“December: Birth of a Winter Wonderland”
December 2, 2016 – Friday
A Few December Notes: As of December 1st, several roads and zones are closed for the Winter season. Most of them are south of the Gros Ventre River. I believe the road into Two Ocean Lake is closed, along with roads into Curtis Canyon. I should know about Schwabacher Landing tomorrow.
Miller House and Frosted Tetons: This is the time of the year the Bighorn Sheep begin to get active during their rut. Despite all of the other attractions in the valley, I keep going out hoping to find Rams squaring off. I went out early this morning, but they hadn’t come off Miller Butte. I pulled over to snap this shot to show the snow covered Teton Range, plus I liked the first light on East Gros Ventre Butte and the fog behind the historic Miller House. Nikon D810 and Nikon 70-180mm Zoom Micro lens.
Cygnets: At one point, I saw 6 degrees F on my van’s thermometer this morning. Steam was coming off Flat Creek as I captured this photo of two Cygnets. Nikon D500 and Nikon 200-500mm lens.
Elk on the Run: Taken at the Gros Ventre Junction. A mid sized herd of elk were trying to cross the highway towards the Snake River. Heavy traffic on Highway 89/191 stopped them. Nikon D500 and Nikon 200-500mm lens.
Elk on the Run: Instead, they headed north on the east side of the highway. Nikon D500 and Nikon 200-500mm lens.
Bashing Rams: Action the National Elk Refuge this morning. Nikon D500 and Nikon 200-500mm lens.
Bashing Rams: Nikon D500 and Nikon 200-500mm lens.
Bashing Rams: These were all captured at 1/1250th second at roughly F/11. Nikon D500 and Nikon 200-500mm lens.
Bashing Rams: For what it’s worth, I am still shooting in Manual Mode with Auto ISO. At 1/1600 second and F/11, ISO is still only at ISO 400 on a bright day like today. On a more cloudy day, I might drop back to 1/1000 second and F/8 or so to keep the ISO at a tolerable value on a D500. At least for my purposes, a D5 can handle much higher ISO and still look great. Nikon D500 and Nikon 200-500mm lens.
Tundra Swan Cygnet: There have been a couple of swans hanging around Flat Creek that keep to themselves and have an entirely different sound. While I could easily be wrong, I believe the two are Tundra Swan cygnets. Nikon D500 and Nikon 200-500mm lens.
Most openings are available in December. Just ask!
Teton Photo Excursions. I offer LICENSED One-On-One Photography Excursions in Grand Teton National Park and the National Elk Refuge, with emphasis on helping clients with their camera and gear. Each trip is customized based on client needs and requests. (Note: It says One-On-One, but I take two people on a trip for the same price). We find some of the best locations for scenic photography, and look for wildlife in the process. Check out some of the Client Comments. (Teton Photo Excursions is an Authorized Permittee of the National Park Service and the National Elk Refuge)
December 1, 2016 – Thursday
In December, I look forward to half a dozen subjects. Landscapes will begin to feature snow covered mountains, frosted trees, and migrating wildlife. Trumpeter Swans are usually visible and active. Bighorns are in the rut, and if I am lucky, I get a few shots of bashing rams. In the Canyon, Mountain Goats begin to show themselves close to the roads. Moose are still accessible and still have their antlers. Elk and Bison are migrating towards the National Elk Refuge and Wolves are more likely to be seen following their migration. Nikon D500 and Nikon 200-500mm lens.
Resting Bighorn: Taken on the National Elk Refuge. Nikon D500 and Nikon 200-500mm lens.
Up Close: I took this one from the window of my van. Nikon D500 and Nikon 200-500mm lens.
There are always surprises! Each year, there’s a basic ebb and flow to the seasons, but it seems something pops up unexpectedly to break up the “norm” in a favorable way. Could it be a fox, owl, badger, ermine? Weather can also trigger a better than normal cycle—or kill a dependable one. This year, Flat Creek is open to start the month and Trumpeter Swans are plentiful. Last year, the creek was frozen for much of the month, forcing the Swans to go to other open water. Typically, an anomaly lasts only a day or two, and then disappears. These unexpected and uncontrollable variables keep many photographers dedicated and interested in getting up to be out and in the wilds! Nikon D500 and Nikon 200-500mm lens.
Young Pronghorn: Speaking of surprises, I counted over 100 Pronghorns on the National Elk Refuge this afternoon. It appears they will be hanging around all winter. Nikon D500 and Nikon 200-500mm lens.
Golden Eye: Taken along Flat Creek. Nikon D500 and Nikon 200-500mm lens.
Wintering Great Blue Heron: I doubt my Florida birding friends see many Great Blue Herons on ice! I caught this one after giving up on the evening light shots of the Trumpeter Swans. This species probably qualifies as one of the pleasant surprises I mentioned earlier. Nikon D500 and Nikon 200-500mm lens.
Sunset Heron: Last shot to post for the first day of December. Not a bad day! Nikon D500 and Nikon 200-500mm lens.
Throughout the month, I’ll be adding photos regularly to this page, so check in as often as you can. For now, you can check out November 2016 Daily Journal of Photos & Comments for Grand Teton National Park & JH. The beginning week or so of December should look a lot like the last week in November!
Teton Textures: In case you’ve never visited this site, check it out! I just added this image “Coat of Many Colors” to the site. Most of the images on Best of the Tetons are “straight photos”, with only the normal hue and saturation, color balance, contrast, and cropping adjustments. Images on Teton Textures feature multiple layers, textures, and a variety of artistic effects. Most of the posts there will have at least some basic explanation of how you might accomplish similar results. Check it out!
Lastly, please let your friends know about this site. If you haven’t already signed up to follow Best of the Tetons, now’s a great time!
*Cyber Week Deals* Check out the 10 Free Photoshop Plugins at Auto FX. The specials end tomorrow. You can also download the full version of Mystical Ultimate Effects Gen2 and use it for 15 days for free. At the end of the 15 day trial, you still get to use the Lighting Effects program for free. The Cyber Week deals offer 50% off all programs, and even more on bundles. I already own their packages, but thought people here might be interested in the programs and free offers.
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