Author: Mike Jackson

Always Challenging—Sometimes Rewarding!

It’s easy to want to roll back over in bed and sleep through a foggy morning. That could be a mistake!

Fog usually settles into the lowest portions of the valley. If the weather reports forecast fog, I can usually count on it, but we regularly get fog without their forecast. During the summer and fall months, I can almost always anticipate fog in the morning after a late evening or overnight rain. Throughout the winter and spring months, fog can be “generated” by the relative “warm” waters of the Snake River, Gros Ventre, Buffalo River, and Flat Creek. Some mornings, the entire Jackson Hole valley can be blanketed with a thick layer of fog.

Much of how you experience a foggy morning depends on where you are at the time. (Click this image to see it much larger!)

The image above might shed some insight on foggy morning opportunities. It illustrates three “zones”. On the far right, there’s a thick layer of fog in the river bottom across from Triangle X Ranch. Anyone there, or at Cunningham Cabin, Moosehead Ranch, and probably Elk Flats would think the entire world is socked in with fog. Their chances of getting a sunrise shot is almost non-existent. The center section of the image above is the area I’d be searching for on most foggy mornings. I think of it as being along the “edges” of the fog. There are lots of possibilities for photography there. Lastly, the area on the upper left has very little fog. Someone standing of the sage flats might have no clue there is fog anywhere in the valley. They’d be looking at the featureless blue sky towards the mountain range.

Thick Fog: The photo above shows a few of the possibilities while in the thick fog. The following four or five images were taken at the “edges” of the fog or as the thick fog is lifting.

Fog can come in many colors, depending on the time of the morning and how the sunlight is being filtered. About 30 minutes before first light on some mornings, Alpenglow light is often lavender, rose, and pink. It takes a half mile snow shoe hike to get to Cunningham Cabin in the winter.

Aiming through fog and back into the sunrise can bring out both cool and warm colors. This period doesn’t last long. Interestingly, I have very few fog images with clouds above the mountains. The areas near Triangle X and along the Gros Ventre might be the two best places to get both in the same scene. This image was taken along the Gros Ventre River.

As the sun clears the eastern hills and mountains, the light is often amber or gold for a few minutes and the fog picks it up beautifully. I believe this shot was captured next to Cunningham Cabin.

By mid-morning, fog is often a variation of neutral gray. Detail is removed as distance increases. Taken along Mormon Row road.

Even small bodies of water can create steam or some form of morning fog. Taken along the East Boundary Road.

This isn’t your normal summer, mid-day tourist’s shot of the Grand. At the edges, fog can become a welcome ally. With no wind, it can linger in the valley for hours, and it can change from light fog to thick fog and back again over periods of only minutes. Taken on the Gros Ventre River near the town of Kelly.

It takes a little patience and luck to get the elements to work. I waited for the fog to start lifting to expose the Cathedral Group, but there was no guarantee the tops of the peaks were going to be visible. Many fog shots are called “high-key” images. In other words, they are heavily weighted towards the white or light side. On those kinds of shots, the camera is trying to average all the white down to neutral gray, resulting in underexposed images. It’s a good idea to check the histogram on the back of the camera regularly and add some “plus EV”…as much as a full stop.  Still, I don’t like overdoing that step as there usually isn’t a lot of noise in the lights and most fog shots have a fair amount natural grain. Taken at the Old Patriarch Tree east of String Lake.

This is the exact same image as the one above it. Besides the initial capture, which is an artistic endeavor all by itself, I later get to take some control of the image in post processing. Without seeing he bottom image, you’d know there is a layer of fog between me and the wrangler in the top image. That’s the more natural version. In the lower image, I simply adjusted the “black point” slider in the negative direction. In some images, going too far with the adjustment can strip the fog element out of the capture in a negative manner.

This bull moose was roughly 40 yards away. Details are missing, but that’s exactly the point on a foggy morning shot. Taken on the floor of the Gros Ventre River bottom.

Fog is a fairly important “player” in this shot. It helps emphasize the buck rail fence and thus the cowboy way of life still going on in the Tetons. Taken of a Triangle X wrangler.

There are no “wild mustangs” in GTNP. These trail horses were photographed near Triangle X Ranch a few years back. I have lots of photos or running horses, but adding fog, Mt. Moran, and buck-rail fences can help “build” an interesting shot. Normally, I’d want to hold some details in the black horse, but on a foggy morning, I can live with losing some of the features.

This Bull Moose was in the Kelly Warm Springs. I’ve lived here 28 years and never seen that before. Bison—yes. Geese, White-faced Ibis, kids, and kayakers—yes! I shot away, as anyone else might have done that morning. I like the shot, and I am happy to have it, but the photo leaves me wanting “more” information.

Personally, I like this simple shot better. It puts the tiny flock of geese in a huge environment. Taken from the highway across from Triangle X Ranch.

I walked out into the opening back in 2007 and snapped this sterile looking image of the barn. It might be the perfect shot of the T.A. Moulton barn for some purpose (like a blog talking about fog), but similar to the moose in the springs above, I think it needs something more. (click the image if you want to see it larger)

This was taken the same morning, but I chose to include some foreground subject matter. Close elements are full of detail and saturated in color, but both are reduced by the fog as the elements fall farther back into the scene. Taken at Mormon Row.

I am always watching for this kind of fog opportunity. The fog layers various “zones of elements” in the scene. Fog can also used to simplify otherwise cluttered scenes, even in town! Of course, I captured this on Mormon Row.

These domestic horses were photographed along Spring Gulch Road on my way North. Another herd is commonly seen across from Elk Flats near Moosehead Ranch. This is another example of adding something recognizable to the bigger landscape scene, even if the mid-ranged subjects are still partially featureless.

On many cold, foggy mornings, hoar frost clings to branches and twigs. This image was taken only minutes after the fog lifted along Mormon Row. Distant low clouds and fog turned blue that morning, complimenting the orange hues in the old homestead. I also like to do close-up shots of leaves, berries, and branches on mornings with hoar frost.

Fog can lift and reveal all kinds of hidden treasures! I captured this one at a “secret spot“…er…Oxbow Bend.

I drove up Shadow Mountain on this morning to find an “ocean of fog” below. Anyone on the valley floor would be seeing white fog for quite a while, yet it was clear above it all. Skiers are always talking about inversions. They can get above the fog and cold along the valley floor and stay above the cloud line for a much warmer day. While I covered mostly ground fog on this page, it is possible on some days to drive up Teton pass and get “into the clouds”. I am sure there are plenty of distinctions between hovering clouds and low ground fog, but most of it is the same for photography.

Thick fog can turn into ribbons of thin clouds before quickly disappearing. “At the edges” conditions change quickly. The hillside is Blacktail Butte along the Gros Ventre Road.

Shooting Comments: I don’t think there are too many special considerations for taking photos of fog. I watch the histograms on the back of my camera to make sure I am not blowing out highlights.I normally shoot with Custom White balance set to around 5200K, but Cloudy or Sunny would work, and if shooting in a raw format, I can always change it in post production. Many fog shots are taken early in the morning, so having a solid tripod gives me a few more options as far as shutter speed goes. Most of the shots on this page were taken with a 24-70 lens, though a few might have been taken with a 70-200mm mid range telephoto. The last shot above was actually taken at 200mm on a 200-400mm lens. I was out in the sagebrush taking photos of a nice bull moose when I saw this lifting fog.

Final Comments: Foggy days are a “great equalizer” as it strips the majestic Teton Range away. Fog can occur at various times in just about all areas of the country, so you don’t have to live in Teton County in NW Wyoming to capture it. Similar scenes to the one above are abundant across the US. This is the T.A. Moulton Barn at a slightly different angle.

Watch for the Edges!  Sometimes you can get in the vehicle and drive a few miles up or down the valley to find the edges of the fog. In most instances, that’s where most of the interesting shots will be. >>MJ

If you are going to be in the area and are interested going out with me on a One-On-One Photo Excursion, check out the link and let me know! There are now 4, 6, and 8 hour options including a new PRO option.

Please note: Images on this page are fully protected with an official copyright at the US Copyright Office.  No unauthorized use is granted.

If you like this post, please take the time to click any of the Social Media icons below and share the page with your friends and associates. Hope you enjoy the images and comments. Cheers! Mike Jackson

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During the fall rut, Moose commonly display a Flehmen Response—or lip curl. Anytime a moose bull smells the urine of a cow, you can expect a Flehmen Response to follow. Savvy photographers click away!

In reality, “Flehmen is performed by a wide range of mammals including ungulates and felids.” (Click the link for more information at Wikipedia or do your own searches for technical definitions). Images on this page will include Moose, Wild Mustangs, Mountain Goats,  and Bighorn Sheep.  Elk and cats like Mountain Lions also perform a lip curl, even if I don’t have photos. The image above is typical of a bull moose in a Flehmen Response. The mouth is open with his head pointed high into the sky. Often, their eyes close, as in a trance. The whole event can last a roughly minute. According to Wikipedia, “The behavior facilitates the transfer of pheromones and other scents into the vomeronasal organ located above the roof of the mouth via a duct which exits just behind the front teeth of the animal.”

Moose in Velvet: From my experiences watching moose in the fall, the big bulls show little interest in the cows before they strip their velvet. Bulls seldom spar or fight while still in velvet. Still, this bull felt the need to do an early season lip curl.

Early Fall: Most moose strip their velvet in September—a few days or a week either side of Labor Day. Leaves are still usually lime green as seen in this morning capture.

Fall Bull and Cow: As fall progresses, a bull finds a potential mate and stays with her until she goes out of season, then he moves on to find another cow.

Young Bull: This bull is probably three years old and is already getting into the act. Prime cows will not let him breed, but he will still play out the fall routine. It is always nice to have a young bull in the area. They have much more energy and keep the larger bulls active running them away from their potential mate.

Fog: Weather doesn’t deter the fall rut. Rain, fog, snow, sleet…it doesn’t matter!

Moose Rut in the Stream: I’ve always been able to get my best moose images in the early mornings. They are active for about the first hour of light, then bed down for most of the warm and bright hours. Early morning steam added some character to this shot.

October Bull: Bull moose cover a lot of ground searching for ready cows. This bull spent much of the early fall under the Snake River bridge at Moose Junction. Later, I found him at Schwabacher Landing, and again at the Shane Cabin. A few days later, he was along the Gros Ventre. I last saw him out in the sagebrush near Ditch Creek.

December Bull: I photographed this nice bull on December 7th of 2013. Most of the rut is usually over by then, but bulls still display a Flehmen Response if they smell the urine of a cow.

Mountain Goat: Many other ungulates display a Flehmen Response during their fall rut.

Bighorn Ram: Both young and old rams do a “lip curl” as seen here.

Wild Mustang: I photographed this beat up old Mustang stallion near Rock Springs, WY.  Watch for a Flehmen Response in hooved animals (ungulates) and cats.

I am probably prejudiced, but I think Flehmen Responses in Moose and Elk are probably the most dramatic. Their large antlers roll back as their noses reach for the sky.

Please note: Images on this page are fully protected with an official copyright at the US Copyright Office.  No unauthorized use is granted.

If you like this post, please take the time to click any of the Social Media icons below and share the page with your friends and associates. Hope you enjoy the images and comments. Cheers! Mike Jackson

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A monthly journal of wildlife reports, scenic opportunities, and tidbits for both photographers and Teton visitors!

Recent Daily Updates Archives:

Dec: 2014  |  Nov: 2014  |  Oct: 2014  |  Sept: 2014  |  Aug: 2014  |  July: 2014  |  June: 2014  |  May: 2014  |  Apr: 2014  |  Mar: 2014  |  Feb: 2014  |  Jan: 2014 |  Dec: 2013 | Nov: 2013  | Oct: 2013  | Sept: 2013  | Aug: 2013  |

December Overview:

Winter is here to stay! I can almost sum up the month in three concepts: Cold days and nights—short daylight hours—limited access. That’s not all necessarily bad, but it is a far cry from the norms of summer. The cold brings heavy snow and that creates numerous winter activities like snowmobiling, skiing, shoe shoeing, and so forth. Some animals are hibernating, while others are more available to us than ever, such as Bighorn Sheep and possibly Mountain Goats. Some of the winter sunrises can be spectacular and you seldom need a graduated neutral density filter!  The sun goes behind the mountains by 4:30 pm, so it’s easy to be back for dinner. The sun is low in the sky, allowing you to take photos almost all day long with limited high contrast issues. Many roads are closed during the Winter months, however other opportunities seem to fill the void. Consider a sleigh ride on at the National Elk Refuge. The Bighorns on Miller Butte are always good in December, including the opportunity to witness their annual rut. Swans move into the valley for the Winter, with good access spots along Flat Creek and Boyle’s Hill. Check out a guided snowmobile trip to Granite Hot Springs and see Granite Falls along the way. Holiday lights wrap about every tree and all four of the Elk Antler Arches downtown. At the end of the month, plan on going to one of the torch light parades to say goodbye to 2014 and hello to 2015. Fun photography!

In many ways, the months of December, January, and February are almost carbon copies of each other. Check out each of last year’s Daily Updates to get an idea of the opportunities! Nov: 2013  | Dec: 2013 |  Jan: 2014 . Bull moose drop their antlers during the month of December and early January, so prime moose opportunities become more limited in January and February.

Streamlined Viewing Links

• Best of the Tetons : Start Here!: This page will give you a good overview of the earlier Feature Posts
• Helpful Links and Resources: Weather Reports, Web Cams and Ski Reports have links in the right navigation bar, but this page has many additional links.
• Winter Closures: Many areas are closed during the Winter months. Click the link, scroll to the Winter section and look for the Winter closure maps.
• Winter In the Tetons: Travel and Photography Tips: A “must read” for winter visitors.
  

Oldie But Goodie Post of the Day

The “Missing” GTNP Farming and Ranching Photos:. This is the perfect image to include with today’s new Feature Post about the Shane movie. The screen grab image here is from the 1953 movie. If I were magically transport myself  to 1952 or 1953 and end up in Grand Teton National Park, there is a “chance” I might leave the beauty at the base of the Teton Range, Jackson Lake, or the Snake River basin and drive over to the east side of the park. But, only a chance, knowing most of the east side was just rural farm land with fences, irrigation ditches, cattle grazing, active homesteads and so forth. And, if looking at this old cabin we all now call “The Shane Cabin”, would I even consider walking down and asking if I could take a picture of their house?  I doubt it! Luther Taylor probably never considered taking a photo of his log cabin, nor likely had the money to buy a camera or afford the processing. This linked page covers it in more detail, but seeing this image from the movie puts my theory into something we can all visualize sixty years later.

December 17, 2014

New Feature Post!

“SHANE” — The Epic Western Movie Filmed in Jackson Hole: If you love old westerns, Alan Ladd, history, or Jackson Hole, this post is for you! It is packed with 19 screen grabs and a few of my photos of the area.

Back Yard Birding

It was cloudy this morning following a light overnight snow. I opted to save gas and stay home today, especially after looking out the back window and seeing a variety of birds scattered in the trees and on the feeders.

Northern Flicker

Clark’s Nutcracker

Clark’s Nutcracker at the Peanut Feeder:

Flicker and Downey Woodpecker: At the feeders.

White-breasted Nuthatch:

Black-capped Chickadee

Red Squirrel

Settled into Winter:

Most of the winter months offer similar opportunities for both wildlife and landscapes: Nov: 2013  | Dec: 2013 |  Jan: 2014 .

Suggested “Opportunities”: Right now, here are my top spots to check out.  December 15: So far, I believe these areas are still offering opportunities. Some will be a bit of a gamble, but they might also pay off in a big way if you hit it right:

• Flat Creek Observation Deck: Look for Swans:, Geese, and Ducks.
• Boyles Hill Swan Pond & Swans Along Flat Creek:
• Miller Butte: Look for Bighorns and a herd of around 45 Pronghorns.
• Ditch Creek Road: Look for Moose.
• Kelly Area: Look for Mule Deer at the edges of town and around the Shane Cabins. Also, watch for Pine Grosbeaks in aspens of the winding “S” turns to the Cabin.
• Alpine Junction: Watch for Mountain Goats. near the mouth of the canyon.
• Camp Creek along the Hoback River: Check out Bighorns along the road.

Please let your friends know about Best of the Tetons and share the pages with your friends on Facebook.

December 16, 2014

Just the Grand:

Wagons: Snow covered wagons and wheels in Kelly.

Moulton Barn: Bands of light lit small sections of the mountains and clouds this morning. The road south to the other barn has cones to block the road to vehicles.

Barns and Outbuildings: A winter view from the back side.

Tracks: Taken near the Mormon Row barns.

Bull Moose: By the time this young bull cleared the sagebrush, the clouds covered the peak of the Grand. There were around 9 moose near the Gros Ventre Junction this morning.

Red Squirrel: In the back yard this morning.

Northern Flicker: Also in the back yard.

December 15, 2014

Photo taken November 15, 2014

Luther Taylor Homestead in GTNP: AKA “The Shane Cabin”. When I visit this site, I am always amazed the Park Service has neglected to install a historical plaque or kiosk to let visitors know about the area. Luther Taylor built the cabin and outbuildings. During the filming of the Shane movie, Roy Chambers (born in the Chambers Homestead on Mormon Row), owned the cabins and leased them to the production company. The character living in the cabin in the movie was named Ernie Wright. The cabin appeared in the movie for only a very short period. This is NOT the cabin little Joey lived in and seen often in the movie. Their cabin was built specifically for the movie and was torn down afterwards. That site (the Starrett cabin) is west of the Kelly Warm Springs. I am working on a Shane Feature Post. Sign up if you want to hear about it first!

Additional areas of the valley closed today to human entry and activity. These links will give you lots of details and specifics.

Winter Closure Maps in PDF format:
Winter Travel Map Jackson |  GTNP Winter Guide  |  Greater Snow King Area | Larger Snow King Area | Gros Ventre Area | Cache Creek Area | Game Creek Area | Leeks Canyon | Russ Garaman | Post Office Area | Horse Creek Area | Pinedale to La Barge

The Elk Hunt is now over in our area, including inside the National Elk Refuge. Bison are being hunted in the Refuge, keeping many of the elk close to the highway.

From the Back Yard this afternoon:

Mountain Chickadee:

Black-Capped Chickadee:

Red Squirrel: In the back yard.

December 14, 2014

Light snow, fog, light wind this morning with temps around 27°F. I am thinking about going down to Alpine Junction today after checking its Web Cams. Check back!

Morning Report: I drove to Alpine and hung around a couple of hours before heading home. The only Mountain Goats I saw were high on the slope but moving laterally and not down. On the way home, I made the executive decision to head “up the Hoback” and check out the Bighorns. The cliff is about 3.5 miles upstream from the new round-about at Hoback Junction. Bighorns hang out in the area fairly often, including a feed grounds nearby. Just past this outcropping is a bar and restaurant called Camp Creek Inn. Satellite Map via The Photographer’s Ephemeris. (Note: the Red Pin is roughly where I was standing today)

Camp Creek Bighorns: There were 11 bighorns near the road today.

Ram In Grass: The terrain is a bit different there than at Miller Butte.

Distant Rocks: The rocks in the first photo today are very close to the road, but veer away from the highway.

Bighorn Ram: I didn’t seen huge rams at Camp Creek today. I’ve heard reports of a large one, however.

Ram and Ewe: Rams still seem very interested in the Ewes.

December 13, 2014

It’s dark here, with rain in town instead of the promised snow. I am heading north towards Oxbow Bend and hope for snow.

Teton Sunrise: I took this on my way North. I had a few minutes of open clouds, but the fog bank was rolling in.

Grand Peak: I pulled over near Triangle X Ranch for this shot through the clouds.

Cow Moose High Steppin’: This cow and and older calf were near Pacific Creek.

Aspen Stand at Oxbow Bend: Most people would recognize this stand of aspens in the fall. I saw tracks, but no River Otters.

Moose Cows: These two were close to Pilgrim Creek.

Red Fox: Always a treat to find one of these little Vixens.

Morning Comments: It was raining in town, slushy on the way to the airport, and snowy on the way to Oxbow and Colter Bay. Jackson Lake is still open with ice only at the edges and only in some areas.

Big Stretch: Trumpeter Swan on Flat Creek.

National Elk Refuge: I shot plenty of images there, but had problems with conflicting overlaps and merges. There are a lot of elk along the highway right now.

More Winter Closures Coming on Monday: You can always get to this page by clicking the Grand Teton NP & JH Info / Area Links in the menu bar at the top of the page. It has lots of important links, including a long list of area closure maps and PDF documents. On the 15th of December, many more areas of the park will be closed to human travel of any kind. Here’s a paragraph from the GTNP site: “Grand Teton National Park closes key wildlife habitat areas to all travelers during winter. The corridor along the Snake River is closed from December 15 until April 1; and several high peaks are closed from December 1 until April 1. These areas are closed to allow wildlife a place where they will remain undisturbed.” Although there are no places to park, a person could legally shoe shoe down to Schwabacher Landing today and tomorrow, but not Monday and beyond. Elk Hunting on the National Elk Refuge ends tomorrow, however Bison hunting continues for almost another month.

If you are a photographer and want some private instruction, consider a winter trip with me! Mike Jackson’s One-On-One Photography Excursions . The trips allow me to keep supplying this blog!

December 12, 2014

Old Lucas Barn: Taken on Spring Gulch Road.

Hansen Fence Line: Also taken along Spring Gulch Road.

Bull Moose Feeding on Berries: This Bull recently shed its antlers.

Morning Outing: I did a quick loop around Kelly, then back to Spring Gulch Road and a quick zip to Wilson. Clouds were thick in the Park, prompting to head south and west.

Wildlife Sightings for Today: There are lots of Elk on the Refuge. I saw around 60 bison north of Gros Ventre Road near Kelly. I saw a few moose along the Gros Ventre and a dozen in the sage flats west of the Kelly Warm Springs. I saw a few Mule Deer at the edges of Kelly.  A few days ago, I saw three White-tailed Deer does there, too. One had a large set of antlers. I saw on Rough-legged Hawk on Spring Gulch Road. I found four moose, including the one above along the Snake River basin near Wilson. Of course, there were Swans and Ducks in Flat Creek.

Exposure on the Web for this blog, my photos and my tours: Check out this blog post at GNARBOX.com

Afternoon at Flat Creek: Trumpeter Swan stretching its wings.

Upside Down Swan: I don’t recall ever seeing a Swan roll over like this. It did the same routine a dozen times or move. Instead of flapping both wings like the previous photo, it would keep one in the water and flap just the other one.

Approaching Swans: This group swam to the far end, then took off as a group.

Cygnets on a Fly By: These are two of the Cygnets in the group of five above.

Evening Feeders: A couple of moose calves and a healthy looking cow moose were grazing around in my neighborhood. I saw them on my way to the bank and post office and found them when I returned.

December 11, 2014

Alpenglow at the Snake River Overlook:  I took a chance and headed north. It paid off today…and I was the only one there!

Orange Sunrise: Looking East at SRO.

First Light at SRO: It was 12° there this morning, but only a touch of wind, it was tolerable.

Fence Line: There’s still a good row of buck rail fences south of Triangle X and before you start the climb up to SRO.

Cunningham Cabin: There wasn’t much light while I was at Cunningham Cabin. I walked in today. If I had been in my 4-Wheel Drive truck, I probably could have driven in. There were four bison in the pasture behind the cabin.

December 10, 2014

National Elk Refuge Grasslands: The crews at the National Elk Refuge plant fields grass for the wintering Elk. They added a lot of irrigation equipment over the past few summers.

Sleeping Indian: I drove out to the refuge late in the day. There were a couple of Bighorns on the ridges and a dozen in what I call the amphitheater area.

Elk Refuge Signs: I snapped this shot today for two reasons. First, it shows how the early snows have almost completely melted at the southern end of the valley. Second, when I was getting my touring permit, the rangers told us it was okay to get off the road to photograph as long as you stayed behind the signs like these. There’s a 65′ Teton County easement along the road and these signs are sprinkled along the full length of it. A few days ago, I saw a person 50 yards past the signs getting shots of the bighorns.

We Need Snow! All three of today’s shots are unseasonably devoid of snow on the ground. If the Weather Channel is accurate, Saturday is our best chance for snow at 50%.

December 9, 2014

I just hit the “Publish” button on TWO new Feature Posts. I believe you will enjoy both of them! There’s lots of color and action. The images document a few days and nights here in Jackson Hole in the summer in which both locals and tourists mingle and enjoy themselves as one. Knowing there are county and state fairs all around the country,  you might be able to use some of the information in your home state or home town.

• Teton County Fair 2014
• The Abstract Fair

Here’s a quick quote from the page, “By the end of my shooting, I realized there is a fair people actually see, and a whole other fair only a photographer with a tripod can see.”

December 8, 2014

New Feature Post! Check out Embracing Fog and Low Clouds. This is a collection of images taken over the past years of opportunities when Mother Nature starts the day out with thick fog. You might pick up some ideas and a few tips for unique images.

Upcoming Feature Posts!  I am putting the finishing touches on two posts about the 2014 Teton County Fair. I have been anxious to post them since I captured them, but timing just wasn’t right for me. It has been over four months since I took them, and all I can say is “Wow”! I like this group of images and I believe you will, too. Why two posts? First there are so many I’d like to share here. The first one is mostly an intro containing mostly traditional shots and some with motion blurs. The second post will contain mostly abstract images of the motion and streaking lights. Stay tuned!

December 2, 2009

December 3, 2009

I didn’t go out this morning. I missed whatever did happen because I needed to stay home and do some important paperwork and go to an important meeting. I’m still working on the paperwork and still working on the future two County Fair posts. I went to the meeting at the National Elk Refuge where I got my new permit to take people out to photograph Bighorns and other animals there. Like I said, that was an important meeting!

The two photos above illustrate what I had hoped to capture this year. Of course, I am always wanting to improve on any previous shot. If I had been able to see the moon over the Tetons on Saturday, it would have looked similar to the top one. If I had gone out this morning, I might have seen something very similar to the bottom one. At least from my window, it appeared to be clear to the north with maybe some lacy thin clouds hovering around. In December, the moon is as far north as it will be all year. Relative to the Grand, I start moving north each month until June.

Oh yes…one more thing! Check out the two barn images above. Notice how the Grand looks so much larger in the bottom image than the top image? This page can explain it! Distance and Scale Relationships in the Tetons (and elsewhere)

December 7, 2014

December Full Moon: I was out early hoping to capture the setting full moon this morning. I could see parts of it at times as I drove North, but clouds were just too thick. I captured this one just to document it. Thick clouds in the east and a cloak of clouds over the Grand stifled my hopes for landscape shots this morning.

Passing Swans: Light looked better towards town, so I stopped at the observation platform along flat creek. This group of five swans hovered in during a very short break in the clouds.

Flat Creek Trumpeter Swans:

River Otters: Only a few minutes after the Swan shot above, a family of five River Otters magically appeared from under the bank next to the road.

River Otters on the Far Bank: Today follows in line with this old post: Serendipity Happens!

Quick Area Updates: First, today is the last day of the GTNP Elk Reduction Program (a.k.a. “the Elk Hunt”). Rangers will be removing the orange signs and it will be safe to walk about the park with out worrying about stray bullets. Wildlife should be able to settle down somewhat, too. Second, at least one of the bull Moose has dropped his antlers. Seems early to me. Lastly, it is still unseasonably warm here right now, melting a lot of our early snow and opening rivers and streams that are often choked with ice by now.

December 6, 2014

Barn at Night: Last night, I loaded up and went to the John Moulton barn. I left at Midnight and was home by 2:00 PM. I was hoping to catch the Grand with the full moon overhead. I only got one or two images before the clouds thickened and rolled over the peaks. This was lit with a 2 million candle power light.  I was standing on the road with my flashlight and triggered the camera using an RFN-4. It was roughly 40-45 yards back in the sagebrush. I used my D800 at ISO400. It was exposed for 30 seconds at F/10.

Click to view slideshow.

I went ahead and exposed one image without the light to illustrate the difference. Some people don’t like to do Light Painting during a full moon. That’s understandable knowing the full moon washes out a lot of the stars and the Milky Way—but it does a pretty nice job of lighting the mountains and snow fields in the Winter.

1st Test Shot: I set the ISO to 400. Then, shooting Manual exposure mode, I guessed on the other two for this test shot. The Aperture was set to F/4.5 for 20 seconds.  I knew I’d need a lot of time to light the barn so I increased the exposure time to 30 seconds and started adjusting the Aperture. At f/10, it started feeling like a night scene, where the first one looks like an early morning, low light shot. The full moon was supplying plenty of light until the clouds rolled in.

QBeams: Here are my two QBeam 2 Million Candle Power flashlights. I bought the white Blue Max Marine light from Wal-Mart online and the MaxMillionII from a random site on the Internet. The  front of both look like the one on the right.

MaxMillion II: I added semi-permanent 20° grids to the front of my two QBeams. Sometimes, 2 Million Candle Power is too much, so I cut a supply of ND gels I can stack under the grids as needed. These are the two “big boys”. I have a variety of smaller flashlights, too. The grids are used to control the “spill” and concentrate the light to a more specific area. The smaller flashlights have some sort of “snoot” made out of either gaffer’s tape or PVC tubing.

December 5, 2014

Clark’s Nutcracker: This is today’s version of Back Yard Birding in Jackson Hole: Within a few minutes of adding a few peanuts in a feeder, a pair of Clark’s Nutcrackers flew in to harvest them.

Red Squirrel: Not far behind, and right on queue, the female Red Squirrel returned to take her share.

Red Squirrel: This trunk is the same one I have been photographing the squirrel and other birds on for the past few weeks. Today, I spun it around for a different view and new possibilities. Although I might get several different chances, I have to be “quick at the shutter“. She only holds still for two or three seconds.

Today in Jackson Hole: I had to go downtown, so I loaded the gear. I made a quick loop out to Miller Butte and then to Flat Creek. We’ve been having a lot of warmer weather, melting considerable amounts of the snow around town. I have a feeling many of the Bighorns are staying up high because of all of the available food there. Normally, Bighorns come down to the road to lick ice chunks dropped from the passing vehicles, but most of it is melted off the vehicles and there isn’t much to make them come to the roads. Likewise, Flat Creek and most waterways are fully open, giving Swans and waterfowl plenty of other options. I’ve heard of a few sightings of River Otters on Flat Creek, but I haven’t seen them myself. Again, they have a lot of open water to work in right now. With all that said, there were still lots of Swans within shooting distance today. I hope to get out a bit more this afternoon and quite a bit over the weekend.

Workflow: FastRawViewer | by Thom Hogan  I will probably try this viewer out soon. It could replace PhotoMechanic in my workflow? My Photographic Workflow: A Real World Workflow from Capture Through Final Backups.

Gasoline: The price for Unleaded/Self-Serv gasoline dropped to $2.74 at the Exon Station today. Quite a few stations are at $2.79 per gallon.

Photo Exhibit at the JH Historical Society & Museum: “Landscapes of Loss – A Window into Grand Teton’s Past”. The museum is located a couple blocks north of the Town Square on the main road in and out of town. Besides the show of images by Lisa Erdberg, the Museum has a very nice book store and gift shop. Check it out when you are in town.

Shane, and other JH Movie Sets: The Museum Book Store sells a CD titled “Wyoming – A History of Film & Video in the 20th Century” by Walt Farmer. Walt passed away back in January. I finally broke down and purchased his CD today for $39.95. I’d give it a thumbs down on the interface, all done in primitive HTML web page layouts, but there is a TON of information…enough to make it worth the investment. The newer version includes the Shane Movie information. In prior editions, the Shane portion was sold separately. If you are a movie buff, you can live with the clunky interface to get to the goodies. There are lots of photos, interviews, posters, ads and memorabilia, but he also includes fairly detailed information on finding the old movie set locations—including GPS coordinates and maps for the Starrett Homestead, town, cemetery, three tree hill, and of course, “the Shane Cabin”. With the CD, I found the cliffs the wagons went off in John Wayne’s first movie or the barns used in Rocky IV.

December 4, 2014

Three Swans: I went to Miller Butte twice today and to Flat Creek once and never fired a shot. That doesn’t happen very often. I could have taken one of a few feeding Bighorns. A few of them were down all the way to the Miller House. This shot was taken yesterday afternoon with calm water. Today, the wind was blowing briskly from the south. Plenty of Swans were around, but not in promising places.

Miller Butte Update: Lately, most of the herd has been grazing near the road and closer to the Miller House and not around the rocks. The biggest rams seem to be staying high unless they are chasing a ewe and she brings them down during a chase. That could happen at any time but I have trouble sitting in a parking area too long if there isn’t a Ram in sight.

Weather Overview: I’ve been getting up early enough to be in the Park for sunrise but there has been thick clouds on most of the recent mornings. It has been unseasonably warm recently, too, especially in town. Possibly, the north end of the park and high elevations have been getting a lot more snow and less drizzle and rain. Hunting season in the Park should be over soon and things might begin to feel normal again. I’d like to get more Moose images before they start dropping their antlers. It sounds like we might get a little snow before some clearing for the weekend.

Welcome to the New Subscribers!  I noticed a few new people signed up to follow Best of the Tetons. Thanks! If you would like to get a notice by email of any new Feature Posts, take a second and sign up. All it takes is your email address. I have several new ones in the “queue”, so now’s a great time.

December 3, 2014

Refuge Elk: Actually, I took this image late yesterday, but didn’t download it until today. With hunters on the far east side of the refuge, elk huddle in large herds close to the highway on the west side.

Bighorns: Normally, there are quite a few Bighorns near Miller Butte. Today, I could only find these two. The ewe seemed to have more experience at the “rut” than this younger ram.

Four Trumpeter Swans: I spent a little time along Flat Creek hoping for some “action”. The light was nice, but the swans were content to just feed.

Bottoms Up: Flat Creek is the perfect depth for feeding Trumpeters.

Mallard: I like taking this kind of shot on a calm day.

December 2, 2014

Bighorn Ewes: On Miller Butte in the National Elk Refuge.

Swan Stretching its Wings: Along Flat Creek.

Sleeping Swans:

Hooded Mergansers: In Flat Creek. This is the first time I’ve seen them this year.

December 1, 2014

 

Fresh Snow! Yesterday, we had some sun. It was a good way to end November, but snow is back this morning and more is expected throughout the week. You’ll see I found plenty to photograph through the last half of November, and I don’t think I’ll have any trouble finding good subject matter in December. If you are a photographer and want some private instruction, consider a winter trip with me! Mike Jackson’s One-On-One Photography Excursions . The trips help me keep supplying this blog.

Winter Rams: Taken at Miller Butte this afternoon. There were five or six nice sized rams huddled around a couple of ewes. It had a lot of potential, but nothing happened.

Bighorns Mating: Maybe my comment about nothing happening depends on your point of view. This ram probably thought he had a pretty good day.

In the NEWS: Winter wildlife protection closures going into effect . This article in the Daily echoes some of the comments I’ve been making. The road north towards Curtis Canyon is now closed on the National Elk Refuge and the hillside to the south closed this morning, too. The traffic on the Elk Refuge road was much more quiet today.

In the NEWS: Yellowstone allows more time for fee hike comments. This could affect many tourists and residents with a separate entrance fee for GTNP and YS.

Winter Helpers: Some of the new links like this WY Road Reports might help you with important information—available with the click of your mouse. This page takes you directly to the road closures and advisories at the WYDOT Travel Site. There are also Weather Reports, Web Cams & Snow Reports.

Quick Sightings: I keep meaning to mention seeing a flock of Gray-cheeked Rosy-Finches feeding on Miller Butte. There are lots of waterfowl on Flat Creek right now with the waterway open. I saw 40 or so Pronghorns on the National Elk Refuge today, too. Over the weekend, a photographer friend saw iPhone photos of a wolf killing an otter at Oxbow Bend. A few Grizzlies are still reported out and looking for gut piles in the Park.

1st New Feature Post of December: Flehmen Response or “Lip Curl” in GTNP Moose While the title highlights Moose, I also included a photo of a Bighorn Ram, Mtn. Goat Billy, and a Mustang Stallion. Hope you enjoy it!

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It just takes a little food, a few perches and a lot of patience.

Each year, a winged group of visitors make their way to the Jackson Hole valley—some passing through and some making it their summer home. Birds of many species, sizes, and colors show up in my back yard and I feel almost obligated to try to capture images of them with my camera. This page contains images of many of them, taken in 2013 and 2014.

I’m not a trained ornithologist, so I created links to All About Birds for each bird. If you are interested, you can read more about the characteristics, color phases, weight, size, range,  and songs. For most of the birds below, I chose the male since they are usually more colorful. If there is a noticeable difference, you can see the female of each by clicking on the links I added.

You might also enjoy reading:
Why Do Birds Migrate? – Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Clark’s Nutcracker’s are some of my most dependable year around birds. They are very good problem solvers and usually clean out peanut feeders as a team. They leave my yard for a few weeks when the White Bark Pine cones need harvesting, but otherwise come to the feeders anytime I put out peanuts for them. All About Birds : Clark’s Nutcracker

Black-capped Chickadees can be found in my yard year around. They are difficult to photograph because of their jittery nature. The Native Americans called them the bird of seven songs. All About Birds : Black-capped Chickadee

Mountain Chickadees are equally difficult to photograph. They are a bit smaller than Black-capped Chickadees. All About Birds : Mountain Chickadee

White-breasted Nuthatches spend some winters in my back yard. Red-breasted Nuthatches are a little smaller and will occasionally feed in my yard. They typically walk “down” tree trunks. I’ve seen them go into cavities of other birds or squirrels to rob them of their stash of seeds. Both species leave about the time other migrating birds begin showing up. All About Birds : White-breasted Nuthatch & Red-breasted Nuthatch

Cassins Finches are some of the first “birds of color” to arrive each year. They arrive in waves, feeding mainly on sunflower seeds, before heading on north. I can sometimes have a few hundred of them in the yard at one time. All About Birds : Cassin’s Finch

Pine Siskins leave the valley during the coldest periods, then return in early March. They are smaller than most sparrows and prefer Nyjer seeds (thistle). All About Birds : Pine Siskin

Hairy Woodpecker’s often spend the winter in the valley and visit my feeders for suet and peanut butter. The males have a patch of red on the back of their head. All About Birds : Hairy Woodpecker

Downy Woodpeckers resemble the larger Hairy Woodpeckers but have shorter beaks. Both species are amazingly tolerant of me taking their photos. All About Birds : Downey Woodpecker

Northern Flickers also visit the tree trunks and feeders, mostly in the winter and early spring,  in search of suet and peanut butter. All About Birds : Northern Flicker

Red-naped Sapsuckers occasionally pass through my yard, but never seem to stay long. All About Birds : Red-naped Sapsucker

Black-billed Magpies are also year around valley residents. They pick up peanuts dropped by the Clark’s Nutcrackers and are equally attracted to suet.  All About Birds : Black-billed Magpie

Dark-eyed Juncos are also some of the earliest birds to return in the late winter or early spring. The bird above is sometimes identified as “Slate-colored”.  Oregon Juncos look much the same, but have a darker cape and lighter chest. All About Birds : Dark-eyed Junco

Blue Jays are not typically found in the Jackson Hole valley. This one spent the 2013/2014 winter here. I watched it follow a red squirrel to see where it stashed peanuts, then go there to take them after the squirrel left. All About Birds : Black-billed Magpie

Bullock’s Orioles usually start showing up during the first week or two of May, adding a very bright splash of color. They can hang around until the first week of June, but will leave sooner if I forget to keep sugar water in the feeders or stop feeding orange slices. They are good at pulling the yellow “baskets” off Hummingbird feeders to get to the sugar water. All About Birds : Bullock’s Oriole

American Robins are typically considered harbingers of spring. A large population spends their summers in Jackson Hole. Some can spend the winter in the north country, but I don’t see the them often in the Winter. All About Birds : American Robin

House Finches resemble Cassin’s Finches in some ways, but usually have more red in their chest and lack some of the stripes found on the chest of the Cassin’s Finches. All About Birds : House Finch

Western Tanagers are probably the highlight of the birding season for me. Males are extremely colorful and almost look out of place here. Check out this earlier Feature Page containing lots of photos of Western Tanagers:

All About Birds : Western Tanagers

American Goldfinches are among the wave of brightly colored birds that show up near the end of May. The earliest males often still have patches of brown, but change within a few days. All About Birds : American Goldfinch

Evening Grosbeaks are beautiful birds. I typically only see half a dozen pairs and they never stay around as long as I would wish. They focus on sunflower seeds. All About Birds : Evening Grosbeak

Black-headed Grosbeaks have quite a bit of color and are welcome in my yard anytime. Some nest in town, but I’ve never seen one nest in my yard. All About Birds : Black-headed Grosbeak

Yellow Warblers hang around in the willows on the other side of the creek that flows behind my house. They seldom come to my yard to feed. Yellow-rumped Warblers also visit my yard in early summer, but never stay long. All About Birds : Yellow Warbler

Gray Catbirds have been coming to my feeders for the past four or five years. They are sleek and sly. You can hear them approaching by their catlike meow call. I like to try to capture them in an image showing the rusty orange underside of their tail. It is not an easy assignment. All About Birds : Gray Catbird

Lazuli Buntings are one of my favorite birds of summer. The males are brown for most of the year, but change to the bright blue during the breeding season. All About Birds : Lazuli Bunting

Brown-headed Cowbirds are fairly common in the valley. A group of them hang around my yard all summer, but most can be seen later in the sage flats and sometimes sitting on the back of a bison. All About Birds : Brown-headed Cowbird

Brewer’s Blackbirds show up about the same time as the Brown-headed Cowbirds, Common Grackles and European Starlings. All About Birds : Brewer’s Blackbird

Chipping Sparrows spend a lot of the time on the ground and less time on perches, making them difficult to photograph. All About Birds : Chipping Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrows are also ground feeders and do a great job of making my photography life difficult. There are probably at least half a dozen different other kinds of Sparrows here in the summer. All About Birds : White-crowned Sparrow

Cedar Waxwings usually follow the Tanagers into the valley. I look forward to their return in both summer and mid-winter. This year, for whatever reason, I only had a handful of them in the summer. If the prior few years, I had dozens at a time on the feeders. They are mainly interested in fruit and suet. Bohemian Waxwings often spend a month or so in Jackson Hole during the winter months, but I don’t think I’ve ever had one in my yard. By that time, Robins and other birds have cleaned off all of my berry bushes.  All About Birds : Cedar Waxwing

Eurasian Collared-Doves have been moving into the Jackson Hole valley for the past half a dozen years. They are fairly plentiful now, but are quite skittish when I am in the back yard. All About Birds : Eurasian Collared-Dove

Hummingbirds nest in the Jackson Hole valley. This earlier Feature Post shows several different species and includes some information about trying to photograph the:  The Teton’s Tiny Winged Visitors

All About Birds : Calliope Hummingbird  |  Rufous Hummingbird  |  Broad-tailed Hummingbird

Each year, there seems to be a “standard” set of species—yet it is never the same. Waxwings and Evening Grosbeaks were almost non-existent in 2013. Seems strange, knowing they had been regulars for several years prior. Occasionally, I have a Stellar’s Jay. One year was great for Red Crossbills and White-winged Crossbills, while Gray-crowned Rosy Finches were at feeders another year. Tree Swallows have been common in some years but not others. Right now, a Spotted Towhee is in the yard, but it stays just out of good shooting range. A Sharp-shinned Hawk patrols the area and occasionally kills an unsuspecting bird.  I spend a lot of time photographing the birds from a blind in the back yard as the songbird migration moves through. It saves gasoline! Of course there are lots of other bird species that visit Jackson Hole. This page features some of the birds that actually come into my yard. Overhead, Osprey, Swans, Eagles, and a wide variety of waterfowl fly by. A pair of Mallard ducks waddle into the yard regularly, so I probably should include them.

Click this link for some additional photos and information about my back yard setup.  Attracting and Photographing Wintering Back Yard Birds:

Peterson Field Guides to Birds and birdwatching for iPhone …

You might consider loading one of these apps on your phone or pad.

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