The thermometer said it was -29 when we left the coach. We were standing in a pullout along with the Madison with our gear pointing at a group of Bison out on a small island in the Madison. When we got out, the sun had not risen yet and there was a slight breeze. When the sun did pop up, I looked over to see Bob’s Z 9 covered in ice. It was so solid the Monitor couldn’t fold out. Bob had been shooting and shooting and never even noticed until I pointed it out. The Z 9’s performance which included its battery wasn’t phased by the cold at all. I love shooting in the cold and it appears, so does the Z 9!

With no warning, the wolf popped up over the river bank! There was a hoard of people up the river and apparently it couldn’t make its way past them. I guess the two of us standing there seemed safer so up it came with no warning and for only a moment. The Z 9 was set to fire 20fps, the AF to 3D Animal detection and within seconds, the card was writing over 200 images as I laid on the hammer and panned with the passing surprise. With a press of a button and with no real thought on my part, the Z 9 came to life did its job so I could do mind. I kinda pride myself in my handholding and panning but one thing I don’t practice is staying calm when a wolf surprises me with an appearance! My heart was still pounding out of my chest thirty minutes later from the encounter of a lifetime I’ve long been in search of. I have no clue what it was doing during the moment. I honestly don’t think any other camera body / lens combo I’ve shot with prior to the Z 9 could have made the images happen, a couple of hundred times. It has permitted me to relive the fleeting moment over and over again with all, not 89% or 99% keepers, but 100% keepers of that passing wolf. For my own photography, I know a camera can make a difference!

While our quest might be wolves, there is no way you can’t be overwhelmed by the world we live in. Every morning in Yellowstone is different no matter how much the same they might seem. No matter what the subject is I might be on the search for, every sunrise stops me in my tracks. More often than not, it’s all more than the heart can absorb.