Absaroka Mountains captured by Z 8 / Z70-200f2.8
Yellowstone is slightly different this year from years pass. That’s because other then on the high peaks, there is simply no snow. In fact, it’s 20-30 degrees warmed than normal. This effects so much, the critters and photography in particular. And while you see the clouds dark and mencing in the distance, by nightfall they are no more than a pretty sunset, not snow dropped. Love to have the snow, I think it wants to.
Caddo Lake Bayou captured by Z 9 / Z600f4 TC
Fall ushers in the end of our year capping it off in warmth and color. There is very much a sense of calm and delight in the midst of its show of reds, oranges and yellows. In the south it take on a whole new look while still draped in those colors. The Bald Cypress needles disappear for winter, reappearing in spring draped in green. Before they go they turn an intense orange and when it’s against those texture rich gray trunks, well it’s a show you gotta see! We spent a week doing just that in the very capable hands of Captain Rich (only one I sail with on Caddo!). We greeted the sun amongst a different grove each day, no two ever being the same. Shooting from a pontoon boat handheld the whole time, the Z24-70f2.8 & Z600f4 TC being the only lenses I used. I love the special memories I’m taking home with me and can’t wait to come back and again experience fall, bayou style! (below is a gallery of images :-)
Great Blue Heron captured by Z 9 / Z600f4 TC
Our timing is perfect for the fall color on magnificent Caddo Lake. It’s not so good for migrating fall waterfowl. Either we are early or they are late, in either case their not in our viewfinder where we want them. It’s not like we hurting for subjects, but there is just something about spending time with critters. Stepping into the void is our best friend, the Great Blue Heron. They are present on a view of the boat channels, the ones lest traveled by the faster bass boats cause they don’t like the wakes. Hard to see prey with wakes lapping at their legs. So easing up on them is key in getting a shot. Being “common” I am always looking for the uncommon. And while I have a gazzilion image of them, I still don’t have enough. Handholding the Z 9 / Z600f4 TC (shooting at 840mm) we eased up on this individual. I wanted to get the fall color reflection behind it but because of submerged logs, we couldn’t get the boat over to the left far enough. I watched the GBH as we floated towards it and it was this moment it saw another GBH fly into “its” water to forage. It raised its crest as a sign of displeasure and before too long, flew off to warn of the intruder. While not the most amazing photo of a GBH, it’s always fun to spend time with a wildlife photographer’s best friend!
Caddo Lake Cypress captured by Z 9 / Z600f4 TC
Much of the ancient Cypress of Caddo Lake is in spectacular fall color right now. You normally see Caddo’s cypress as either silhouette in a dramatic sunrise or, in splendid fall color. But there is another side that you see here. There is an evasive worm that shows up in September. This worm is veracious and eats all the leaves off the trees. It doesn’t harm the trees, they leaf out all green next spring but right now they look like this. No leaves but gads of moss that is basically the same color as the trunks. The pattern just sucks me in! To bring it to you, I go tight which means shooting with the Z600f4 TC (handholding and shooting from the boat). As the boat floats by, I look for the patterns and once I find what I like, I shoot as we continue to float by as the slight change in angle can really make a difference. It means seeing the trees from the forest.
Caddo Lake Cypress captured by Z 9 / Z600f4 TC
Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon captured by Z 8 / Z70-200f2.8
Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon captured by Z 8 / Z70-200f2.8
Mule Deer captured by Z 8 / Z400f4.5
The snow was steadily falling but not really building up. The temps weren’t cold as Montana goes but cold enough to create a layer of ice for the snow to fall upon. It was the first snow of winter and Yellowstone, more accurately its visitors, weren’t ready for the white stuff. Before long the roads of Yellowstone were being closed not so much because of a thick carpet of snow, but because of accidents and all that is required to pull a car off the side of a narrow, two lane road. And there I was outside of the park …
We had already had two amazing days in the park with wolves, Bison, the usual critters and super dramatic skies and light from the incoming storm. Everything was lining up for some killer photography and there I was “stuck” in my room. We were at the marvelous Park Hotel and its giant windows look into the northern entrance of the park. It’s a gorgeous view, when it’s not “forced.” I wanted to shoot really bad. Then this little band of five Mule Deer walked in front of our window (we were on the second floor). They were inside this sudo fenced area munching on the brown grasses. At first we just watched them and then I couldn’t handle it and grabbed the Z 8 with the Z400f4.5. If I got on the kitchen chair so I was standing at top of the big window, I could shoot over the fence. Yeah, I was shooting though the window but I found a clean, none scratched porthole. It was a challenge and at that point, it was welcomed. There was some great biology going on but much I couldn’t shoot because of the fence. But for an hour at least I wasn’t bouncing off the wall. I had the deer through the looking glass.
Mule Deer captured by Z 8 / Z400f4.5
Mule Deer captured by Z 8 / Z400f4.5