January 31st 2021 – Sunday

Please take a minute and register to sign up to follow this site. I’d love to have another couple hundred new subscribers from the group visiting the site this winter. MJ

Snake River Overlook and Moon: I don’t think the mountains were visible yesterday so I stayed south and photographed barns. I set the early alarm this morning and headed out. As I was driving north, I was skeptical that I would get a shot due to a large cloud running diagonal across the valley. Fog was also an issue. As I got close to Snake River Overlook, I could see a couple of breaks in the clouds, then managed to get a few shots before the beautiful lacy clouds thinned. Nikon D850 and Nikon 24-70mm lens, Handheld.

Snake River Overlook: Nikon D850 and Nikon 24-70mm lens, Handheld.

Mother Moose and Calf: I headed north and spotted these two near Spread Creek as the first light hit the distant row of cottonwoods. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Buck Rail Fence: I had to wait for the sun to begin skimming the valley floor. The Moose and Calf were only a few hundred yards south of this spot. On the way up, I saw three Bison bulls pushing snow away to get to the grass below. They were in shadows at the time. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Bison Bull: I backtracked to the Bison and waited for the light to hit them. Two of the bulls moved away from the road almost immediately after first light, but one looked my way for a few shots, then followed his buddies. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Mt. Moran: This is a “basic” shot taken at Willow Flats. I stopped for the photo because of the clouds hovering in front of Mt. Moran. I would have preferred the more “romantic” light I had a SRO, but I can only be in one place at a time! Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

If you’ve checked your calendar, this is the last day of the month! Wow! January flew by. Of note…this is the last day for the Bison hunt on the National Elk Refuge. Hopefully, a few Bison will be moving to and from the northern end of the Refuge and the southern edge of GTNP before they move to their winter feeding areas on the Refuge. Watch for a new February Daily Journal later tomorrow.

January 30th 2021 – Saturday

Hardiman Barn: I went west this morning! The sun broke through the clouds long enough for a few shots in the Wilson area. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Chapman Barn: The fresh snow changes every scene! Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Trail Creek Barn: I can’t imagine how many pounds of snow is sitting on this old barn. It has to be at least three feet thick. There were a couple of bull Moose resting in front of the smaller open sided barn on the left. Both of them still had antlers. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Fish Creek Ranch: These old barns are all on private property. I do the best I can with shots from the roadway. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Macey on Teton Pass: I let Macey chase a thrown snowball. She disappeared in the deep snow, but she loved it! Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Macey: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

January 29th 2021 – Friday

Bighorn Rut: It’s almost the end of January, yet there is still some rut activity on the National Elk Refuge. The snowpack is now about where it should be in January. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Reaching for Grass: The snow is deep enough that the Bighorns have to paw through it to get to the grass. The bigger ram’s horns turn into shovels. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Tripod.

Bighorn Ram with Snow: When they raise their head, the wet snow comes with it. After trying to hand hold this “event” for a long time, I dragged out the tripod. The ram only raised his head occasionally.  Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Tripod.

Elk Herd: This isn’t much of a shot, but it shows the mass of Elk on the back side of the National Elk Refuge. It appears the recent snow pushed them off the surrounding hillsides and onto the Refuge floor. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Miller House Antique: I cloned out a couple of buck rail fence elements in order to simplify this shot. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Back Yard Birds

Steller’s Jay: Rare winter color! I took this photo from the blind in my back yard. I loaded all of the feeders first thing this morning and it didn’t take long for the birds to find them. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Tripod.

Bluejay: Climate change may be responsible for expanding the range of Bluejays into the Rocky Mountain west. I have at least three this year. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Tripod.

Oregon Junco: In most years the Juncos leave the valley, yet are one of the first to return. This year, with the low snow pack, they hung around. Oregon Juncos have the dark cape and white chest. There are also a lot of Dark-eyed Juncos around this year.

Besides the Jays and Juncos, most of my “regulars” were around again today. I also saw House Finches, a Spotted Towhee, Magpies, and one or two Red-breasted Nuthatches. I wasn’t out that long, but I suspect the Hairy Woodpecker pair and Northern Flicker’s visited the yard. I heard them, anyway.

January 28th 2021 – Thursday

Abandoned Bike: We had around 10″ of light, fluffy snow overnight. It came straight down and piled up on every thing. I did a loop around the valley, and when I drove back into my driveway, we’ve had another 5-6″ of snow. I bought this old bike at a garage sale a few years ago. It makes a good subject now and then.  Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld

Tree and Fence: I took this shot at the National Elk Refuge next to the Miller House. At the time I went there, no Bighorns were down. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld

Kelly Wagons: I made the drive to Kelly and the East Boundary Road, not seeing a single Moose, Elk, or Bison. It was a quiet morning, but possibly par of that was the fact I left later than normal. I had to run the snow blower to get out of the driveway. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld

Mailboxes: Seen along Spring Gulch Road. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld

Lucas Gate: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld

Box L Barns: Without a doubt, the Jackson Hole Valley looks a lot more like it should in Winter now. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld

Time to run the snow blower again!

January 27th 2021 – Wednesday

Bighorn Ram: At lunch time, I did a quick run to the National Elk Refuge. There were around 50 Bighorns along the road, but I didn’t see the largest rams. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld

Barrow’s Golden Eyes: I stopped at Flat Creek because I saw a Belted Kingfisher in the low trees. He flew before I got a shot. This pair of Barrow’s Golden Eyes posed for me, however. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld

Bull Elk: Much needed snow is in the forecast for the next few days. The snowpack on the National Elk Refuge is low enough to let a few bulls move around. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld

I got a report of a black Wolf seen along Spring Gulch Road this morning. I made a quick pass, but didn’t see it.

Lander Cut-Off Sign: When I was in Star Valley yesterday, I followed signs for the Lander Cut-Off Trail where I found this historic plaque at the Idaho-Wyoming border. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. (click the image to see it larger)

Oregon Trail Map: This is a crop of the Wyoming section of the Oregon Trail. Wagon trains began their long trek in St. Louis, MO. They crossed the prairie and sagebrush of Wyoming on their way to Oregon and Washington. The map shows the Lander Road as a dotted line which saved the wagon trains seven days of travel. I am hoping to make a “road trip” to eastern Wyoming sometime this spring to see the wagon ruts, Ft. Laramie and maybe Butch Cassidy’s Hole in the Wall. I was at the dotted line near the “B” on Fort Bonneville. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

January 26th 2021 – Tuesday

Vintage Star Valley: Instead of doing “my normal thing” today, I headed down the Snake River Canyon. I figured there would be a “chance” of seeing Mountain Goats, and if I did, I’d dedicate the morning to them. If not, I’d head on south to Star Valley. The area often has Red-tailed Hawks, Rough-legged Hawks, and both Bald Eagles and Golden Eagles during the Winter months.

Instead of processing these images “normal”, I decided to give each one of them some sort of vintage look. I could easily do an entire page from the photos I took today, but will include just a few here. This one has a “wet plate” emulsion look. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Vintage Star Valley: Much of Jackson Hole has been “cleaned up” and redeveloped, but there are a lot of farms and ranches in Star Valley with farm equipment and old vehicles. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Vintage Star Valley: Some of the images in today’s post have light leaks and color shifts representative of cross processing seen in old, cheap cameras or darkroom techniques. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Vintage Star Valley: I found a lot of very cool areas I had never seen. I loved the texture in this shot, so I emphasized it. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Vintage Star Valley: This rooster was probably in front of a fried chicken fast food place in its earlier days. There was a lot of hoar frost on the rooster and tree behind him. This one has some bokeh blur and wet plate effects. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Vintage Star Valley: This one went a completely different direction! Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Vintage Star Valley: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Vintage Star Valley: This is probably the most realistic image of the group, but it was processed to bring out the variety of textures. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Vintage Star Valley: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Vintage Star Valley: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Vintage Star Valley: I kept over 100 images from today. I could easily work on another dozen or two dozen images. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

As I mentioned earlier, I wanted to do something different today. Hope you like them! 

January 25th 2021 – Monday

Stretching Red Fox: I spent my morning “up north” looking for Wolves, Bison, and Foxes. I found Foxes! After a short nap, this Fox stretched and yawned. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Red Fox: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Red Fox: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Raven: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Red Fox: I caught this one in nice morning light. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Running Red Fox: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Red Fox: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Red Fox: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

January 24th 2021 – Sunday

Spring Gulch Road: One of our rural roads, but still with the Teton Range as a backdrop! Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Tetons and West Gros Ventre Butte: This is a “stacked” image. I focused first on the close golden grass, then again on the distant mountains. The two photos were Image Stacked in Lightroom and Photoshop. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Homestead in Orange: The gold evening light warms everything it can hit and sets a big golden willow ablaze. I always like this time of the day. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Grand Peaks: Late evening light glances off the southwest facing ledges and rock formations. A few minutes later and things dull. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

January 23rd 2021 – Saturday

COVID-19 in Teton County, WY: Jan. 23, 2021

Risk Factor CRITICAL, 255 Active Cases (Wyoming Department of Health) :

The previous Risk Scale went from Normal, Low, Moderate, to High. With at least two cases of the UK Variant, the Risk Scale has been modified to include Critical. The seven day average of new daily cases has increased 147% over the past two weeks. Teton County has the second highest number of active cases in Wyoming behind Natrona County. The new Presidential Order requires masks in Federal Buildings, in tour busses and vans, and anytime people are closer than 6 feet while on National Lands. The mask order follows current CDC guidelines.

Moose Cow and Calf: Seen near the roundabout. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Bull Moose: It’s January 23rd and there’s at least one Moose with antlers! This one was resting near the roundabout this morning. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Red Fox: I finally found one! She was in the northern portion of the Park. Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Red Fox: Nikon D80 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Red Fox: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Snake River Overlook Pano: Nikon D850 and Nikon 24-70mm lens, Handheld.

Triangle X Cornice: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Mt. Moran: Oxbow Bend, the northern portion of the park, and the mountain ranges have a lot of snow now.  Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

January 22nd 2021 – Friday

Bighorn Ram: Following an overnight snow, I went early to the National Elk Refuge where I found around 20 rams, ewes and lambs. One of the rams was good sized so I took quite a few photos. As I was about to leave, I spotted this big boy grazing. I hung around long enough for him to come to the road. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Messin’ With Fire: I like these interaction shots! The outmatched smaller ram was pushing against the bigger one in order to take over his feeding spot. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Raven March: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Alert Moose:  I like “bad weather”! With conditions like this, I shoot a lot in hopes of getting just a few keepers. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Moose in Winter Storm: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

January 21st 2020 – Thursday

Vintage Wooden Gate: I spent the morning looking for Foxes. While I didn’t find any Foxes, I got to see a black Wolf. He stayed a little out of reach, so I didn’t even try to take a photo. This old fence and gate caught my eye. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Box L Ranch: I photograph this scene fairly often, especially when there is some “weather” or distinctive light. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Box L Ranch: Several barns and homesteads line Spring Gulch Road. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Hansen Barn: This is one of my favorite old barns. It looks really nice from a variety of angles. It’s on private property, I am restricted to shots I can get from the road. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Hansen Barn: The snow pack is low on the valley floor this year, so some of the grasses are still showing. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Hansen Barn: The ranch is still active, so you can often find cattle and horses in the shots. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Hansen Barn: The buck rail fences, posts, and trees add interesting elements to the rustic old barn. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

January 20th 2021 – Wednesday – Inauguration Day

Hansen Barn and Fences: Taken on a cold morning along Spring Gulch Road. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Lucas Barn: This is a “Focus Stack” composite of two photos. I focused first on the gate and wheel on the right, then took the second shot while focusing on the barn. The two photos were merged in Photoshop. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Steamy Ditch: Taken along the East Boundary Road. Warm water from the Kelly Warm Springs flows through the ditch on its way towards the John Moulton Barn. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Vertical Pano: Using the same lens and body, I captured this one as four images that were later merged in Lightroom. I cropped off some of the bottom frame, though it was nice to have if I wanted to crop some of the upper clouds. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Red Fox: This one has a collar and two ear clips. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Sunset Pano: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

January 19th 2021 – Tuesday

Alpenglow at Snake River Overlook ( Pano): I took a gamble and got up extra early to see if I could catch the Alpenglow period. It worked out! There weren’t any additional clouds so I got this shot and headed on north. This pano was stitched from 4 our individual captures, then stitched in Lightroom . Nikon D850 and Nikon 24-70mm lens, Tripod.

Photoshop 22.1.1 Sky Replacement: The most current version of Photoshop CC now has a one-click sky replacement tool. I had hoped to have a few light clouds this morning, but the sky was cloudless. I tried the new Sky Replacement tool, and it worked (too well)! There are around 10 new AI features. I’ll try more of them soon. Nikon D850 and Nikon 24-70mm lens, Tripod.

Moose and Cow on a Frosty Morning: I was heading north to Elk Ranch Flats to look for Bison when I spotted these two Moose headed south. There weren’t any Bison, so I headed back south. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Murphy Barn with First Glow of Light: I checked Antelope Flats Road to see if yesterday’s Bison stalled anywhere near the Mormon Row Barns. I didn’t see them, but stopped for this photo. The soft gold light was just skimming the top of the trees and beginning to hit the valley floor. This “look” lasted only a minute or so. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Glistening Snow at F/6: I was curious about how to capture the glistening snow, including the bokeh of the sparkles. This shot was taken “wide open” at F/6. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Glistening Snow at F/11: I focused on the clump of sagebrush in both photos. There is more depth of field and the distant bokeh are more pronounced. Artistically (subjectively) speaking, I think I like the top version as the sharper, main subject stands out better. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Buck Rail Fence: At F/9, I focused roughly 1/3 of the way into the scene. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Resting Mule Deer: I took a few shots of this Mule Deer, then waited for him to stand up. He never looked at me! Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Buck Mule Deer: Even after standing up and stretching, the buck never looked my direction. He wandered into the thickets. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Morning Skull: This seemed “too juicy”. A shaft of morning light was hitting the skull and antlers, so just had to take a couple of shots! Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

I renewed all of my permits and am accepting photo tours for 2021…with modifications!

Normally, I drive my tour clients around in my vehicle. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I’ve opted to offer tours by letting clients follow me in their vehicles. This allows for ample social distancing. I purchased several pairs of walkie-talkies to allow me to communicate while driving. Instead of eating inside one of the restaurants, I Creekside Market will make sandwiches to order for the day’s trip. Masks, hand sanitizer, and disinfectant wipes will be provided. If you have questions, please ask!

The goal is to keep both of us safe, yet cover most of the same areas of the park.

Photo tours help me pay bills and continue to add content to this site. Keep me in mind if you are going to be in the valley! My tours are licensed by the National Park Service and National Elk Refuge.

I offer year round photo tours in Grand Teton National Park and Winter tours in the National Elk Refuge.  Book now! Click the image for additional information.

Client Comments: “As a published and passionate photographer, I recognized Michael Jackson’s extraordinary skills as a photographer. Today I learned more about composition and creative technical ideas than I ever could have imagined.” G.S., Jackson Hole.

January 18th 20212 – Monday – Martin Luther King Day

Teton Range in Black and White: Clouds cleared just enough for a few landscape shots this morning. I took this from the East Boundary Road. Click the image to see it larger. Nikon D500 and Nikon 70-200mm lens, Handheld.

Bison Heading North: There were a couple of different herds of Bison leaving the Gros Ventre River bottom and heading back north. Hunters on the National Elk Refuge keep them from moving to their winter grounds on the Refuge. Nikon D500 and Nikon 70-200mm lens, Handheld.

Bison Heading North: Nikon D500 and Nikon 70-200mm lens, Handheld.

Grand Peak: When I took this shot, I “saw” it as a black and white candidate. After processing this image, I decided to process all of today’s images in Black and White.  Nikon D500 and Nikon 70-200mm lens, Handheld.

Aspen Stand: Taken along the Moose-Wilson Road. Nikon D500 and Nikon 70-200mm lens, Handheld.

Bighorn Rams: Quite a few of the Bighorns came off the hilltops to graze closer to the road. They have been staying high lately, probably a result of three Gray Wolves being seen on the National Elk Refuge. I saw several people looking at them with spotting scopes, but they would be way too far out for me. Nikon D500 and Nikon 70-200mm lens, Handheld.

Bighorn Ewe: I always like to capture a little “catch light” in the eyes of my wildlife shots. This ewe was fairly cooperative today. Nikon D500 and Nikon 70-200mm lens, Handheld.

Sleeping Indian: When light is hitting the mountain, I usually snap off a few shots. We could use more snow on the valley floor! Nikon D500 and Nikon 70-200mm lens, Handheld.

January 17th 2021 – Sunday

Moose Cow and Calf: These two were grazing fairly close to the highway in front of the JH Airport. Others were spotted along the Gros Ventre Road and along Warm Springs Road north of Kelly.  I didn’t see any Bison today. There were a few ravens on the posts along the highway. Elk on the National Elk Refuge were well off the highway. I saw a few deer here and there, but no wolves or foxes. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Great Horned Owl: This Owl was along South Park Look Road. They are very difficult to spot! I removed a couple of twigs in this shot. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Trumpeter Swans: There are around a dozen captive breeder Swans at the Boyle’s Hill Swan Pond west of Town. On some days, you can also find another dozen or so wild Swans taking advantage of the open water. I didn’t hang around to try to capture shots of them flying out of the area, but it’s a pretty good spot for flying Swans. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Macey’s New Post: When I have time, I stop at the local winter dog park and let Macey play (run and wrestle) with other dogs. She loves it. I added a new page on OurMacey.com just now.

January 16th 2021 – Saturday

Wildlife Notes: Over the last few days I’ve driven to the National Elk Refuge where I would normally expect to find numerous Bighorns feeding near the road. Instead, all of the Bighorns are staying on the ridges at the top of Miller Butte. That coincides with a few sightings of Wolves on the National Elk Refuge. Apparently, the Bighorns got the memo! I looked for Bison this morning, but didn’t spot a single one. I’ve heard reports there are some at Elk Ranch Flats 15-20 miles north of the Gros Ventre.

Buck Mule Deer: Mule Deer are becoming more and more visible along the butte next to the highway and in the Kelly area. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Buck Mule Deer: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Buck Mule Deer: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Bull Moose in Willows: This is the same bull I have been seeing along the Gros Ventre for the past week or so. He’s one of the last few bulls with decent sized antlers I know about. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Moose Cow in Gold Fog: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Moose Cow and Calf: After a slow river crossing, the calf bolted to catch up with its mother. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Kelly Structures: Moody skies, gold morning light, and heavily textured structures were the draw for me in this shot. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Lichen Covered Rock: An addition to my collection of interesting textures. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

National Elk Refuge: An afternoon shot showing a large number of Elk grazing on the golden grasses. The snowpack is extremely low for the middle of January. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Steller’s Jay: Taken in my back yard in the mid-afternoon. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Great Horned Owl: I shot several hundred images of this Owl hoping to get ONE shot with its eyes open. She spends four or five days in one tree, then moves to another.  Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

January 15th 2021 – Friday

Bison Bull: Bison are moving towards the National Elk Refuge, but they unaware that hunters with rifles are waiting for them to cross the Gros Ventre River. I heard a few gunshots today. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Moose Group: This isn’t much of a photo, but it shows a grouping of Moose grazing in the sage flats north of Kelly. I saw roughly 18 Moose today. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Moose Cow and Calf: Two of the Moose cows moved across the flats in an effort to get to the Gros Ventre River bottom. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Moose Cow: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Moose Cow: The only antlers I saw today were at a distance, and none of them were large. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Buck Mule Deer: This young buck was captured near on the hillside behind the National Museum of Wildlife Art. The dark stems are actually burnt sagebrush from last year’s fire. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Bull Moose with Antlers: It’s January 15th and there are still a few bulls with antlers. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Bull Moose – Sans Antlers: I am fairly certain these two bulls are the same ones I photographed along the Gros Ventre a few days ago. If so, this one dropped his antlers in the interim. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

January 14th 2021 – Thursday

A Parade of Bison: I counted close to 100 Bison at they crossed at the south end of Blacktail Butte. I believe the Bison hunt on the National Elk Refuge is still ongoing, so if they cross the Gros Ventre and get shot at, they’ll head back towards Blacktail Butte. . Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Trumpeter Swans: Swans can usually be found in any open water. When Flat Creek is open, they can often be seen from the observation platform at the north end of town. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Fox Sequence: Red Foxes jump high into the air, then go head first into the snow to catch a mouse or vole. I used Lightroom and Photoshop to make this composite with shots photos I took a few days ago. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

January 13th 2021 – Wednesday

Great Horned Owl: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

A Day of Loose Ends: It is essentially a “yucky” day here in Jackson Hole. Skies are gray, the wind is blowing, and instead of snow, we are getting drizzle and light rain. A friend told me she tried going to the National Elk Refuge, but the roads were wet and extremely slick. She turned around! The wind is loudly ringing the wind chimes outside my office window. I took advantage of the yucky day to pay my yearly business license, pay my business liability insurance and vehicle insurances, renew my Wyoming driver’s license, and take my second shingles shot. While heading to the Department of Transportation building, I found a Great Horned Owl tucked deep in a spruce tree. She seemed oblivious to the yucky weather!

COVID-19 in Teton County, WY: Jan. 13, 2021

Risk Factor HIGH, 247 Active Cases (Wyoming Department of Health) : Post Holiday Spike

“Public health officials are left with few tools to tamp down viral spread in the face of a big increase.” (JH News & Guide) Yesterday’s TV news reported that 53% of people getting tested in Idaho were revealing positive results.

Teton Morning Pano: I spent some time this afternoon merging pano parts in Lightroom. I took this photo yesterday morning. Click the image to see it larger. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

January 12th 2021 – Tuesday

Wedding Trees: I was out early hoping for some more red, but clouds in the east dulled the sky just after this shot. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Tripod.

Sunrise: The sun broke through long enough to light the Teton Range. The steel blue sky accented them beautifully. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Youngster: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Bull Moose: There’s still one nice sized bull Moose in the sage flats north of Kelly. Newest Feature Post! Game Over! GTNP Moose & Grizzies: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Riverside Moose: These two bulls were hanging around next to the Gros Ventre River. These are two of at least 15 Moose I saw this morning. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld

Bull Moose: I guess we are in “Overtime” or “Extra Innings”! Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Bull Moose: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Bull Moose: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Bull Moose: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Riverside Moose: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Riverside Moose: The Gros Ventre River can be seen behind the two bulls. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

January 11th 2021 – Monday

COVID-19 in Teton County, WY: Jan. 11, 2021

Risk Factor HIGH, 173 Active Cases (Wyoming Department of Health) : “The county saw 92 new lab-confirmed cases reported in three days from Friday to Sunday. Teton County is now averaging 29 new cases per day and has the most cases per capita in the state.”

80 Years and older to begin vaccinations soon.

Wildlife Reports:  A black wolf was reported on Crystal Butte at the National Elk Refuge. Another collared black wolf has been seen by many people over several days in the northern portion of the park. I saw two bull Moose with antlers near the roundabout last evening, but it was too dark for much of a photo. My wife saw a bull Moose with antlers near the parking area in Cache Creek.  There were a few Bison near Moosehead Ranch yesterday.

Red Fox Mousing: I went out this afternoon looking for Bison but found a Fox! Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld

Red Fox: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld

Mousing Fox: I’ve been seeing a lot of Fox tracks, but have been having limited success finding the furry critters. This one was north of Kelly. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld

Fox on the Run: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld

Sleeping Indian: On my way home, I stopped for a long distance shot of Sleeping Indian. The colors were so rich! Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld

January 10th 2021 – Sunday

If you found this page and are looking for Winter info, click these pages:

• If I Had Only One Winter Day in the Tetons:
• Winter in the Tetons: Tips for travel and photography.
• The Dead of Winter:
• A Trip to Jackson Hole
• GTNP Winter Closure Map:

Winter Closure Maps in PDF format:

• 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
• Winter Travel Map Jackson
• Pinedale to La Barge
• GTNP Winter Guide

Split Tree: One of Nature’s oddities in GTNP. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld

Moose Cow: This cow was seen near Triangle X Ranch. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld

Winter Closure Sign: The dark shape on the left is a bull Moose. I couldn’t walk out to it because of the Winter closure for the Snake River bottom from Moose to Moran. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld

Trumpeter Swans: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld

Frosted Lattice: Interesting hoar frost on some lattice. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld

Calling Raven: This big bird was hanging around the parking area at Oxbow Bend. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld

Mt. Moran: I chose to edit this photo to show the mountain as a ghostly shape as a backdrop for the strip of trees at the west end of Oxbow Bend. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld

January 9th 2021 – Saturday

Peaks: I took this shot from the Moose-Wilson Road. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld

Snow Covered Trees: Taken from Windy Point. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld

Itty Bitty Bull: This little bull was grazing with his mother along the highway near the roundabout. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld

Itty Bitty Bull: This little bull was born sometime in late May or early June. He now has small nubs that will eventually result in larger antlers. I’ll be looking for him in about 10 years! Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld

Frosted Miller House: Miller Butte was lit, but the Miller Houses and frosted cottonwoods were still in the shadows as I drove by. The Bighorns were still high on Miller Butte. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld

January 8th 2021 – Friday

Resting Ram: I counted at least 70 Bighorns on the National Elk Refuge this afternoon. Most were feeding, but I spotted a couple of nice rams taking a break. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Resting Ram: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Number 4: I’ve only see a couple of collared Bighorns. Gosh, these are ugly! Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Box L Barn: Seen along Spring Gulch Road. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Great Horned Owl: I heard a report of a Great Gray Owl, so I headed out to find it. At it turned out, it was a Great Horned Owl. This is a fairly extreme crop, but it shows the “ears”. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

January 7th 2021 – Thursday

Streamside Moose: The Moose that have been seen recently out in the sage flats are moving back to the river bottoms. The bitter brush is being buried by the deep snow and making it too difficult to find. Their diet is changing back to small branches and twigs. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Bighorn Ram: Back on the National Elk Refuge, some of my favorite rams were close to the road. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Ram Portrait: The rams have so much character and texture. I love capturing their portraits. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Ram Portrait: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Bighorn Ram: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Bighorn Ram: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Back Yard Birds

Hairy Woodpecker: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

January 6th 2021 – Wednesday

Headed for the Gros Ventre: This bull was crossing the hayfields at Kelly and headed for the Gros Ventre River. I pulled over and got quite a few nice shots. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Headed for the Gros Ventre: In my new Feature Post! Game Over! GTNP Moose & Grizzies:, I indicated the Moose season is over and compared it to the Super Bowl. Maybe I should call this “overtime”. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Winter Bull Moose: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Winter Bull Moose: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Winter Bull Moose: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Road Crossing: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Mountain Range: Low ribbon of clouds in front of the southern Teton Range. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Mountain Range: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Bighorn at Slide Lake: I wanted to try something different this morning, so I drove out the upper Gros Ventre Road to Slide Lake. I didn’t really expect to see a lot of wildlife, but there is always a possibility of seeing deer and bighorns. It is also an area you “could” see a mountain lion. To my delight, I found around 30 bighorns. I get plenty of bighorn photos at Miller Butte, but enjoyed getting photos of them against more interesting terrain. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Bighorns at Slide Lake: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Bighorns at Slide Lake: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

January 5th 2021 – Tuesday

Cottonwoods Moose: Yesterday, I made this new Feature Post! Game Over! GTNP Moose & Grizzies: I mentioned I would still be taking photos of any additional bull Moose, if I can find them. The bull was near the roundabout, feeding on bitter brush alongside a larger bull. There was a Winter Storm Alert for overnight and this morning, but that turned out to be more of a dud than an event. There’s a lot of blue sky as I make this post at noon. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Snow Covered Moose: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Late Season Moose: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Vintage Farm Equipment: With the fresh snow, I took another shot of this subject. I removed a few distracting old fences using the clone tools in Photoshop. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Evening Bull Moose: I saw three bulls with “medium sized” antlers today. Two of them were north of Kelly.

Back Yard Birds

Bluejay: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Tripod. 

Bluejay: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Tripod. 

Female Hairy Woodpecker: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Tripod. 

January 4th 2021 – Monday

Winter Roads in JH and GTNP: Each year, I list off all of the road closures. Instead of that list this year, I created this map showing the roads that ARE open. The red dots indicate places where we are required to turn around. Click the map to see it much larger.

Alpenglow: I took this photo from Moose-Junction, aiming southwest, as the beautiful alpenglow light filled the sky. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Southern Range: This is the same peak, taken from the Windy Point area. The color of the light changes quickly each morning. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Taggart Lake Trailhead: I had hoped for a few more clouds over the Grand, but this works well enough. By the time I made it back to the highway, thin clouds began filling the sky. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Hooded Merganser: This is the first Hooded Merganser I’ve seen this year. He was milling around along Flat Creek, mixed in with several Barrow’s Golden Eyes. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Newest Feature Post! Game Over! GTNP Moose & Grizzies:

It’s like the Super Bowl...expectations and let down after the final whistle. Enjoy!

January 3rd 2021 – Sunday

Bighorns: When I went to the National Elk Refuge this morning, snow flakes were very fine or non-existent. As I upload these photos, just after lunch time, larger flakes are falling. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Bighorn Ram: I liked this ram’s expression as he approached several lambs. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Bighorn Ram and Ewe: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Bighorn Ram and Ewe: I always enjoy these fleeting shots. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Little Winter Cabin: After leaving the Refuge, I did a quick loop around South Park looking for Great Horned Owls. I didn’t find an owl, but I stopped for this interesting little shot. The ghost of Munger Mountain is in the background, with the cottonwoods of the Snake River running through the middle. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

January 2nd 2021 – Saturday

Grizzly Updates for 2021

The photo above was taken on December 29, 2020 as 399 and her four cubs headed north after leaving the National Elk Refuge. This was taken along the base of Blacktail Butte near the Climbing Rocks. Here are a few notes for spring Grizzly viewing:

• 399 went to her den on January 1st. She crossed the Pilgrim Creek bridge and continued north. She successfully held all four cubs of the year to the winter den, despite numerous highway crossings and proximity to hunters on the National Elk Refuge.
• 610 spent 2020 with her two larger cubs. Come spring, she will boot them and find a mate in 2021.
• Blondie had a single cub early in 2020, but showed up later in the year with no cub. If she found a mate, she could have a new cub or cubs in 2021.

As you can see, the cycles of the three sows are now staggered.

Young Bull Moose: This one still have antlers, though it appears his right one has been broken. I saw more than a dozen Moose along the Gros Ventre River area and in the Kelly sage flats. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Distant Moose: I took this one through a couple hundred yards of snowflakes. She was along the Gros Ventre River. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Spooked Moose: This youngster and his mother were grazing fairly close to the roadway when the park snow plow came through blasting his loud horn. Both fled the area at a high speed run. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Back Yard Birds

Hairy Woodpecker: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Tripod. 

Blue Jay: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Tripod. 

Blue Jay: Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Tripod. 

January 1st, 2021 – Friday – New Year’s Day

Remember, the first few weeks of January will resemble the last few weeks of December. Click here to see the December 2020 Daily Journal For GTNP & JH.

• Winter in the Tetons: Tips for travel and photography.
• If I Had Only One Winter Day in the Tetons:
• Snowfall and Wildlife

Bull Moose: I saw close to 20 Moose this morning! Of that group, only three of them still had antlers, and they were way out. One of them was Hoback. He broke off one of his antlers long ago and I am sure he’s wishing the other one will fall off soon. The Moose above is a bull, after losing both of his antlers. After dropping them, they are usually difficult to identify. Some have splits in their ears or distinctive scratches that might help identify them. This bull has a fairly large patch of fur missing between his eyes. I’d have to look over some of the other photos to see if I could identify him, but really, it doesn’t matter! He’s just an “anterless” Moose now! Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Bighorn Ram: I can be at the National Elk Refuge in only a “few” minutes, making it an attractive location during January. As the month begins, many of them are still in the rut. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Bighorn Ram: The Bighorns along and on Miller Butte offer some unique shooting opportunities. At times, they come down to the road. There are no “distance rules” on the Refuge, so close-up photos are fairly common, especially with a good telephoto lens. If you study, the two shots, they are of the same ram at roughly the same moment in time. I used the zoom on my Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens to get two entirely different shots (not just a crop of the first photo)! Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Historic Miller House: I grew up in Oklahoma. One of it’s native son’s, Will Rogers, is credited with saying, “If you don’t like the weather in Oklahoma, wait a minute and it’ll change.” As it turns out, he would have easily been talking about Wyoming! The mountains are a nemesis for the region’s weathermen. They get it wrong so often! When I went to bed last night, I checked the reports and saw the predictions of “partly cloudy” for all of the morning. Wrong! It was overcast, and it snowed for a part of the morning. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Historic Miller House: By afternoon, most of the clouds melted away, revealing the Teton Range. I took this photo from roughly the same spot on the Elk Refuge Road. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Kelly Wagon: Jackson Hole was originally settled by Mormon homesteaders in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Besides the Mormon Row barns and homesteads, there are still remnants of earlier times, like this wagon in the Kelly area. This year, they are still visible in early January, but they can be buried by snow in other years. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Spotted Towhee: I took the photo of this elusive bird in my back yard this morning, but they may also be seen in other areas of the valley. Eagles, Rough-legged Hawks, Cedar Waxwings, Bohemian Waxwings, Pine Grosbeaks, Ravens, Magpies, and a wide variety of other birds are possible. Trumpeter Swans and other waterfowl winter in Jackson Hole, too. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Red Squirrel: Also, remember to be willing to play “small ball” in the winter months! Watch for squirrels, ermine, badgers, porcupines, coyotes and foxes. None of them hibernate or leave the valley. Snowshoe hares are also in the valley, but are difficult to spot knowing they are white against the white snow! Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Ford Econoline: Most tourists come to Jackson Hole for the scenery and wildlife, or to ski and snowboard. Yep! But, I love photographing other subjects like this old, multi-colored Ford Econoline. I see it around the valley all the time. This morning, it was parked at Albertson’s as I stopped on my way home for a few groceries. Subjects like this allow me to experiment in Lightroom and Photoshop. Unlike most landscapes and wildlife photos, these allow for more subjective edits. On this photo, I tried out some “light leak” presets in Lightroom, along with the new “grading” panel in the updated Lightroom Classic program. Vintage effects are easily produced with the various commands. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Ford Headlight: While I was in college, I started my sign business back in Moore, Oklahoma. I bought an old SearsFord Econoline very similar to the one I photographed today. The sign business I started back then was the reason I ended up in Jackson Hole. We moved to Jackson Hole in 1986 to open Jackson Signs, a business we sold in 1995. Even though it has been 25 years, some of our signs are still around! The previous two photos simply make me smile! Grunge photos are fun to take and are much more plentiful than moose! If you like this kind of stuff, look up Old Car City, located north of Atlanta, GA. I’d love to go there! Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Great Horned Owl: This owl was tucked in deep and sleeping, but was still worth a shot. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Bull Moose: I saw close to 20 Moose this morning! Of that group, only three of them still had antlers, and they were way out. One of them was Hoback. He broke off one of his antlers long ago and I am sure he’s wishing the other one will fall off soon. The Moose above is a bull, after losing both of his antlers. After dropping them, they are usually difficult to identify. Some have splits in their ears or distinctive scratches that might help identify them. This bull has a fairly large patch of fur missing between his eyes. I’d have to look over some of the other photos to see if I could identify him, but really, it doesn’t matter! He’s just an “anterless” Moose now! Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Bighorn Ram: I can be at the National Elk Refuge in only a “few” minutes, making it an attractive location during January. As the month begins, many of them are still in the rut. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Bighorn Ram: The Bighorns along and on Miller Butte offer some unique shooting opportunities. At times, they come down to the road. There are no “distance rules” on the Refuge, so close-up photos are fairly common, especially with a good telephoto lens. If you study, the two shots, they are of the same ram at roughly the same moment in time. I used the zoom on my Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens to get two entirely different shots (not just a crop of the first photo)! Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Historic Miller House: I grew up in Oklahoma. One of it’s native son’s, Will Rogers, is credited with saying, “If you don’t like the weather in Oklahoma, wait a minute and it’ll change.” As it turns out, he would have easily been talking about Wyoming! The mountains are a nemesis for the region’s weathermen. They get it wrong so often! When I went to bed last night, I checked the reports and saw the predictions of “partly cloudy” for all of the morning. Wrong! It was overcast, and it snowed for a part of the morning. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Historic Miller House: By afternoon, most of the clouds melted away, revealing the Teton Range. I took this photo from roughly the same spot on the Elk Refuge Road. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Kelly Wagon: Jackson Hole was originally settled by Mormon homesteaders in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Besides the Mormon Row barns and homesteads, there are still remnants of earlier times, like this wagon in the Kelly area. This year, they are still visible in early January, but they can be buried by snow in other years. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Spotted Towhee: I took the photo of this elusive bird in my back yard this morning, but they may also be seen in other areas of the valley. Eagles, Rough-legged Hawks, Cedar Waxwings, Bohemian Waxwings, Pine Grosbeaks, Ravens, Magpies, and a wide variety of other birds are possible. Trumpeter Swans and other waterfowl winter in Jackson Hole, too. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Red Squirrel: Also, remember to be willing to play “small ball” in the winter months! Watch for squirrels, ermine, badgers, porcupines, coyotes and foxes. None of them hibernate or leave the valley. Snowshoe hares are also in the valley, but are difficult to spot knowing they are white against the white snow! Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Ford Econoline: Most tourists come to Jackson Hole for the scenery and wildlife, or to ski and snowboard. Yep! But, I love photographing other subjects like this old, multi-colored Ford Econoline. I see it around the valley all the time. This morning, it was parked at Albertson’s as I stopped on my way home for a few groceries. Subjects like this allow me to experiment in Lightroom and Photoshop. Unlike most landscapes and wildlife photos, these allow for more subjective edits. On this photo, I tried out some “light leak” presets in Lightroom, along with the new “grading” panel in the updated Lightroom Classic program. Vintage effects are easily produced with the various commands. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Ford Headlight: While I was in college, I started my sign business back in Moore, Oklahoma. I bought an old SearsFord Econoline very similar to the one I photographed today. The sign business I started back then was the reason I ended up in Jackson Hole. We moved to Jackson Hole in 1986 to open Jackson Signs, a business we sold in 1995. Even though it has been 25 years, some of our signs are still around! The previous two photos simply make me smile! Grunge photos are fun to take and are much more plentiful than moose! If you like this kind of stuff, look up Old Car City, located north of Atlanta, GA. I’d love to go there! Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld. 

Great Horned Owl: This owl was tucked in deep and sleeping, but was still worth a shot. Nikon D6 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, Handheld.

Goodbye 2020 : Hello 2021!

COVID-19 Notes: We’ll be hanging a new calendar now, but unfortunately the Code-19 Pandemic will not be going away any time soon.  As we kick off 2021, the Covid-19 risk factor is rated HIGH in Teton County, though there are less people in the area than during the record breaking summer and fall season. The new variants of the Covid-19 virus may affect the country this year. The state of Wyoming, Teton County, and the Town of Jackson have mask rules in effect as the year begins. Vaccines are on the way, but will likely be slow in coming.

Both Snow King Resort and the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort hosted fireworks shows to end 2020. Darla and I went to a pullout near the Miller House for some long distance shots of the event. The photo is actually a composite of roughly six photos from last night taken with a Nikon D6 and a Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens on a Really Right Stuff Tripod. The images were exported as Layers in Photoshop where I merged them into a single photo.

Besides changing calendars, January 1st is also a good day to remember to change the Copyright Info in your camera or cameras. It’s easy to do, but also easy to forget!

January Notes

Without trying to sound too negative, and if being honest, I’d have to admit that January is my least favorite month! Why? It’s cold! Days are short. Most of “my” Moose will have lost their antlers. Bears are hibernating. Many zones are closed to public entry, and many roads and turnouts are either closed or not plowed. Ouch!

But then, I live in Jackson Hole! There is still a lot of wildlife, and many of them are compressed into smaller zones. Better yet, most of the wildlife is closer to the Town of Jackson and require less driving and gas. Yes, days are short, but that also means I don’t have to get up a 4:30am to be at a good spot for sunrise. There are a few thousand Elk on the Refuge, accessible via the sleigh rides. There are 75 or so Bighorns on the Refuge along Miller Butte. Swans are in the waterways when there is open water. Wolves, Coyotes, and Foxes are possible subjects in January and February even if they are not dependable. While Mountain Goats seem to be less common in the Snake River Canyon, they are possible Winter subjects. Bison can be good subjects in Winter as they begin moving towards the National Elk Refuge. Hunters will keep pushing them back into the Park for parts of January. They look great agains the snow!

Winter landscapes can be spectacular! That’s even more so early in the morning and late in the day when shadows are long and the colors are intense and saturated. Alpenglow is a hallmark of early morning Winter photography with the sun in the south and the “glow” in the north.

So yes, I will be out shooting again this January! And, I’ll be adding photos to this page!

I renewed all of my permits and am accepting photo tours for 2021…with modifications!

Normally, I drive my tour clients around in my vehicle. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I’ve opted to offer tours by letting clients follow me in their vehicles. This allows for ample social distancing. I purchased several pairs of walkie-talkies to allow me to communicate while driving. Instead of eating inside one of the restaurants, I Creekside Market will make sandwiches to order for the day’s trip. Masks, hand sanitizer, and disinfectant wipes will be provided. If you have questions, please ask!

The goal is to keep both of us safe, yet cover most of the same areas of the park.

Photo tours help me pay bills and continue to add content to this site. Keep me in mind if you are going to be in the valley! My tours are licensed by the National Park Service and National Elk Refuge.

I offer year round photo tours in Grand Teton National Park and Winter tours in the National Elk Refuge.  Book now! Click the image for additional information.

Client Comments: “As a published and passionate photographer, I recognized Michael Jackson’s extraordinary skills as a photographer. Today I learned more about composition and creative technical ideas than I ever could have imagined.” G.S., Jackson Hole.