Photography + Yellowstone = a match made in Wonderland. With its abundant and magnificent wildlife and spectacular geysers, hot springs and canyons, Yellowstone is a photographer’s dream. Whether you are a beginner hoping to master the basics or more advanced and looking to hone your skills, our instructors will help guide you on one of our many summer photography programs.
© Jim FuttererAdvanced Spring Wildlife Photography
When: May 8-11
Spring in Yellowstone is an absolute delight. Bison calves (“red dogs”) begin to arrive in droves, black bear cubs play and practice their climbing skills, songbirds return, and mammals of all species thrive on the greening landscape. Join us on the Advanced Spring Wildlife Photography program to capture Yellowstone’s abundant wildlife in all its splendor. Our instructor will guide you to locations where animals are likely to be present so that you can photograph them from a safe distance. You’ll learn to capture both the intimate details and moments of Yellowstone’s magnificent wild animals.
Instructor: Meg Sommers
© Matt LudinYellowstone Birds: Photography Workshop
When: May 17-19
There are few places on Earth that offer the opportunity to observe, enjoy, and photograph wildlife and birds like Yellowstone National Park. During this workshop you will spend two full days in Yellowstone learning a number of effective photographic practices and fieldcraft techniques while exploring a deeper understanding of both the charismatic megafauna and the fantastic birds of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. We will spend time with such iconic species as sandhill crane, golden eagle, Mountain bluebird, and trumpeter swan. With luck, rarer species such as Dusky grouse, Northern pygmy-owl, or Williamson’s sapsucker might be found, among many others. While seeking out the park’s birds, our group will likely also come across unforgettable mammal sightings. Bison with newborn calves, wolves on the hunt, perhaps even a grizzly bear rooting for food are among some of the encounters we could also spend time enjoying. By understanding the behaviors and natural history of the species we hope to photograph, we’ll learn how to better portray their lives and stories through our images.
Instructor: Forrest Rowland
© Matt LudinYellowstone Birds: Advanced Photography Workshop
When: May 20-22
This workshop is similar to our Yellowstone Birds: Photography Workshop, but geared towards participants with more technical knowledge and comfort with their photography equipment.
There are few places on Earth that offer the opportunity to observe, enjoy, and photograph wildlife and birds like Yellowstone National Park. During this workshop you will spend two full days in Yellowstone learning a number of effective photographic practices and fieldcraft techniques while exploring a deeper understanding of both the charismatic megafauna and the fantastic birds of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. We will spend time with such iconic species as sandhill crane, golden eagle, Mountain bluebird, and trumpeter swan. With luck, rarer species such as Dusky grouse, Northern pygmy-owl, or Williamson’s sapsucker might be found, among many others. While seeking out the park’s birds, our group will likely also come across unforgettable mammal sightings. Bison with newborn calves, wolves on the hunt, perhaps even a grizzly bear rooting for food are among some of the encounters we could also spend time enjoying. By understanding the behaviors and natural history of the species we hope to photograph, we’ll learn how to better portray their lives and stories through our images.
Instructor: Forrest Rowland
© Kevin LeagueYellowstone Spring Wildlife & Landscape Photography
When: May 27-29
Spring is one of the most incredible times to capture Yellowstone’s wildlife and stunning landscape. This workshop focuses on capturing the park’s pristine spring scenery and abundant wildlife. We will explore Yellowstone’s northern region from Lamar Valley and beyond — stopping to capture with our cameras the park’s inspiring spring landscape while searching for elusive predators like wolves, fox, and coyotes, as well as large mammals like big-horned sheep, moose, elk, bison, and mule deer. Immerse yourself and your camera during Yellowstone’s most exciting and arguably most beautiful season. While we will spend the majority of our time together in the field, we will have some limited classroom time discussing camera technique, creative composition, and post processing strategies.
Instructor: Kevin League
© Kate OchsmanPhotography Workshop: Yellowstone Babies
When: June 5-9
After the spring thaw, Yellowstone blossoms with new life everywhere. Green paints its way up the hillside as wildflowers decorate the landscape. Buzzing insects return and the songs of birds stir the morning air. Babies are everywhere–from the red bison calves, spotted elk calves, and the fast pronghorn lambs, ungulate babies rule the landscape. Stumbling around and learning to be a predator, wolf and coyote pups roll around as they follow their parents. Black bear cubs and their gangly bodies clamor up trees, and adorable grizzly cubs follow close on their mom’s paws. Nesting birds needily beg for food from their parents. Up in the Beartooths, pika jet from rock to rock and mountain goat kids leap behind their parents. There is so much new life in the mountains, and this workshop will focus on the babies! You will photograph the babies themselves being curious, new little lives in the world, as well as focus on parent-baby relationships and behavior. While we will spend much of our time in Lamar and along the northern range, we may also go to Hayden Valley for one day. Later in the program, we will travel to the Beartooths for pika and for mountain goats.
Instructor: Kate Ochsman
© Kate OchsmanRocky Mountain Thunder: Bison Rut Photography Workshop
When: August 12-15
The bison rut is one of our favorite wildlife events in all the world. Big males compete for breeding rights with the females. Testosterone, musth, and adrenaline hang thick in the dusty summer air. Sunsets are late and are absolutely mesmerizing in their haze and vibrant colors. The grunting males have such loud roars that the valley itself seems to tremble with thunder. Males fight, sending clouds of dust swirling. Females and males have quiet, loving moments of connection and tenderness – the only time in the year to get “couple” shots of the males and females. The rut is an absolutely power-charged event and shows the true power of the American bison. While we will spend most of our time in Lamar Valley, we will spend at least one full day down in Hayden Valley.
Instructor: Kate Ochsman
© Kevin LeagueCapturing Yellowstone’s Night Sky
When: August 14-17
Yellowstone is famous for so many great reasons including the geothermal features, abundant wildlife, and notoriety as the world’s first national park to name a few. However, very few know of the park’s other unique attribute – its amazing night sky. Nighttime holds a special allure and stillness in Yellowstone, showcasing a pristine example of the nighttime wilderness few around the world get to see. You will learn to capture with your camera Yellowstone’s summer milky way, as it shines with its colors and mysterious textures, while the constellations reign overhead in their myth and lore. We will spend evenings into the night, combining classroom instruction to learn the technical concepts of astrophotography with lots of in-the-field time to capture Yellowstone by starlight – perhaps with a chorus of wolves and a shooting star or two!
Instructor: Kevin League
© Kate OchsmanRocky Mountain Bugle Boys: Elk Rut Photography Shop
When: September 28 – October 1
The elk rut is an incredible wildlife event. Males bugle constantly, a sound that signals the arrival of autumn in the Rocky Mountains. Giant, absolutely beautiful bull elk compete for breeding rights with the females. Their courtship style is a harem style, and the males are constantly busy claiming and protecting an entire breeding herd of females. The rut is dynamic, noisy, and beautiful. We will spend the majority of our time in Gardiner and Mammoth Hot Springs, and then we will also spend one day down by Yellowstone Lake and Fishing Bridge.
Instructor: Kate Ochsman
© Amanda EvansAdvanced Fall Wildlife Photography
When: October 3-6
Based out Gardiner, Montana at Yellowstone’s North Entrance, participants will have access to the entire park during this program. While time will be spent on the northern range and in Lamar Valley, we will also seek out other opportunities in the interior of the park. In our road-based travels, we will be looking for everything from large animals such as bears, wolves, elk, and bison, as well as smaller critters like pikas and birds to photograph.
Instructor: Meg Sommers
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