DAY 1

WELCOME & ORIENTATION

The program starts with an evening orientation. Participants will get to know one another and be introduced to the program. Throughout the evening, the itinerary and seminar key concepts will be discussed, as well as what to expect to pack for the field each day.

DAY 2

Class and Field Excursions:
The first morning will be spent in the classroom. Your instructor will discuss photography fundamentals, composition, exposure compensation, equipment selection, and how to use depth of field to your advantage. To find wildlife to photograph, participants will also need an understanding of their habits and habitats. While some lecture is necessary, class time will be as interactive as possible. Questions are welcome and will direct the discussion. With class time well spent, participants will venture out into the field in the afternoon to look for opportunities to put your new skills to work.

DAY 3

Field Excursions:
Wildlife, particularly large carnivores, are most active in the early morning and late evening hours. By happy coincidence, that is when the light for photography is best as well. The course will begin early (before light) and will stay out late with mid-days being spent either discussing animal behavior, photographic techniques, or just taking some well-deserved downtime. In the afternoon, participants will return to the field looking for more opportunities to photograph wildlife.

DAY 4

Field Excursions:
Wildlife, particularly large carnivores, are most active in the early morning and late evening hours. By happy coincidence, that is when the light for photography is best as well. The course will begin early (before light) and will stay out late with mid-days being spent either discussing animal behavior, photographic techniques, or just taking some well-deserved downtime. In the afternoon, participants will return to the field looking for more opportunities to photograph wildlife.

DAY 5

Field Excursions & Image Review:
Early morning starts with more field time looking for wildlife. Depending upon the weather and opportunities, the course will return to the classroom around noon to spend several hours collaboratively post-processing images taken during the workshop.

Dates & Times: The program begins at 7:00 PM on Saturday, September 6, 2025, and goes through 5:00 PM on Wednesday, September 10, 2025.

Meals: This course is not catered. Participants will need to bring their own food; lunch should be able to travel in the field.

ACTIVITY LEVEL 1

• Be prepared to hike up to 1 mile per day, comfortably, through relatively flat terrain on maintained trails.
• For more information about our activity levels, please visit our Activity Level webpage here.
• Most activities will take place at elevations between 7,200 to 8,000 feet. Participants residing at lower elevations may want to arrive a day early to adjust to the altitude.
• To learn more about how specific medical conditions can be affected by Yellowstone’s environment and our activities, please visit our site page on health information.
• All field activities will be conducted as a group. If members of the group cannot participate in the day’s activities, they need to let the educator know in advance.
• To participate in this program, each participant must fill out and sign a health questionnaire and assumption of risk waiver. These forms must be completed and returned at least 30 days prior to the program start date.

EQUIPMENT SPECIFIC TO THIS COURSE:

Suggested Packing List located in General Information document under the ‘Whom to Contact’ tab.

• Camera body
• Sturdy Tripod with camera mount
• Interchangeable Lenses
  • You can bring the longest lens you have, but don’t neglect the smaller ones such as a wide angle. I use everything from around a 16 mm to a 800mm. If you bring a large lens that can’t be kept at your side in the seat, be sure to bring a very protective case so that it can ride protected in the back of the bus.
• Camera and Lens manuals. If you don’t have your lens manual, that’s okay, but sometimes they can be very helpful. If you don’t have your camera manual, please look up your camera manufacture online and download the manual so you will have it to refer to.
• Teleconverter. If you have one.
• Either 1.4x and/or 2 x Batteries. For your camera and any other gadget you might bring. The number of camera batteries you will need will depend generally upon two factors, how quickly your individual camera consumes them and how cold it is outside. (Cold really draws down even the best batteries.) At a minimum, you should have at least one extra.
• Battery Charger. If yours are rechargeable.
• Card Storage. Please anticipate that you will be out in the field all day and not able to purchase more card storage or be able to download until later in the evening. You will need to bring enough storage with you to get you through the day.
• Laptop. if you have one and want to use it. Be sure you have loaded the software you need to be able to view your raw images as well as the program you want to use to develop them.
• Card Reader. To download your images to your computer.
• Jump or Thumb Drive. On the last day we will be sharing, evaluating and editing. It would be very helpful if you can put your selections on a drive to share.
• Rain/Snow covering for your camera and lens. Large enough for both as they sit waiting on a tripod. This does not need to be fancy, but it does need to be effective even when the wind is blowing (lightly)
• Microfiber cloth. Is just the ticket for wiping moisture off your equipment.
• Manual or books for your post processing software. If you don’t have a manual or book, and you use an Adobe product, I would highly recommend you consider the library of books produced by Scott Kelby. He has written them for every version of Photoshop, Lightroom and Elements. His books are easy to follow and entertaining to read. Purchase the one for the version of software you are using, regardless of how old or outdated. If you are using product other than Adobe, try to find a manual of some sort. Many can be downloaded online.

Whom to Contact: For any questions, concerns, or additional information please contact the following:

Program itinerary, health forms, payment, and general program questions please contact Yellowstone Forever at [email protected] or 406-848-2400 extension 3

Road updates, park conditions, and general park information please contact Yellowstone National Park Service at https://www.nps.gov/yell/contacts.htm

If running late for a program, please contact 406-848-9128.

General Information: For general information about the facilities, preparation for classes, what to expect, cancellation policies, and more, please see the Gardiner-Based Field Seminars – General Information document.

To review the cancellation policy for this program, please visit our webpage which outlines cancellation policies by program type here.