiti Pack was singing. It was the morning of dreams, one we didn’t want to ever stop. In my mind, it was the morning of awe.
Yellowstone River captured by Z 6III / Z24-70f2.8II