Mother Nature is an unparalleled designer! Imagine how many snowflakes fall in Wyoming during any particular storm. Then consider that no two snowflakes are the same! Aaaaamaging!
At this time of the year, if temperatures drop low enough, creeks, streams, and lakes freeze over. Early winter a great time to take an hour or two and capture what Mother Nature offers up. As I mentioned earlier, she’s amazing! Like the snowflakes, there is no end to the possibilities. Later in the winter, snow will cover the creeks, and unfortunately, hide the little design gems for the rest of the season. With that said, Mother Nature simply reloads and delivers a new set of winter gems like mounds of snow, icicles, and tree trunks coated on one side with heavy, wet snow.
Mother Nature’s design skills are always on full display for anyone willing to stop and explore. In reality, Mother Nature’s designs are everywhere—in every state and in every season. Many photographers drive or fly long distances to see our mountains, lakes and wildlife, but great subjects are everywhere.
You might enjoy the work of Freeman Patterson—author of many photography books on learning to see the opportunities. Click Here to see a selection of his books available on Amazon. I have quite a few of his books. My favorite is probably “Photographing the World Around You”, but all of them are very good.
For this page, I limited my scope to subjects with frozen water, rocks, bubbles, and late fall leaves. Again, opportunities are everywhere. There is a portion of Freeman’s book where he explains how he dropped everything to photograph the iridescent colors of an oil slick on his driveway.
Mother Nature does all of the “heavy lifting”. A photographer simply has to “see” and then photograph small chunks of the “real estate”. Unlike most landscapes and wildlife photos, a photographer can move around the subject for a pleasing composition. In other words, there isn’t an up or down. Additionally, it’s difficult to say there is a right or wrong!
Interestingly, all of these icy subjects have a very short life. They are here today, and possibly gone today! Gone today, but, if it freezes again, they are back tomorrow in an entirely new configuration. Mother Natures goes back to the “drawing board” each night.
As an “artist/photographer”, we are not confined to a lot of rules, but they DO come in handy. For example, repetition, harmony and balance are principles of design. Same for gradation and variation. I liked the repetion of the warm blues and the overall texture in this photo.
A “broken pattern” is often more interesting than a consistent pattern. In other words, this photo might have been okay if there were six leaves equally spaced, but the unexpected shape of the exposed rock draws your eye there. Conventional wisdom might suggest your eyes would be drawn to the shapes with the color.
Over the years, I’ve been around a lot of woodcarvers.You might ask on of them how they did it, and they’ll reply, “Well, I start with a big log, then carve away anything that didn’t look like a bear!” Similarly, Mother Nature creates the scenes. All I do is crop away the rest of the big world into a small rectangle.
Some of the images on this page contain “literal” subjects. In other words, you see the subject is a group of leaves, or a single leaf. Other images are totally abstract designs. A viewer might have to decipher the image, or maybe not be able to figure out exactly what it is at all. When viewed as a group, as on this page, the clues are supplied.
I took several shots of the ice texture, then included one with a captured leaf. Rich morning light adds to any photo.
Hoar frost can form on objects after a little overnight fog. Without the hoar frost, this would be an ordinary leaf. The holes in the leaf make it more interesting, and the soft background texture adds to the capture. Most artists would also notice the complimentary (opposite colors on a color wheel) in this shot. Blue and orange are complimentary colors, along with red/green and purple/yellow. Tertiary colors also have a corresponding complementary colors.
Colors are also broken into warm and cool colors, or hues. Each hue can have varying degrees of saturation and luminance. The mystery object in the lower right adds a touch of warmth to an otherwise cool image.
I found a treasure chest of textures and subjects in this little stream. I liked the variety in the leaves, the moody light shapes, and the ice texture in this one.
One of my college art professors might suggest this one is “busy”. Another might like it because it has a lot of movement and variety. The image gives a viewer plenty of reasons to keep studying it.
This one is more simple,but still offers plenty of data and a lot of variety of textures.
“Simplicity is the key to good design”. A lot is said in this image with only four leaves and a rock.
There is a lot of freedom in shots like the ones on this page. As I mentioned earlier, there is no up or down, or left and right. I could easily rotate around my chosen slice of the creek bottom. About the only technical issue would be to shoot the image so my shadow didn’t cause problems.
This photo is essentially the same as the previous capture. I just rotated over the subject. I chose to let the main diagonal fracture run diagonally (more pleasing to me), or I could have turned to run it either vertical or horizontal. A artist would tell you it “just looks better”, but my college professors would tell us why!
Of the group, this image feels a little more “experimental” than the rest.The leaves flow in from the upper left, looking a lot like they are actually floating above the ice. The lower right is in the shadows, adding unexpected variety. I chose to leave the tidbit of a leaf in the upper right. When I look at the image, my eyes move around a lot, roaming up to the upper right but not off the page. The diagonal line does a good job of pulling me back to the leaves near the middle.
I have to ask myself if I would like this one better without the crack on the left side? If I thought it was a distraction, I could clone it out, but I think I like it.
I found numerous rocks in the stream that were partially exposed, but gravitated to the ones with a captured leaf.
Earlier in the year, I photographed some leaves submerged in Cottonwood Creek. They looked interesting at the time, but when I viewed them on my computer, they just looked like blurry leaves. Lesson learned! In the photos above, the exposed portion of the rock and the exposed leaf explain what is going on with the layers of ice and submerged leaves.
I might have preferred one more leaf in this one.Remember the “rule of odds”! One is better than two, three is better than two or four, and so forth. Other than for making a point on this page, I would probably delete this one.
I liked the variety of textures in this one. It also has good eye movement. When isolated from the group, it might take a viewer a minute to decipher it.
When I first noticed, this subject, it was still in shadows. I returned to it just as the sun was glancing across the frozen stems of ice.
Two leaves, a shadow, and some ice. How simple can that be! Still, this one tells a story about the transitions of the seasons..
Comments and Considerations
A couple of days ago, I photographed 1200 pound moose crossing a stream. While taking those photos, I made a mental note to go back for some winter detail photos. Even though I own a macro lens and a tripod with an extension arm to help me get overhead, I opted to use my Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-400mm lens, and instead of setting up every shot on a tripod, I hand held the photos. Most of the images were captured at 1/320th second to 1/500th second. My previous experiences with that lens and body combination were always very good, so I felt confident for these images. The lens focuses amazingly close—even at 400mm on a 1.5 crop body!
Not everyone, especially wildlife purists, will like images like the ones on this Feature Page. I get it on “some” level. I spent 45 minutes or so taking one of the sets of the photos for this page. Interestingly, when I made it back to the truck on the second day, I saw a beautiful bull Moose cross the road near my truck. I changed bodies and lenses and headed back with my tripod for another hour of wildlife photos. Most of photography is “timing”, right? If I hadn’t stopped to “smell the flowers”, I would have missed him. A wildlife photographer might suggest that if I hadn’t “wasted” a couple of hours taking ice photos, I might have found other wildlife subjects somewhere else. Yes, I get it on some level, but I LIKE taking these!
For this page, I took hundreds of ice, rocks, and leaves photos over a period of two days. I could have easily taken hundreds more! I processed a lot more that could have made it onto this page, too. It’s difficult to suggest that any or all of the images on this page would make good “wall hangers” as an isolated image. I might print a grouping of them and cluster them together on a wall to add some context. Additionally, small photos like these make great images for anyone creating a coffee table book or doing an article on winter travel or winter photography.
I had a friend and photographer, Gary Pumplin. Unfortunately, he passed away a few years ago and I miss him a lot. I used to tell Gary, “I went all Freeman Patterson today”. He knew exactly what I meant, and usually got a smile out of it.
I have numerous tour openings available in November and December!
The 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. Seasons are changing! 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
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
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Antler Arch: The Jackson Town Square was lit up Friday evening. I took this photo early this morning as I was heading out of town. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Moose Bull: I spotted a lot of Moose this morning but only had a minute or two with one close enough for photos. This one bedded down shortly after I got there. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Bighorn Ram: There were a couple of mid sized rams on Miller Butte when I was there. Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Magpie: Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Bighorn Ram: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
I have numerous tour openings available in December!
The 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. Seasons are changing! 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
November 29th, 2019 – Black Friday
Sparring Bull Moose: It snowed off and on all day, including the time when three bulls were close to the road. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Sparring Moose: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Bull Moose: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Trumpeter Swans: Captured along Flat Creek. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Bighorn Ram: This ram is not as big as the one I saw a few days ago but he’s showing some rut behavior. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
November 28th, 2019 – Thursday – Thanksgiving
Moose Covered in Snow: Well, it looks and feels a lot more like Thanksgiving! I got out for a couple of hours this morning. Snow is now covering much of the valley and offering up some unique photography for people willing to get out into the wilds. This bull was out in the sagebrush, then made a quick move towards the river bottom. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Moose Covered in Snow: I got lucky…he stopped and looked back at me for a few seconds. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
TA Moulton Barn: Taken along Mormon Row. The road won’t be open that much longer, so I like to get my shots when I can. Antelope Flats Road will remain open until after the Elk Hunt in mid December. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Wagon Wheels: I usually go out looking for wildlife first, but then fill in my day with other subjects like this old wagon along Mormon Row. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Remnant Wildflowers: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Wagon Wheel:Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Sparring Thanksgiving Moose: This pair of bulls were sparring along the Moose-Wilson Road. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Winter Bull Moose: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Bull Moose: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Thanksgiving: My wife has been working hard preparing a meal for around 23 people this year! I might be able to get a new photo, but opted to repurpose a Thanksgiving 2017 photo.
November 27th, 2019 – Wednesday
Steamy and Foggy Moose: I like “bad weather”! This bull was in the steam from the Kelly Warm Springs along with light snow. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Moody River Bottom: I stopped along the Gros Ventre Road for this three or four shot stitched pano. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Historic Miller House: I take this shot several times a year in a variety of weather conditions. I was checking the National Elk Refuge for new Bighorns, but didn’t see them early this morning. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Trumpeter Swans: I did a little “classic soft focus” on this shot taken along Flat Creek. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Herd of Moose: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
November 26th, 2019 – Tuesday
Notes, Comments, and Tidbits
The access road to Schwabacher Landing is now CLOSED!
The access road to Deadmans’s Bar is now CLOSED!
The restroom along Mormon Row is now LOCKED. Use the restroom at the Kelly Warm Springs!
There will be a Lighting Ceremony at the Jackson Town Square Friday evening.
There are hunters in GTNP, but elk are not moving towards the Refuge yet. I haven’t been hearing gun shots.
Bison are still around Elk Ranch Flats, but have been on the mountains and not in the flats.
I haven’t heard any sightings of Great Gray Owls in a long time.
Shoshone: A great day in the Park! Lots of Moose, numerous landscapes, and a nice Bighorn Ram! This bull was part of 10 Moose seen near the Gros Ventre Road. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Shoshone and Laramie: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Sparring Bulls: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Lip Curl: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Lip Curl: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Shane Cabin Pano with Low Clouds: Nikon D5 and Nikon 24-70mm Lens, Handheld.
Window View: This is a “stacked image” from two captures. One was focused on the logs and the second one was focused on the Grand. Nikon D5 and Nikon 24-70mm Lens, Handheld.
East Boundary Road Pano: Nikon D5 and Nikon 24-70mm Lens, Handheld.
Tetons Clouds: Taken near Elk Ranch Flats. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Elk Ranch Cabins: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Chimney: Also taken at the old Elk Ranch Dude Ranch. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Frost: At one time, my truck read 3° F this morning. Yes, it was cold until the sun cleared the ridges. The cold temperatures create unique frost crystals and the low cloud bank over the valley floor. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Bighorn Ram: This is the largest Ram I’ve seen on the National Elk Refuge so far this year. I expect a lot more as this week’s snow rolls through the valley. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Bighorn Ram: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
November 25th, 2019 – Monday
We received a little snow overnight. I had hoped the sagebrush would be covered with the white stuff, but the sage flats received only a dusting.
Moose Choir Practice: This morning, there were six bulls clustered together for a little sparring. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Moose Sparring: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Bull Moose: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Shoshone: After a fairly long hike through the sagebrush, I got a few photos before he bedded down.Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Shoshone: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Hooded Merganser: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
November 24th, 2019 – Sunday
Sunrise Pano: Another beautiful morning in Jackson Hole! Throughout the day, additional clouds rolled in in anticipation of a new Winter storm. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Sunrise Pano: Gotta love the clouds! Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Sunrise and Kelly Ditch: You can see at least three bulls in the distance. Most people I know are anxious for some snow on the valley floor now. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Bull Moose and the Distant Range: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Bull Moose and the Distant Range: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Bull Moose: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Red Dog: Wow! It’s November 24th and there were at least two red colored bison calves at Elk Ranch Flats. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Bison Rut: Wow #2! Traditionally, the bison rut happens in August, but this bull was still courting a cow today. I guess this activity this late in the year will result in a late calf next year. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Bison Bull: It appears the bulk of the Bison are staying much farther north this year. I would expect them to move south, but after several years of being hunted on rthe National Elk Refuge, they aren’t in any hurry to move south. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
November 23rd, 2019 – Saturday
Snake River Overlook Under the Milky Way: Skies were clear at sunset Friday night, so I did a quick run to Snake River Overlook for some star shots. My Sigma 24mm, F1.4 lens seems to be sharper at the top than the bottom. Right now, I have a piece of gaffer’s tape holding the focus in place, but it looks like I need to adjust it some. I’ve had pretty good luck shooting it a F/1.4, but will stop it down a tad next time. Nikon D5 and Sigma 14mm Art Lens, Tripod.
Snake River Overlook Under the Milky Way: Generally speaking, the Milky Way is sprawling diagonally across the valley floor, and mostly directly overhead. Nikon D5 and Sigma Art 14mm Lens, Tripod.
Schwabacher Landing under the Stars: Nikon D5 and Sigma Art 14mm Lens, Tripod.
November 22nd, 2019 – Friday
Trio of Bull Elk: This one was taken along Spring Gulch Road, long before the sun came up, at ISO 12,800. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Frosted Bison: Seen near the Golf and Tennis Club. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Bull Moose: I saw over 25 Moose this morning. This one was near the Moose-Wilson Road. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Low Cloud Bank: Of course, taken of the John Moulton Barn from Antelope Flats Road. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Tree, Homestead, Tetons: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Hooded Merganser: Taken along Flat Creek. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Hooded Merganser: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Snow King Snow Maker: Temperatures dropped to around 15 degrees this morning. Both Snow King and JH Mountain Resort are both blowing snow in preparation of the upcoming ski season. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Weather: If things go well, we may get actual snow all week! It’s time!
November 21st, 2019 – Thursday
First Light at Schwabacher Landing: I had clouds as I was driving to the parking lot, but they disappeared as I was setting up. Still nice, but not as dramatic as I had hoped. We had some snow in town overnight and I hoped it would have snowed even more in the Park. Nikon D850 and Nikon 24-70mm Lens, Tripod.
Barrows Golden Eyes: There were a few moose and elk tracks at Schwabacher Landing, along with a few Mallard Ducks and Barrows Golden Eyes in the ponds. I later went to the Kelly area where I saw a cluster of around 8 or 9 bulls, but they were around 200 yards out. There were another scattered bulls. I left there to look for other opportunities. These Barrows Golden Eyes were along Flat Creek. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Barrows Golden Eye: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
November 20th, 2019 – Wednesday
American Dipper in the Snake River: (Also known as Water Ouzel) Overnight we captured Raccoon #15. I took it about 8 miles south of town to release it near the Snake River. I saw this elusive little bird feeding along the Snake River. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
American Dipper in the Snake River: This little bluebird size birds are able to dive and disappear into the water where they feed on the bugs on the river bottom. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
“American Dippers live almost solely on rushing, unpolluted waters and can be found in mountain, coastal, or even desert streams of the West. Dippers forage in streams with rocky bottoms, and they use streams with overhanging banks for cover and nesting locations. American Dippers don’t migrate south, though they may move to larger, unfrozen rivers in winter or follow insect hatches in spring or summer.”
November 19th, 2019 – Tuesday
Hooded Merganser: This is another Merganser I took a couple of days ago along Flat Creek. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
I worked in front of the computer most of the day today. I updated this site’s software, checked on some options for selling metal prints, and culled a couple of folders of images. Throw in an hour or so on tech support, and much of the day was shot!
I received an email from Paul Gore in Bozeman, letting me know they are having an “outbreak of Bluejays” this year. Dave, my fishing buddy let me know he had one in his yard and I saw and heard one fly overhead yesterday. I put out some seeds and peanuts this afternoon, but other than a few Chickadees, it was quiet. The weather reports suggests some snow off and on in the coming week. I’m ready for snow, just to change the face of the valley.
November 18th, 2019 – Monday
Schwabacher Landing: Early morning with Mt. Moran as a backdrop. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Mt. Moran: I used the Sigma 60-600mm lens for both Schwabacher Landing photos above. The 60mm wide end of that lens makes it almost an “all-in-one” landscape/wildlife lens. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
John Moulton Homestead: I took a similar photo from Antelope Flats a few days ago. I included the entire homestead in this one. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Mt. Moran: I don’t believe this is one of the bulls I have been seeing over the past month or so. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
New Moose: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
November 17th, 2019 – Sunday
Bull Moose: Wow! I saw a lot of moose this morning! They were scattered all over the sage flats north of Kelly. I watched this bull for quite a while, waiting for him to raise his head for a quick shot. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Trumpeter Swans: I wish I had an extra minute to be ready for these two Trumpeters. I drove up, saw them getting ready to fly, but took off at about the time I opened the door. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Ice, Leaves, and Rocks: These opportunities won’t last all winter, so I stopped for a few more photos. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Ice and Leaves: I shot with a wide open leaves and at an angle to them to end up with a shallow depth of field. It’s a different look than the “straight down” shots I took a while back.
Ice: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Mormon Row Details: The Elk Reduction Program (Elk Hunt) will continue until around mid-December. The Park Service will close a 2.5 mile section of Antelope Flats Road and eliminate vehicle access to Moron Row soon after the hunt. For now, It’s still open. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Bailing Wire: A detail along Mormon Row. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
November 16th, 2019 – Saturday
Hooded Merganser: I spotted three of these beautiful ducks a few days ago, and finally had a chance to photograph one today. He was on Flat Creek. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Trumpeter Swans: Also spotted on Flat Creek. There are quite a few species of Ducks and even a few Muskrats. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Sleeping Indian: I liked being able to include a couple of Swans in this landscape photo. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Sludge: Earlier in the morning, I saw large snowflakes falling out my office window. I packed up and headed to the National Elk Refuge hoping to catch a few Bighorns in the falling snow. When I came up empty on the Bighorns, I headed back through town and north to Flat Creek. This sludge, from the Refuge Road, was on the side of my truck. I love capturing this kind of texture, both as a single photo and for possible uses on composite images. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
November 15th, 2019 – Friday
I spent morning yesterday at Granite Falls. Last night, I created a short video about my tripdown there and posted it on Instagram in my IGTV panel. Here’s the link:
Granite Falls Details: Another photo from yesterday. It was captured in Aperture priority at ISO 100, 1/8th Second, F/13—of course on a sturdy tripod. I included a map to the Falls at the end of the video. I used my new Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens on yesterday’s shoot. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Worth noting: The JH region is quiet in November, but Granite Creek and Granite Falls is almost is almost deserted! I didn’t see a single vehicle on the 9 mile section of gravel road, or a single other person all morning.
Grizzly 610 and Cubs: Another photo from yesterday afternoon. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Grizzly Sow 610: The trio of Grizzlies were “grubbing” in an area just off the road. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Grizzly 610’s Cub: Looks like this little bruin is ready for winter! Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Seed Cleaner Pulley: Darla and I went to Idaho Falls today for some “around the house” shopping. On the way back, I stopped again in Ririe, ID and took this photo from an old “seed cleaner”. Unfortunately, it has been sold and won’t be around much longer. The piece of equipment reminds me of a Rube Goldberg machine. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Granite Falls: I took Macey down to Granite Falls today for a morning shoot. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Granite Creek: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Granite Falls: I probably took enough photos for a new Feature Post, along with enough video for a new Instagram video. I’ll work on that tonight. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Grizzly 610 and Cub: Today was the first time I’ve photographed 610 and her cubs all year! The cubs are fairly large and very plump. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Swan in Gold: Taken along Flat Creek late in the day. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
November 13th, 2019 – Wednesday
Murphy Barn and the Big Cottonwood: I was up early to photograph the setting full moon, but a few large clouds covered the Grand. I didn’t take a single photo of the event. I took this photo along Antelope Flats Road as the first light skipped across the valley floor. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Early Morning Pronghorns: Taken in the fields north of Kelly. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Shoshone in Rusty Bushes and Golden Grass: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Shoshone: Seen feeding on aquatic vegetation along the Gros Ventre. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Great Horned Owl: This beautiful raptor was in the forest next to the Gros Ventre River. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Shoshone on the Move: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
November 12th, 2019 – Tuesday
Blacktail Ponds Overlook: I went to this spot early, hoping for a nice bank of clouds behind the Teton Range. It looked promising originally, but the morning clouds thinned at about the time the sun was starting to hit the range. On some days, the thin clouds I see as I am driving north get even thicker and more impressive…so it is always a gamble. Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-400mm G2 Lens, Tripod.
Morning Sparring: Eye to eye with two nice bulls seen near Kelly. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
The “Cowboy Walk”: Notice the angled antlers, down ears, and though you can’t see in a still photo, slow approach between two equal sized bulls. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Refreshments: This is at the outlet ditch from the Kelly Warm Springs. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Stream Crossing: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Oxbow Bend with Frozen Water: A quick shot showing the status at Oxbow. I’ve heard of a couple seeing River Otters there last week. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Bald Eagle: Spotted along the Snake River near Pacific Creek. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Mystery Clouds Over the Tetons: There were quite a few twisted and woven clouds over JH this afternoon. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Sunset Pano: Stitched from three horizontal captures late in the evening. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
I am still downloading two other cards, but these photos should give you a good idea of the possibilities from today!
November 11th, 2019 – Monday
Curtis Canyon: I did a quick buzz out to the National Elk Refuge and took this mid-day shot of the rocks at Curtis Canyon. I didn’t see any Bighorns. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Raven: Some low life threw a bag of fast food leftovers along the road on the National Elk Refuge, attracting a variety of scavengers, including this Raven. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
And a few Black-billed Magpies:Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Trumpeter Swan: It seems today was mostly a “feathered” subject day! I took this shot along Flat Creek.Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Hooded Mergansers: November is a good Waterfowl month. I spotted three pairs of Hooded Mergansers and was lucky enough to be ready when two of the males took off. My shutter speed was 1/1250th second. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Hooded Merganser: Along with Harlequin Ducks and Mandarin Ducks, Hooded Mergansers are some of my favorite ducks to photograph. Nice to know a few are around again this year! Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
November 10th, 2019 – Sunday
South Teton Range: The Grand had a cloud covering the tip, so when the light hit the peaks, I concentrated on the other peaks. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Wagon Wheel: One of the deteriorating wagons at the edge of Kelly. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Cow and Calf: The big bulls were either hiding, resting, or too far out today. I found quite a few cows and calves, along with a few smaller bulls. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Cow and Two Calves: The mother Moose has two calves of the year. Their legs are long enough to maneuver the deep sagebrush and upcoming snow. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Little Bull: There is a very good chance I am photographing some of the biggest bulls now that I photographed when they were only newborns 15 years ago! Hopefully, I’ll be around to see this one mature, too! Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Bighorn Ewe and Young Ram: I checked out the National Elk Refuge after lunch time and found a couple of Bighorns near the road. There should be more as snow covers the mountains between now and Thanksgiving. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Young Bighorn Ram: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
November 9th, 2019 – Saturday
Freemont: I had planned on going south today, but ended up looking around Kelly. I saw a bunch of Pronghorns and a few Mule Deer, plus quite a few Moose. There were also a LOT of hunters out this morning. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Bitter Brush: This isn’t a “wall hanger”, but I included it today to show the light colored Sagebrush and the darker Bitter Brush they are feeding on right now. I haven’t been hiking around the river bottoms lately, but I don’t believe they are using them as much. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Trumpeter Swans: Taken along Flat Creek. The warmer after temperatures have melted most of the ice and they are resting along the bank. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Cattails: The back light and random patters attracted me today. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Mountain Ash: At some point in the Winter, I hope to catch Bohemian and Cedar Waxwings feeding on these berries. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Mountain Ash: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
November 8th, 2019 – Friday
Golden Willows: I took a few “studio shots” today, then went out late in the day for some landscapes. This well lit circular cluster of Golden Willows caught my eye as I was driving up Spring Gulch Road. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Hansen Homestead: I guess it was a Golden Willows sort of a day. I liked the way they stood out against the dark background. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Box L Ranch: The Teton Range was in shadows, but some of the farm lands were still lit. I’ve always liked this old barn. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Supreme Pizza: This is one of the photos I took here in my office just before lunch. I did the photos quick so I could polish off the pizza while it was hot!
Pizza Setup: This is an iPhone photo of the setup. The variable temp LED light was shot through a 12 pane window onto the still life. The D500 and Tamron 18-400mm lens was supported over the subject using a heavy duty tripod and an extension arm. The shot was processed in Lightroom and Photoshop.
November 7th, 2019 – Thursday
Ice and Leaves: If you are fly fisherman, you’d know that if you had a great day one day, the odds are very good you’ll be back at the same place the next day. You’d probably also know it seldom repeats. Yesterday, I had a great day photographing Moose, taking around 2500 images. This morning, I went back and saw a few Moose, but non of them were close enough to photograph. I took some time and found a few more creek bottom photo, this time backing up a little for a slightly different look. Nikon D500 and Tamron 180-400 mm Lens, Handheld.
Ice, Leaves, and Rock: Nikon D500 and Tamron 180-400 mm Lens, Handheld.
Ice and Leaves: After a few warm afternoons, some of the creek had thawed, then froze over again last night. This created some cavities of interest. Nikon D500 and Tamron 180-400 mm Lens, Handheld.
Ice Patterns: I processed this one as a Black and White image. I like the texture, details and movement.
Ice Patterns: Nikon D500 and Tamron 180-400 mm Lens, Handheld.
This new page is loaded with seasonal subjects with ice, leaves, and stones. Click the link above or the photo below!
Dark Cash Register: A friend gave me a few suggestions for an interesting technique. I tried it this afternoon on a photo I took years ago.
Cash Register: The vintage cash register was in a museum in Montepelier, ID. I used it as the starting point for the previous image.
November 6th, 2019 – Wednesday
I was milling around on B&H’s site and see the announcement of a new Nikon D6. They didn’t have specs, but are taking pre-orders.
Morning Tetons: Taken from the highway as I was headed north. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Trio of Bulls: I took over 2500 images of Moose this morning! Light was beautiful and several of the nicer bulls were close to the road. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Slim Jim: This bull crossed, then backtracked to the other bulls. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Slim Jim Lip Curl: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Slim Jim and Mountains: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Slim Jim and Southern Mountains: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Freemont: I photographed this beautiful bull several days ago. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Freemont and Slim Jim: Sparring is fairly common between bulls now. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
It’s a great time to be in the Tetons!
November 5th, 2019 – Tuesday
Software News
If you are an Adobe Creative Cloud subscriber, you might have noticed some new update notices. Check out this “What’s New in Photoshop 2020” YouTube video. The AI (Artificial Intelligence) selection features look they are going to make life much easier for making tough selection.
Lightroom Classic also received an updatewhich requires converting your catalog to a new catalog. Mine seems to have converted flawlessly. “What’s New in Lightroom Classic” One of the features appears to be a form of Content Aware to fill in open edges of a stitched Panoramic Image.
This morning, I headed down the Snake River Canyon anticipating finding Mountain Goats. They were out yesterday…so why not go down. They were no where to be seen! To kill some time, I drove south to Star Valley and took a lot of photos of barns, homesteads, and textures. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
There are a lot of Raptors in Star Valley, including Eagles, Harriers, & Hawks. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Star Valley Barn: As it turned out, I took around 500 images, all with the D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Instead of filling up this page with photos from today, I have a brand new Feature Post ready to upload. It has at least 20 photos and a lot of comments. Sign up to follow Best of the Tetons with the subscription form below!
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November 4th, 2019 – Monday
The Old Homestead: Okay…I like this one a lot! I had to wait for the right clouds and a thin band of light to hit the trees and structures, but it was worth it. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Shoshone!: I’ve seen this bull feeding in the sagebrush flats off and on over the past week, but finally decided to go back to him for a few captures. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Shoshone: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Slim Jim: When possible, I like to photograph bulls in the river bottoms. Even though the background is a bit busy, it is still more interesting to me. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Slim Jim: I can identify this bull by the fork on his right brow time. Otherwise, his paddles are very narrow. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Slim Jim and a Sparring Partner: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
November 3rd, 2019 – Sunday
Bannock and Slim Jim: At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I checked the weather report last night. The forecast was for clear skies. NOPE! It was cloudy. I switched the Sigma Sport 60-600mm back to my D5 for the better high ISO. I probably saw a dozen moose today, but concentrated on three bulls. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Bannock and Slim Jim: Regular readers at Best of the Tetons probably already know I prefer a zoom lens for most of my shooting. The photos on today’s entry illustrate why. The zoom allows me to work tight on a single moose, or pull back and get two or more in one shot. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Bannock: It’s not always possible, but I prefer to catch the bulls with their ears facing forward. This bull has a very distinctive dewlap. If you scroll down to yesterday’s bull, Freemont, you’ll notice he has a bell, but no dewlap. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Bannock and Slim Jim: The other bull I photographed was one I saw in the Fall at Blacktail Butte. He has a scruffy left ear. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Ice Bank: It wasn’t as cold today as it has been for the past few mornings. Still, ice is continuing to build on some streams. Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-400mm Lens, Handheld.
You might enjoy this four or five minute video I created today. I went all “gadget geek” in this one, showing some the specialty tools I use on some days.
Trapped Leaves: This is the photo I spent the most time on in the video. Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-400mm Lens, Tripod.
This new page is loaded with seasonal subjects with ice, leaves, and stones. Click the link above or the photo below!
Sunrise Range: I was up early again today. Clouds were almost no existent over the Grand, but were beginning to flow in farther south on the Teton Range at first light. Worth a shot! Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Freemont 2019: I believe this is the same bull I called Freemont last year. Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Freemont 2018: While they are still maturing, the bulls add an extra tine or two. Besides the lack of a dewlap, these two photos show very similar antlers. Each year, I add the name in the keywords in Lightroom, making it easy to find them in my catalog from year to year. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600mm G2 Lens, Tripod.
Freemont and the Grand: The photos from this morning illustrate why I like zoom lenses! Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Freemont and Cow/Calf: Opportunistic bulls are still open to finding a cow still in season. Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Lip Curl: Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Alert Bull: Moose aren’t hunted inside Grand Teton National Park, but they are still leery of any sounds or movement. Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Mother Nature’s Wintery Masterpieces: I am still working on a new Feature Post featuring ice, snow, rocks and interesting textures. Sign up to follow Best of the Tetons and be one of the first to receive a notification of the post!
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November 1st, 2019 – Friday
Sage Green Bling: Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
November is a GREAT month to photograph Moose!This morning, November 1st, I counted at least 27 of them! They are on the tail end of the rut, but bulls still court the cows.. Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Moose and Mt. Moran: Moose are moving from the river bottoms and onto the sage flats, making them much easier to spot. Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Sizing Up: These two bulls were doing the “cowboy walk” as they approached each other. The smaller one knew he was overmatched. Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Sizing Up: Bannock is one of the larger two or three bulls in the valley. Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Tripod.
Mother Nature’s Abstracts: Nikon D500 and Tamron 180-400 mm Lens, Handheld.
Temperatures have been hovering close to zero degrees Fon many mornings. That’s typical for much of November. Additional snow storms will frost the mountains and valley floor. The freezing cold captures fall leaves, at least temporarily, in area streams. I took several hundred similar images and should be making a Feature Post for them soon! Sign up to receive an email notification of this and all new Feature Posts.
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Trumpeter Swans: November is a great month to photograph Trumpeter Swans. At one point, there may be 150 or more along Flat Creek. Right now, there 30-40 or so. Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Trumpeter Swans: This shot was taken with morning back light. Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Trumpeter Swan: I spend most of my time waiting for a Swan to stretch its wings, fight with other Swans, or catch them flying, taking off or landing. (Action or interaction) Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Lone Elk: The Elk Reduction Program inside Grand Teton National Park begins tomorrow. This smart bull beat the hunters and made it to the Refuge a day early. This is not the best of photos, but it documents the first bull I’ve seen on the Refuge this year. As the month progresses, I can expect others. Additionally, some of the Grizzlies will be hearing hunter’s gun shots and moving towards the gut piles. I heard someone say they saw a Gray Wolf at the Kelly Warm Springs yesterday. They will be following the Elk as they migrate towards the Refuge. Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Bighorn Lamb: In early November, Bighorns make their way to the National Elk Refuge. By late November, some of the Rams will be bashing heads prior to, and during the rut. Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens, Handheld.
Other November Photographic Opportunities
The photos on this initial entry were all taken today! I had to get back to teach a class, so I didn’t have a chance to stay out as long as I might have wanted.
November is an other “sleeper month”…meaning it is a GREAT month that most people neglect. There aren’t many rangers around, and most of them are busy with keeping an eye on hunters. If you came here in the summer and felt pushed around by the crowds and Wildlife Brigade Volunteers, November is your month!
Yesterday, I photographed a Badger on the National Elk Refuge. They do not hibernate, so watch for them. Short-tailed Weasels will be turning white soon. Pine Martins also hunt all winter. Watch for Wolves and Coyotes about anywhere in the Park. Great Horned and Gray Gray Owls have been seen more this year than in the last couple of years. Most of the Great Grays have been farther north. Owls will become easier to spot now that most of the leaves have fallen. Elk and Deer should be visible throughout all of November. Bison won’t be heading to the Elk Refuge anytime soon, so watch for them in the Park. A few Mountain Goats have been coming down to the highway in the Snake River Canyon already. Expect Bald Eagles to show up in numbers soon. Eagles will be around the hunt zone, also looking for the gut piles. Ravens, crows, and Magpies will be looking for an easy meal. A few Northern Harriers and a few Red-tailed Hawks may still be seen in November.
Snow is already covering the Teton Range.The middle sections of the Moose-Wilson Road and Teton Park Road are closed to vehicle travel for the winter. Antelope Flats Road should remain open until the middle of December. I believe Schwabacher Landing will remain open for a little while longer. There is no hunting in that area of the river bottom anymore. The middle section of Mormon Row will probably close tomorrow (beginning of the hunt). Access to Curtis Canyon and upper Flat Creek is still open. The bike path along US Highway 89 and 191 is closed next to the National Elk Refuge. All campgrounds and most facilities inside GTNP are closed. Dornan’s will close on November 3rd and will reopen around Thanksgiving. Fill up with gas and bring your own food if heading into the Park. Access to the Mormon Row historic cabins and homesteads is still available through all of November and about half of December.
Fall Back on November 3rd! Days will be the same length, but we’ll be getting an extra hour of sleep. Unfortunately, our days will be done much sooner! November is a good month for night time Milky Way shots.
As always, you can view any of the Daily Journals for the past five + years. Check out the last few years of November Journals!
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 fall. MJ
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Happy Halloween! Here are a couple of archived Feature Posts!
Mt. Moran:I had planned on going to String Lake if clouds were in the forecast, however weather reports called for clear skies. I stayed home until the clouds started rolling in. I went there because this is the last day of vehicle access to the middle section of the Teton Park Road…sometimes called the Inner Park Loop Road. Nikon D850 and Nikon 24-70mm Lens, Handheld.
Frozen String Lake and Mt. Moran: There is still a thin ribbon of open water in String Lake, but it is mostly frozen. The area will reopen on May 1st. Nikon D850 and Nikon 24-70mm Lens, Handheld.
Mt. Moran: Nikon D850 and Nikon 24-70mm Lens, Handheld.
Mt. Moran and String Lake Pano: Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens,Handheld.
Ice Patterns: Taken at String Lake. Nikon D850 and Nikon 24-70mm Lens, Handheld.
Feathery Ice Clump: Nikon D850 and Nikon 24-70mm Lens, Handheld.
Moose on Ice: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 Lens, Handheld.
Moose On Ice: These big boys have a lot of trouble slipping across a frozen stream. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 Lens, Handheld.
Trumpeter Swan: There are quite a few wild Trumpeters along Flat Creek now! Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 Lens, Handheld.
October 30th, 2019 – Wednesday
Hey! Today and tomorrow are the last two days to access the middle sections of Moose-Wilson Road and Teton Park Road (Inner Park Loop Road).
The Elk Reduction Program begins this Saturday! Hint: Be prepared to wear hunter orange in the hunt zones.
McKenna Pro Metallic Print Sale: (Ends Tomorrow) Buy 2 Get 1 Free 12×18 Metal Prints: Promo Code M1218: “Photographers and their customers alike love our vibrant metal prints. This October buy 2 get 1 12×18 metal print for free! We use high-heat technology and ChromaLuxe metal to create luminous prints with glossy, semi-gloss, metallic, or matte finish.” I ordered 15 prints this morning along with some non-sale panos.
Badger and Ground Squirrel: I went out to the National Elk Refuge to check on the Bighorns. I saw a few initially, but they were way too far out. I drove on through the Refuge and spotted a Badger carrying around a Uinta Ground Squirrel. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 Lens, Handheld.
Badger and Ground Squirrel: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 Lens, Handheld.
Bighorn Lamb: When I drove back through, Bighorns were near the road. I counted 23 of them. The only large ram in the group had already crossed the road and was working his way up the butte. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 Lens, Handheld.
Bighorn Lamb: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 Lens, Handheld.
October 29th, 2019 – Tuesday
LensAlign: Okay…I’m a wimp! When I woke up this morning, it reminded me of a Quaker Oats commercial with low temperatures, snow flying, and wind howling. I stayed home and tried to keep warm. Later in the morning, FedEX delivered my Tamron 150-600mm G2 lens. I sent it in for service at the Tamron Service Center. The paperwork mentioned they had cleaned it, replaced a couple of parts, and calibrated it. I waited until the wind died down a little and made initial adjustments with the lens on my D5. Normally, I’d AF Fine tune my Nikon D850 and Nikon D500 at the same time, but didn’t want to brave the north wind any longer.
Trumpeter Swan: I did a quick run over to the Boyle’s Hill Swan Pond to test it out on something with either feathers or fur. The Wetlands Society guy was there so I asked him a few questions. A few wild Swans are moving into the valley already. He said that normally starts after the first week of November. There are 13 captive breeders at the pond right now. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 Lens, Handheld.
Elk Herd: Most years, there is a herd of Elk hanging around west of town. I saw them on my way to Boyle’s Hill, but they were bedded down. I went back to find them up and moving around. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 Lens, Handheld.
Elk Cows: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 Lens, Handheld.
Elk Bulls: I didn’t see any huge bulls, but there were a couple of nice ones along the back edge of the herd. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 Lens, Handheld.
Elk: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 Lens, Handheld.
Other Wildlife: I heard Grizzly 399 was seen on Sunday. I also heard of a few more sightings of Bighorns on the National Elk Refuge.
I have numerous openings available in November and December!
I offer year round photo tours in Grand Teton National Park. Seasons are changing! 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
October 28th, 2019 – Monday
Schwabacher Landing Pano: In can either blame or credit my wife for this photo. I had to get up at 5:00 am to take her to the airport. I decided to stay out and get a few morning shots instead of heading back home to catch the last hour or so of sleep. It was a nice morning! Nikon D850 and Nikon 70-24mm Lens, Tripod.
I mentioned it was a nice morning, but it was also very cold! My truck thermometer read 1ºF when I was taking the early morning shots. I created this video for Instagram which talks about taking photos in the cold. Check it out!
Schwabacher Landing: Nikon D850 and Nikon 70-24mm Lens, Tripod.
The Bull and Buck Mountain: Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Bull Moose: This bull was along the East Boundary Road…that’s great because I didn’t really want to hike too far from the truck today! Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Yesterday afternoon, I noticed it was snowing heavily in town so I jumped in the truck and headed into the park. I had hoped to find moose with heavy snow falling. When I found the moose, it was snowing “lightly” with gusty wind. It was a day most people would have preferred sitting in front of a TV watching college football. The photo below was taken while trying to do the short video I posted on Instagram. I have to admit, I’d much rather be on the back side of a camera than IN the lens of a camera, but maybe I am getting into it a little now. The videos on Instagram are not professionally produced…just me and my iPhone! You see the photos here, but these little clips give you an insight on how they were taken.
Slim Jim: Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
I drove down the Canyon today hoping to photograph a few Mountain Goats, and hoping there would be a layer of snow on the ground. I made the drive but didn’t see a single goat.
I like to challenge myself to take at least a couple of photos each day so I poked around the little town of Alpine.
Catch As Catch Can: Definition: “The best one can do with whatever is available; by whatever means or in any way possible. Catch as catch can is used as an adjective used to describe using whatever methods or materials are available.” Well…that’s what I did today! Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Caboose Details: I don’t think there ever was a railroad in Alpine, but one of the saloons down there has a caboose next to it. I doubt the people that designed and manufactured these elements ever thought anyone would ever consider them photo worthy but I see the art in their efforts. Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Wagon: I stopped at Hoback Junction to take a photo of this old wagon. I’ve photographed it in other years, but usually when it is covered with snow. Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Wagon: Instagram seems to work best with squares. I’ve been “seeing squares” a lot more lately. Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
This new page has lots of Moose photos, including some I never posted. Click the link above or the photo below!
Great Horned Owl: I have been working on a new Feature Post about Shoshone (my favorite moose). Sign up to follow this site to get a notification! This owl was in a cottonwood tree south of Jackson. Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Red Leaves: These leaves were in a small bush near the Great Horned Owl. Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
October 25th, 2019 – Friday
Bull Moose: I received a notice they Mountain Goats were out early, but decided to go for Moose again today. Good call! I found seven or more bulls and numerous cows along the Gros Ventre. Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Bull Moose with Mt. Moran Backdrop: I put my Nikon D850 on the Sigma lens today. Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Lip Curl: Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
On the Sage Flats: I only needed 210mm for this shot, but like the option to spread out to 60mm if needed. I sent my Tamron 150-600mm lens in to Tamron Service to get it cleaned and tuned up. The shipping was $27 and they pay to send it back. There was no charge for the cleaning and new collar. Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
On the Sage Flats: Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Bull Moose: Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Backlit Bull: Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Wigeons: I stopped at the pond north of the Visitor’s Center on my way home. This group of ducks found an opening in the frozen pond. Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Cattails: Also photographed at the pond. Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
October 24th, 2019 – Thursday
Mountain Goat: Kerry Singleton let me know she has been seeing a few Mountain Goats showing up in the Snake River Canyon. I drove down this morning and found three nannies and one kid. This one was taken while everything was still in shadows. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Mountain Goat: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Mountain Goat Nanny: Right now, two of the three nannies were nice and white with their new winter fur. One was already a bit scruffy. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Mountain Goat: Given the choice, I would prefer to photograph Mountain Goats with a layer of snow and on the rocky faces. Snow is in the forecast for Saturday night. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Mountain Goat: A few Bighorn Sheep have been seen on Miller Butte on the National Elk Refuge already. I am looking forward to good photo opportunities this year for both! Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
This page contains a lot of information, including maps, for finding the Mountain Goats. Also, don’t forget this site’s Search tool. It can be found either in the right navigation bar (on a desktop computer) or at the bottom of each page if on a smart phone or pad.
Mountain Goat Country: Mountain Goats were introduced in this area. Some of them have made their way into Grand Teton National Park where a program has been announced to eradicate them. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Miller House: This shot was still in my camera from yesterday afternoon. I was checking to see if I could find any of the Bighorns there. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
October 23rd, 2019 – Wednesday
Sparring Bull Moose: Lots of Moose photos today! Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Shoshone: It was great to see this big bull again today. I found five bulls and two cows. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Shoshone: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Sparring Bull Moose: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Shoshone: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Bison Bull: A nice sized herd of Bison were scattered on both sides of Mormon Row. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Bison Bull: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Rolling Bison Bull: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Rolling Calf: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Irrigation Ditch: I took this one at the TA Moulton Barn during a short break in the clouds. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Peach House: A few seconds of light on the John Moulton Homestead. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Chambers Homestead: This is a “stacked” focus image, created from two photos. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Today, I obtained my Winter permit to guide on the National Elk Refuge this year!
I have numerous openings available in October and November!
I offer year round photo tours in Grand Teton National Park. Seasons are changing! 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
October 22nd, 2019 – Tuesday
Moose – Slim Jim: I did a quick run into the Park. Thick clouds made for dark shots at slow shutter speeds. This bull was cross the Gros Ventre Road near the roundabout. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Pronghorns: I was just thinking I hadn’t been seeing many Pronghorns lately…then saw this small herd in the sage flats north of Kelly. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Pronghorn Trio: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Ring-necked Duck: I spotted a few Buffleheads along Flat Creek, so I stopped to check them out. They flew off before I had a chance to get a good image. This Ring-necked Duck was swimming by so I snapped off a few of him. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Great Horned Owl: This owl was tucked into a willow tree. Besides the fact it was sleeping, I couldn’t find a clean shot. I think of these kinds of captures as “record shots”. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
I was only out for two hours…finding a few subjects, but none of them were “portfolio quality” images. Still, I was out and I gave myself a “chance” to capture something better than something I already have.
October 21st, 2019 – Monday
Note: These Moose photos were taken Sunday afternoon, then processed and uploaded for Monday’s post.
Resting Moose in the Snow: Tip!!!!! If you shoot during a snow storm, shoot a lot of photos! Often, a flake will be covering the eye of an animal. It helps to be able to choose one with a clear eye or eyes. This photo was taken hand held at 1/50th second. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Snow King in Snow Storm: This one was taken at 1/80th second. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Snow King and Cow: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Cow Moose in Light Snow: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Snow King Lip Curl: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Snow King: This is a beautiful Moose! Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Snow King: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Antique Clock: This group isn’t really a Tetons set, but kept me busy this afternoon. I kept walking by this beautiful old clock and thinking it deserved a few photos. Nikon D850 and Nikon 80-200mm Zoom Micro Lens, Tripod.
Clock Cherub: These images were captured with a vintage Nikon 80-200 zoom micro lens. Nikon D850 and Nikon 80-200mm Zoom Micro Lens, Tripod.
Clock Face: A Nikon D850 has built in software to capture “stacks” of images, but in this case, I liked the idea of having out of focus areas on each side. This was a single shot capture at 3 seconds, F/9, and ISO 100. I turned on the 3 second shutter delay, too. Nikon D850 and Nikon 80-200mm Zoom Micro Lens, Tripod.
October 20th, 2019 – Sunday
Bannock: Taken from the Highway near Antelope Flats Road. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
TA Moulton Barn: It occurred to me today that I have been taking all of my photos lately with my Nikon D5. This morning, with the new layer of snow, I put the new Sigman 60-600mm lens on my Nikon D850 to give it a test drive. Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
TA Moulton Barn: The extra 90mm on the short end of this lens makes it a strong “all-in-one” landscape/wildlife lens! Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Peach House: It also works great as landscape lens at long distances. I shot this one from Antelope Flats Road. Notice the leaves still on the aspens as late as October 20th! Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Moulton Barn Outhouse: Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Moulton Barn Outhouse: Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
John Moulton Homestead Barns: Telephoto lenses allow me to “see” shots differently. Today’s fresh layer of snow helped make each shot more interesting. Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Murphy Homestead: This is a handheld four shot Pano set shot with the Sigma 60-600mm Lens, stitched in Lightroom. Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Bison Bulls: Ahhh! A more traditional use of a telephoto lens! It took this photo along Mormon Row Road. Nikon D850 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
October 19th, 2019 – Saturday
Bull Moose – Snow King: I was lucky to spot this bull, early this morning. He finally moved to an area I could shot without too many distractions. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Bull Moose -Snow King: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Bull Moose – Snow King: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Bull Moose – Snow King: This bull is hanging around in town. I’ve heard of a couple of Black Bears around town and even a Mountain Lion. I woke up in the night a couple of nights ago to see a Raccoon in the back yard. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
October 18th, 2019 – Friday
Moods of the Morning: I looked for the bull Moose this morning, then switched gears and found a few moody landscapes. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Moods of the Morning: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Moods of the Morning: The Grand was covered with clouds, so I concentrated on some of the other peaks. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Moods of the Morning: This group of images was taken along Spring Gulch Road. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Moods of the Morning: Several of the barns and structures at the Box L Ranch on Spring Gulch Road. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Red and Orange Leaves: After the Spring Gulch landscapes, I drove around looking for the bull Moose again. Along the way, I stopped to record a few splashes of color. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Mountain Ash Berries: If I am lucky, Bohemian and Cedar Waxwings will find these berries at some point during the winter. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Grunge Wheel: I spotted an old GMC truck along one of the side streets and took a couple of “grunge” photos using the new lens. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
GMC Truck Grill: These two shots were taken handheld at slow shutter speeds with the image stabilization turned on. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
October 17th, 2019 – Thursday
OMG! I took close to 4000 images today!
Snow King: Yesterday, my wife let me know about a “big” bull moose in our neighborhood. I rushed home, but he had already moved into the recesses of the area. This morning, I stayed home. He was back! When I took this shot, I had no idea if I would see him again. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod
Streaking Aspens: While killing time, I did a few of these streaking aspens photos. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod
Local Moose Cow and Calf: The bull spent part of the morning looking for this cow and calf. I waited for a while, but apparently didn’t stay long enough! When I returned, the big bull I named “Snow King” was resting in the spot where the cow and calf had been earlier. Very cool! Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod
Snow King Resting: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod
Snow King Crossing Flat Creek: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod
Snow King: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod
Snow King: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod
This is a very solid looking mature bull. I’d like to see him side by side with Shoshone to be able to say whether one looks largest. It probably won’t happen knowing there are roughly 17-20 miles from each other. It’s not uncommon to see a cow and calf in my neighborhood in the winter, but it’s much less common to see a bull of any size.
Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens Notes: In short…I like it! I mentioned earlier that the space it tight between the front of my lens and the collar when using my Wimberley Sidekick. I ordered a new Wimberley Gimbal head and used it yesterday and today. When I removed the Area-Swiss Z-1 Ball Head and Wimberley Sidekick and replaced it on the tripod, it added roughly a half pound. The Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens is a little more than 1.5 lbs more than my Tamron 150-600mm G2 lens. When everything is assembled, I am now carrying around an extra 2 pounds. Last evening, I carried the gear over 2 miles and I can honestly say, my back paid the price! Otherwise, I am getting used to the reverse twist zoom I am used to on my Nikon and Tamron lenses.
October 16th, 2019 – Wednesday
Old Patriarch Tree Pano: Just a quick reminder that the Teton Park Road will close at the end of the month between the Taggart Lake Trail Head and Signal Mountain Lodge. This includes vehicular access to Jenny Lake, String Lake, and areas like BarBC, RKO Road, and the Old Patriarch Tree. I hiked out to the Patriarch Tree this morning. Nikon D850 andNikon 24-70 Lens, Tripod
Old Patriarch Tree and Moon: Nikon D850 andNikon 24-70 Lens, Tripod
White-breasted Nuthatch: The Wimberley WH-200 Gimbal Head II arrived yesterday. I took it out to the back yard for a few shots. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod
White-breasted Nuthatch: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod
Shoshone: This is a group of photos I took late last evening. I looked through them and processed a few before heading to bed. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod
Fall Rut: Shoshone and one of the cows in the area. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod
Shoshone: This angle shows Shoshone’s imposing brow tines. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod
Lip Curl: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod
Afternoon Drink: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod
Afternoon Drink: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod
Evening in the Willows: Moose are spending more time feeding on bitter brush lately. The willows along the river are thinning out now. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod
October 15th, 2019 – Tuesday
Shoshone: It was nice to get back out into the Park this morning! That’s easy to say when I managed to find my favorite bull Moose…Shoshone! Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Moose Cows: When two cows get close to each other, their ears go back on their neck. It’s a sign they both recognize as “stay back”. Occasionally, they’ll rear up on their back legs in an attempt to strike the other cow with their hooves. The cow on the left backed off and the confrontation ended with no damages. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Moose Rut: It might be six or seven years before this smaller bull will really have a chance to mate with a cow, but at this age, they already know the drill. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Moose Rut: Cows seldom let a small bull mate with them. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Lip Curl: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Firecracker and Shoshone: This is why I love Moose! A couple of days ago, the smaller bull above had bedded down in the sage when one of the smaller bulls pestered him until he had to get up to confront the smaller “challenger”. Today, Firecracker did the same thing to a resting Shoshone. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Firecracker and Shoshone: Firecracker was persistent enough to finally force Shoshone up. After a brief “stare down”, Firecracker retreated and both bedded down for the morning. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Pronghorn Buck: Similar to the smaller bulls, young pronghorns have little chance to mate or build a harem of does. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Pronghorn Buck: Instead, they hang around the edges hoping to peel off a doe. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
October 14th, 2019 – Monday – Columbus Day
Clark’s Nutcracker: Instead of driving into the Park this morning, I opted to stay home, get some paperwork done, and take a few photos in the back yard. It’s a good time to practice and test the new lens, too. There are at least two Clark’s Nutcrackers in the area and they are quick to find peanuts I put out for them. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Clark’s Nutcracker: These birds have little interest in sunflower seeds or fruit, but will eat the suet I put out for the Flickers and Woodpeckers. If given a choice, they’ll concentrate on the peanuts until they are depleted. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Clark’s Nutcracker: Over the years, I’ve had as many as 15 Clark’s Nutcrackers in my yard at one time. They seem very intelligent. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Black-billed Magpie: I saw a few Yellow-billed Magpies while in California a few years ago. Those birds never look quite right to me! Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Black-billed Magpie: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Northern Flicker: In just a short period of time, I had quite a variety of birds visiting my back yard. A male Downey Woodpecker hung around the edges, but never seemed willing to put up all of the traffic. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
If you like the smaller birds,check out these earlier Feature Posts:
Smoky Mountains— Jackson Hole Style: Late in the afternoon, I headed south to look for Owls and spotted this interesting scene. There are a few controlled burns going on right now, and apparently adding a little extra haze to the mountains. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Great Horned Owl: I found this female fairly high in a cottonwood tree. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
October 13th, 2019 – Sunday
Park Facilities are Shutting Down for the Winter!
By the end of the day, many of the facilities inside Grand Teton National Park will be closed. You should still be able to buy gas at some of the automated pumps, but don’t expect to find many open stores. The one exception is the privately owned restaurant and store at Dornan’s. (It will close on November 3rd). Some of the rest rooms will still be serviced, but be prepared otherwise. The only other “cafe” in the region is at the Heart 6 Ranch along the Buffalo Valley Road. The convenience store on the road to Togwotee Mtn is usually open in the winter, but their food services are closed for the season.
The cones and brown stakes have been removed on the Moose-Wilson Roadand all Wildlife Brigade Volunteers are gone. Rangers will still be patrolling the Park.
Also, the section of the Teton Park Road between Taggart Lake trail head and Signal Mountain and the middle section of the Moose-Wilson Road will close at midnight on October 31st. Antelope Flats Road will be open through about the middle of December. All campgrounds inside Grand Teton National Park are closed for the rest of the winter.
In short, “plan ahead” and bring your own food, snacks, and have a full tank of gas if heading into the Park.
Sparring Bull Moose: I saw 15-20 moose today. They were more scattered, however. These two were sparring after feeding for about an hour. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Antler Envy: This was another test day for the Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens. I like it! Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Frosted Leaves: Temperatures have been dropping to around 12°-17° F in the morning. It’s a good time to capture a few morning details. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
TA Moulton Barn: This is a “stacked” image. I focused on the close grass on the first shot, then on the barn for the second image. They were merged into a single image in Photoshop. I took these images at 60mm on the Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens, handheld with their image stabilization turned on. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
TA Moulton Barn: This one was shot with the Sigma lens, captured as a two shot pano. You can see the status of the cottonwoods along Mormon Row in this photo. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Grunge Gears: I shot this photo with the Sigma lens “wide open” to let the background soften. I could have image stacked this one, too. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Grunge Spring: All of these “grungy” images were taken at the Chambers Homestead along Mormon Row. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Hay Hook: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Grunge Pulley: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Changing Aspens: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
White-breasted Nuthatch: I haven’t been feeding the birds in my back yard all summer, but filled the depleted feeders today. I set up the tripod and took a few photos. Besides this White-breasted Nuthatch, I saw a Red-breasted Nuthatch. Both species of Chickadees were active on the sunflower feeders. Clark’s Nutcrackers were around along with Black-billed Magpies. I am fairly sure I heard a Bluejay. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
October 12th, 2019 – Saturday
Moose Bulls: Watch for Moose in the sagebrush feeding on bitter brush as their summer food sources dry up. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Young Bull Moose: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Moose Cow and Calf: Crossing the Gros Ventre River. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Moose Cow and Calf: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Moose Calf: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Moose Cow: Pausing for a drink. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Pronghorn Buck: I went back out this afternoon, starting at the National Elk Refuge. I heard of a few Bighorns showing up at Miller Butte, but I didn’t spot any. I heard there was a bull near the Gros Ventre Road, so I went there. Unfortunately, he was bedded down when I got there. This Pronghorn was seen near Kelly. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Sleeping Indian and Rising Moon: I was in the right place at the right time, however the moon actually came up 20-30 minutes too late. When the moon finally did come up, it was too dark and the moon was a bleached out white ball. This is a composite consisting of a shot of the mountain at the right time, a placeholder image showing where the moon cleared the mountain and to establish the correct size, and a properly exposed version of just the moon. It’s not that uncommon to see an image where the photographer composited an image with a moon two or three times the correct size—and even put a moon into a scene that simply couldn’t have a moon there. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
October 11th, 2019 – Friday
Firecracker: My primary goal today was to get some “fur and feathers” in a few shots to try out the new Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens. Found a few! Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Lip Curl: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Laramie and Mount Moran: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Laramie Against Gold: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Moose Trio Sparring: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Bison Bull with Cowbirds: Seen near Mormon Row. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Great Gray Owl: I’ve been “north” several times looking for Great Grays and came up empty. Today, I got lucky and stumbled upon one. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Great Gray Owl: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Great Gray Owl: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
Sigma Sport 60-600mm Lens Comments
I shot most of the images todayat F/6.3 (wide open) at roughly 600mm. Most people suggest stopping down one stop, but I wanted to use it the way I typically use it in low light. It seemed plenty sharp in those cases. This was also the first day I used a tripod. Over all these years, I’ve used a Wimberley Sidekick to hold my telephoto lenses (I never owned a heavy prime 500mm or 600mm lens). I discovered this morning that the space between the front of the camera body and the back of the collar is barely large enough for my fingers. It is workable, but slightly annoying. I didn’t really have it in the budget, but I ordered a Wimberly Full Gimbal head. I looked at all of the different full gimbal options, and ended up spending the extra money for the industry standard device. It should be here on Tuesday. I bought the lens from B&H, knowing they offer the option to return it for any reason. After using this one for a few days, I doubt it will be going back!
Duck: I am not sure what kind of duck this is…it’s a diver. I photographed it along Flat Creek. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Great Horned Owl: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Tripod.
October 10th, 2019 – Thursday
Lots of Photos Today!
Hoback Canyon Highway: Yesterday, I picked up a new Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens at FedEx. Today, I gave it a good workout. The extra 90mm on this lens makes it a great all-around tool! Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Windmill: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Bald Eagle: Taken at around 90 yards in the Hoback Canyon. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Corrals and Barn: I drove up the Gros Ventre for a few more photos. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Red Hills: The upper Gros Ventre River flows into Slide Lake. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Red Hills: Most of the leaves on the aspens in this area had fallen, but the snow on the red hills made it well worth the trip. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Red Hills: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Red Hills: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Murphy Barn: Captured as a band of light hit the house and barn on the north end of Mormon Row. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Tipi: Seen north of Antelope Flats Road. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Tipi: I took a lot of photos today at long distances and at 600mm. Some of the long distance shots had some thermal shimmers, but that would be the case with any lens in the same situation. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Macey: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
The Sigma Sport 60-600mm performed well today! It weighs a little more than a pound and a half more than my Tamron 150-600mm lens. That’s noticeable but generally tolerable. Any Nikon user will notice the zoom twists opposite their other Nikon and Tamron lenses. It includes the Area-Swiss grooves in the collar, same as the Tamron lens. It comes with a case, unlike the Tamron. The collar is MUCH smoother than the Tamron (actually that’s lousy on the Tamron…one of my biggest gripes). It seems plenty responsive, but I didn’t have any chances for birds in flight. This lens covers the same zoom range as my Nikon 70-200mm lens, but it’s an F/2.8 where this lens is F/4 at 60mm and F/6.3 at the 600mm end of the zoom. I shot a lot of today’s photos at F/9, but need to take a good sampling at F/6.3 knowing I use the lenses early in the morning when there isn’t much light.
October 9th, 2019 – Wednesday
Moose in Snow: I love “bad weather”! It started snowing this morning, prompting me to zip into the Park. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Tripod.
Moose in Snow: The rut is still on…not affected at all by the early season snow. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Tripod.
Moose in Snow: If your camera is having trouble focusing in the snow, try “group”. It seems to grab the moose more than the flakes, if they are not too thick. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Tripod.
Moose in the Gros Ventre: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Tripod.
River Crossing: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Tripod.
River Crossing: I took close to 4000 images of Moose this morning! A large percentage of them will get culled, but I should have a couple hundred keepers. My keeper ratio is usually higher during a river crossing. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Tripod.
Melody Ranch: Color is still good south of town. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Munger Mountain: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
October 8th, 2019 – Tuesday
First Clouds: I often stop to take this photo when clouds look interesting over the Tetons. The spot is south of Blacktail Butte along the Gros Ventre Road. I looked for Moose initially. I found four or five cows and one young bull, but opted to look for landscape and foliage opportunities. Nikon D850 and Nikon 70-200 Lens, Handheld.
Early Light at Ditch Creek: I posted this photo on the Foliage Report: September/October 2019 Foliage Reports. Nikon D850 and Nikon 70-200 Lens, Handheld.
Motion Blur!: Nikon D850 and Nikon 70-200 Lens,Tripod.
I posted this short tutorial on Instagramonly a few minutes ago and it already has 155 likes. Check it out and Follow Best of the Tetons on Instagram.
Great Horned Owl: I’ve been having good luck finding a couple of Great Horned Owls lately. Others have seen Great Gray Owls in GTNP, but of course, they are seldom in the same area from day to day. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Handheld.
TA Moulton Barn: Yellow leaves are adding color to the ground at the Barns. The cottonwoods on Mormon Row will not be prime for another few days. Nikon D850 and Nikon 70-200 Lens, Handheld.
Macey: A few of the readers at Best of the Tetons got to see Macey when she was only 8 weeks old. She has been growing fast!…now weighing over 55 lbs and showing more of her Golden Retriever characteristics. I took her with me today and let her run in the National Forest. Nikon D850 and Nikon 70-200 Lens, Handheld.
Red-tailed Hawk: I spent part of my day driving around some of the side roads near town. I spotted this Hawk near one of the barns I was photographing. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Handheld.
Red Barn: This shot shows a variety of stages of foliage around the valley. It is a good time to revisit familiar subjects like this barn in South Park. The rolls of hay give this shot a nice balance and more or less “time stamps” the image. I’ll shoot it again when it is covered in snow! Nikon D850 and Nikon 70-200 Lens, Handheld.
Bridge Over Flat Creek: Trees in town are a combination of prime, past prime, and pre-prime. This bridge is only a few blocks from my house. Nikon D850 and Nikon 70-200 Lens, Tripod.
October 7th, 2019 – Monday
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Moose-Wilson Road to Close Tuesday Night for Grading Operation
The unpaved section of the Moose-Wilson Road in Grand Teton National Park will be temporarily closed for road grading beginning at 8 p.m. Tuesday, October 8 and will reopen by 6 a.m. Wednesday, October 9. If the road maintenance work is not completed during this one night, the road will also be closed the following night during the same timeframe.
Closure Notes:
The Jackson Lake Lodge closed a few days ago.
Signal Mountain Lodge will close on October 13.
All in-park campgrounds will be closed on October 11.
The Teton Park Road and part of the Moose-Wilson Road will close on October 31st.
Dornan’s should be open for all of October. The Buffalo Valley Cafe at Heart 6 Ranch should be open most of the winter.
Bull Elk: Seen along the Teton Park Road early this morning. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Tripod.
Elk Herd: This group as fairly far off the road into String Lake. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Tripod.
Red-tailed Hawk: Captured on my way up Togwotee Pass. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Handheld.
Fall Barn: Aspens are still bright in most area along the highway to the top of Togwotee Pass. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Tripod.
Grizzly: Well…I saw one! Felicia and Pepper were 200-300 yards off the highway on this record shot. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Handheld.
Togwotee Pass Pano: Snow makes this shot so much more interesting! The sky was “bluebird” clear all day. I’d prefer at least a few thin clouds.
Brooks Falls: The small stream leaving Brooks Lake creates this wonderful waterfalls along Togwotee Pass. Nikon D850 and Nikon 70-200 Lens, Handheld.
Turpin Meadows Pano: Turpin Meadows is at the far upper end of the Buffalo Valley Road. Nikon D850 and Nikon 70-200 Lens, Handheld.
Pronghorn Does: Taken near Elk Ranch Flats. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Handheld.
Pronghorn Buck: Also at Elk Ranch Flats. The Bison were too far out for photos. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Handheld.
October 6th, 2019 – Saturday
Bull Moose Portrait: I found two nice bulls near the Gros Ventre this morning. Yesterday morning was a landscape morning, while today was a good moose morning! Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Tripod.
Stream Crossing: Similar sized bull, but seen crossing the Gros Ventre. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Tripod.
Stream Crossing: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Tripod.
October 5th, 2019 – Saturday
Slide Lake: Is some of you “favorite locations” are not working out, check out other opportunities. With the Tetons covered with clouds, I headed “up the Gros Ventre” this morning. Color is great there! Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Handheld.
Slide Lake: After uploading today’s photos and comments, I hope to be able to work on an Instagram Video about this area. Check there later. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Handheld.
Jumping Rocks: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Handheld.
Gros Ventre Slide: Aspens sprinkled in the slide area. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Handheld.
Mallard Duck: I took a few photos of aspens on Snow King Mountain, then stopped for a shot of this Mallard Duck tucked into the shadows along Flat Creek. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Handheld.
October 4th, 2019 – Friday
Alpenglow: Click this panoramic image to see it much larger! This was stitched from several vertical captures. Nikon D850 and Nikon 70-200 Lens, Tripod.
Oxbow Overlook Pano: Nikon D850 and Nikon 70-200 Lens, Tripod.
Spread Creek and Tetons: This scene near Spread Creek is still a few days away from prime, but it looks good now! Nikon D850 and Nikon 70-200 Lens, Tripod.
Oxbow Bend Corner: Nikon D850 and Nikon 70-200 Lens, Tripod.
Cottonwood Creek: Taken near Jenny Lake. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Handheld.
Cottonwood Creek: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Handheld.
Keep an eye on the September/October 2019 Foliage Reports. I have been adding to that page for several weeks, and should continue to do so until around the middle of October.
October 3rd, 2019 – Thursday
Alpenglow Pano: Click this image to see it much larger. Taken from Ditch Creek Road.
Aspens and Tetons: Taken near Spread Creek.
Teton Range: Taken near Elk Ranch Flats.
Ice Detail: It was 23° in the Tetons this morning. Puddles were frozen solid…including this detail.
Hedrick Pond Overlook:
Bison and Coyote: Taken at Elk Ranch Flats.
Five Bison: Seen at Elk Ranch Flats.
Corral Detail: Taken at the John Moulton Barn.
Young Bull Moose: Seen near the GV Roundabout.
October 2nd, 2019 – Wednesday
Sparring Young Moose: I took numerous nice shots of these two sparring. I’ll post just a couple. They were in the sage flats north of Kelly. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Handheld.
Sparring Young Moose: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Handheld.
Young Bull Moose: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Handheld.
Two Ocean Lake Aspens Pano: Aspens in some areas are absolutely stunning! Watch the Foliage Reports 2019 for updates and additional photos. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Handheld.
Buck Mule Deer: Seen near Signal Mountain Lodge. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Handheld.
Pronghorn Buck: Captured near Elk Ranch Flats. Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Handheld.
October 1st, 2019 – Tuesday
Teton Sunrise: Click this image to see it much larger!Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-400 G2 Lens, Handheld.
Welcome to October!
This is a particularly good year!Recent snow storms dusted the Tetons just in time for peak foliage!
Oxbow Bend Hillside: Nikon D500 and Tamron 18-400 G2 Lens, Handheld.
Oxbow Bend begins the month at Prime Foliage! Get there soon or miss it…but if you do, there are plenty of other zones with great color.
Keep an eye on the September/October 2019 Foliage Reports. I have been adding to that page for several weeks, and should continue to do so until around the middle of October.
Shoshone: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Handheld.
Moose are in the rut! They are a feature subject in September, along with Elk. Moose are along the Gros Ventre, along the Snake River, and in the willows around Willow Flats and Two Ocean Lake. Elk are mostly around the base of the mountains and in forested areas.
Teton Morning: Stitched Pano. Click this image to see it much larger!Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Handheld.
Moose are feeding on fresh willow leaves in the river bottoms and bitter brush mixed in with the sagebrush.
Many beginning photographers yearn for long telephoto lenses to fill their frame with a single animal. We’ve all been there! But…you might eventually find that your favorite photos are ones with a smaller animal in a larger landscape. Zoom lenses can be used for both, of course.
Teton Sunrise: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Handheld.
Bison Pair in Gold: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Handheld.
Bison and Pronghorns are currently hanging around Elk Ranch Flats and in the river bottoms along the Snake. Pronghorns are scattered all over the valley floor and appear to be in the rut.
Great Horned Owl: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Handheld.
Keep a keen eye out for Great Horned Owls and Great Gray Owls. GGOs have been seen in several areas of the park lately.
Great Horned Owl: Nikon D5 and Tamron 150-600 G2 Lens, Handheld.
Oxbow Bend Upper Parking Lot:
Foliage is good right now in many areas. The cottonwoods near the Mormon Row Barns will be prime later in October. Don’t forget to pay attention to smaller subjects like leaves and berries. Watch for dew coated spider webs, rain soaked pine bows and cones.
Other Wildlife: Several of the area’s Grizzlies have been seen around Willow Flats, Pilgrim Creek, Pacific Creek and so forth. Black Bears are still feeding along the Moose-Wilson Road, but be prepared for heavy handed wildlife volunteers, large sections of closed or no-stopping, cones and barriers. Photography along that road is tough to impossible now. Foxes, Badgers, Coyotes and other critters are still in the area.
Teton Park Road: Remember, the Inner Park Loop Road closes on October 31st. If you want photos at String Lake, Leigh Lake, Jenny Lake, Taggart Lake, Bradley Lake and so forth, you have only one month to access them. The Moose-Wilson Road will also close at the end of the month.
Weather: Expect cold mornings and crisp afternoons. Remember, “bad weather” can be “good weather” for photography! As the month begins, sunrise is at 7:20 am and sunset is at 7:04pm.
During September, I’ll work on two pages simultaneously. This September Foliage 2019 post will contain more specific information about the ever changing foliage status in the area. The September 2019 Daily Journal for JH and GTNP page will contain some foliage information, but will focus more on wildlife and landscapes. You’ll want to go to both regularly.
Click this link to find a variety of Feature Post from earlier years!
Foliage Scale 2019
Note: Peak Fall foliage is not a one day event! It evolves over several weeks. Some areas go first, then lose leaves while others are just beginning. You should be able to find colorful foliage anytime from around the 10th of September to the first week in October.
Click the link above to view an informative page written by the US Forest Service
October 20th, 2019 – Sunday
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Still color in some of the willows!
Interestingly, many of the aspen leaves and cottonwood leaves along Mormon Row are hanging onto the branches. They are burnt orange and didn’t turn bright yellow this year.
October 17th, 2019 – Thursday
Aspens: For most of Grand Teton National Park, I’d say the foliage season is over. For town, there are quite a few aspens worth attention.
I am not sure about the scientific botany, but many of the aspens and cottonwoods turned either rusty brown or dark brown this year instead of vivid yellow. I may still add a few more photos on this page, but most of my dedication to this page is over for the year. Hope it helped some of the readers! MJ
October 14th, 2019 – Monday
Clark’s Nutcracker: While “green” is not the dominant color now, there are still green and pea green trees around town.
Young Magpie: Some of the remaining leaves are still colorful enough for a nice background.
October 13th, 2019 – Sunday
TA Moulton Barn Pano: In some years, the cottonwoods behind the TA Moulton barn turn bright yellow. This year, they are more rusty orange. This is typical in many areas of the valley now. There are still some green aspens along the Moose-Wilson Road.
October 11th, 2019 – Friday
Oxbow Bend: Not much left at Oxbow now. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Oxbow Bend: The upper lot still look “okay” but the leaves are now burnt orange and not as vivid. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Country Road: Look around and you can still find pre-peak and peak colors. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
October 10th, 2019 – Thursday
Munger Mountain Aspens: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Upper Gros Ventre: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Peach House on Mormon Row: I included this photo today to show the aspens along Mormon. Row. It will be a few days to prime there. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
October 9th, 2019 – Wednesday
Munger Mountain: Nice stands of aspens south of Jackson. Taken with a Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens. Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Munger Mountain: Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600 Lens, Handheld.
Melody Ranch Barns: Taken with a Nikon D5 and Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens.
October 8th, 2019 – Tuesday
Ditch Creek: Even though SOME of the early foliage opportunities are behind us, there are still lots of them available to us.
Country Road: Taken near the old Teton Science School.
Aspens: The valley is in a state of transition. I like all of the variety!
Fiery Red Leaves: There are many additional foliage opportunities “in town”. I shot this one next to Kmart!
Click the link above to see how I shot the blurred image above and below!Be sure to follow me on Instagram while you are there.
October 7th, 2019 – Monday
Notes: The “Classic” shot at Oxbow Bend is mostly past prime. The Upper Parking Area is Prime. There is PLENTY of yellow all around the valley. The cottonwoods and aspens around Mormon Row is still beginning to change. Aspens in and around Jackson are prime or near prime.
Buffalo Valley Barn: Most of the Buffalo Valley is outside of Grand Teton National, on your way over Pass towards Dubois.
Buffalo Valley Aspens: Color is pretty good there! Some are still on the greenish side.
Buffalo Valley Aspens:
October 6th, 2019 – Sunday
Hillside Gold: The aspens in some areas are partially prime, and partially pre-prime.
Oxbow Bend: Generally speaking, it looks like the west end of Oxbow is now past prime.
Oxbow Bend Upper Lot: Prime!
October 5th, 2019 – Saturday
Shane Cabin: It snowed some overnight, frosting the valley. I looked for Moose early, the switched hats to my “landscape hat” and headed up the Gros Ventre. The Shane Cabins were along the route.
Gros Ventre River Ranch Cabin:
Slide Lake Pano: When the Tetons are covered with snow, I usually look for something else. Right now, the cottonwoods, willows and aspens in the Slide Lake area are prime or near prime. More than likely, the aspens on the west end of Oxbow Bend will be well past prime, or even blown off by the time we see Mt. Moran again. That’s possibly the bad news, but the good news is there are plenty of other good areas with great color!
Slide Lake:
Slide Lake:
Snow King Aspens: The hillsides closer to town are just now firing up, as seen in this photo on Snow King.
Snow King Aspens:
October 4th, 2019 – Friday
Oxbow Bend Shoreline: Finally…Some nice morning clouds!
Oxbow Bend Shoreline Pano: Some of the leaves in the middle section of this band of Aspens are missing now. There was a lot of wind later in the day, so I suspect many more leaves will have fallen by Saturday morning.
Oxbow Bend Upper Lot Pano: Prime.
Floating Leaves: Don’t forget the small shots!
October 3rd, 2019 – Thursday
Oxbow Bend: Good color!
Oxbow Bend: The upper lot is almost peak.
Snowy Aspens: Fresh show this morning! Aspens are looking great now.
Two Ocean Lake Aspens:
Two Ocean Lake Aspens:
Arizona Meadows: These aren’t quite prime, but getting there! This meadow is near Arizona Creek (the bridge is under construction).
Mt. Liedy: Taken near Elk Ranch Flats.
The lower part of Oxbow Bend is still okay.Hurry! The upper parking lot’s aspens are prime. Hopefully, people will see mountains tomorrow.
October 1st, 2019 – Tuesday
Oxbow Bend: I’d say it is a prime as it will get before the left side leaves blow off!
Oxbow Bend Upper Parking Area: Prime enough!
Shoshone: This one show a few of the aspens at the south end of Blacktail Butte.
The wind has been blowing a lot of the willow and cottonwood leaves off.
September 30th, 2019 – Monday
REMEMBER!!!!! The Jackson Lake Dam will be closed on October 1st.
Peak Aspens: Lots of color right now, especially the Aspens! Some of the Willows and Cottonwoods are losing leaves.
Aspens at Oxbow Bend: These are Aspens visible from the “upper parking lot”.
Two Ocean Lake:
Two Ocean Lake Road:
Cottonwood Creek: This is the small stream coming out of Jenny Lake.
Two Ocean Lake Road:
September 29th, 2019 – Sunday
Yellowing Hillside: Just a quick shot of a hillside north of town. It’s “game on” in most of the valley.
Sleeping Indian and Cottonwoods: This was taken along the Highway across the Gros Ventre River.
Cottonwoods, Willows, and Aspens: I took this one along the Gros Ventre river bottom.
Lip Curl: I stayed south today, but have a feeling Oxbow is looking great now.
September 28th, 2019 – Saturday
Red Leaves of Fall: Depending on where you were in the valley this morning, you would find either rain or snow. I took this photo along the Moose-Wilson Road.
John Moulton Homestead: Most of the valley floor was wet, but snow covered hillsides and mountainsides around it.
Snow on Shadow Mountain:
Shadow Mountain: Aspens on Shadow Mountain are close to peak.
Cottonwoods and Aspens: Taken along Antelope Flats Road.
September 27th, 2019 – Friday
Aspens: Better wear shades! The valley is turning yellow! This was taken near Snake River Overlook.
Bison in Gold: Captured along Elk Ranch Flats.
Upper Lot at Oxbow Bend: These trees have changed a lot in just a couple of days. They are not prime yet, but getting there.
The Weather: Some news and weather reports suggested we would get a big early season snow storm. As of tonight, it looks like they have pulled back some from those predictions. We should have rain most of Saturday, and likely snow in the high country, though we will not see it until after the storm passed.
Great Gray Owl: No matter where you look, you can still find some green leaves.
Great Gray Owl:
Moron Row: A few of the cottonwoods are beginning to turn along Mormon Row, but most trees are still essentially green. They are usually not prime until the first week or so in October.
September 26th, 2019 – Thursday
Mt. Moran Reflections:
Oxbow Bend:
Riverside at Oxbow Bend:
Wind, rain and even snow are in the forecast for the next few days. The wind is the WORST! Keep your fingers crossed!
September 25th, 2019 – Wednesday
Oxbow Bend: Getting close!
Buck Mountain: Taken from Pacific Creek Road.
Colorful Hillside: Taken near Elk Ranch Flats. You can find bright colors in many areas now. You can also find stands of green aspens.
Colorful Hillside:
Polarizer in Use: This is about the only time of the year I use a circular polarizer. It darkens the sky, brightens the white clouds, and brightens yellows. Nikon D850 and Nikon 70-200 Lens, Handheld…with polarizing filter
No Polarizer: Nikon D850 and Nikon 70-200 Lens, Handheld.
September 24th, 2019 – Tuesday
Oxbow Bend: Still a few more days.
Aspens Pano captured near Moran Junction. These are prime!
Aspen Stand Pano captured near Spread Creek.
Gold Cottonwoods near Elk Ranch Flats.
Gold Cottonwoods at Spread Creek.
IMPORTANT ROAD INFORMATION
The North section of the Moose-Wilson Road is still closed due to grizzly activity.
Temporary Road Closures for Bureau of Reclamation to perform maintenance work of Jackson Lake Dam beginning Sept. 24, with intermittent road closures through October 25.
Closures will occur on the Teton Park Road across Jackson Lake Dam between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday for a period of up to four hours for each closure. No evening or weekend work is planned at this time.
During this time, travelers will not be able to make a through-trip on the Teton Park Road. Those wishing to access the northern part of Grand Teton or Yellowstone National Park may want to take U.S. Highway 89/191/287. Access to the Snake River, including the boat launch and fishing area below the dam will be available north of Jackson Lake Dam during this time.
Tentative Schedule (subject to change):
Tuesday September 24
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Tuesday October 1
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Monday October 7
11 a.m to 3 p.m.
Tuesday October 8
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Tuesday October 15
11 a.m to 3 p.m.
Wednesday October 16
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Schwabacher Landing: Not prime…but changing. There are lots of aspen stands nearing prime in various parts of the park now.
September 22, 2019 – Sunday
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Moose at Schwabachers: A quick shot to show the colors at Schwabacher Landing.
Oxbow Aspens:… Probably the update shot people are wanting to see! Some of the aspens are starting to change.
Oxbow Aspens:
Red and Orange Aspens at Willow Flats
September 21, 2019 – Saturday
Gros Ventre River: Willows and Cottonwoods along the Gros Ventre River.
Schwabacher Landing: Willows, aspens and cottonwoods.
Snake River: This was shot through the haze, but you can get an idea of the color along the Snake near Triangle X Ranch.
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September 20, 2019 – Friday
Aspen Stand: Each day there is more color and in more areas. This was taken along Elk Ranch Flats.
Aspen Stand: This group was taken at the Moran Junction area. They aren’t quite prime, but getting there fast.
North End of Elk Ranch Flats: Just a status photo.
Oxbow Bend Approach: The aspen stands at the West end of Oxbow Bend and at the Upper Parking lot are still mostly green, but there has been a considerable amount of changes above that area.
Oxbow Bend Hillside: This photo was taken from the Cattleman’s Bridge Road, pointing back to the Oxbow Bend Parking Area.
Cottonwood Creek: Taken below the Jenny Lake tail out. This should be fairly bright in a few more days.
Red Leaves: Some of the bright colors in the ground cover.
September 19, 2019 – Thursday
I didn’t take photos of the foliage todaysince things are essentially the same as yesterday. With that said, I can see a change over every couple of days. Much of the valley is still in the 1, 2, 3 or even 4 stage of my color chart, but there are patches of color. Check out the areas near Triangle X Ranch, Cunningham Cabin, and Moosehead Ranch. Foliage always looks brighter if you can catch it backlit. The Moose-Wilson Road remains closed. You can still access the LSR Preserve from the south entrance at Teton Village. Rain is in the forecast for tomorrow and part of Saturday.
If you are “needing” aspen color, consider a drive to Green River Lakes. The altitude is higher there. Aspens usually start turning right after Labor Day. The area is roughly 100 miles from Jackson. The last part of it is over rough roads, but it is definitely photogenic and worth the trip! Of course, I love the Tetons, but this area probably comes in a close second. Head south towards Pinedale, then look for the road going north through Cora. Follow it all the way to the end. There are no services. Stock up on food, snacks, and gas before heading into the region. The area has good fishing along the Green River, Dollar Lake, and in the lakes. Watch for grizzly bears, moose, wolves, deer, and elk. This is a popular access point for back country hikers and hunters.
A few friends that drive the Snake River Canyon have been telling me the Mountain Maple are finally starting this year near Alpine Junction. They typically fire up before our aspens, cottonwoods, and willows.
September 18, 2019 – Wednesday
This is the same stand of aspens I photographed on September 12th (at Willow Flats).
Foggy Snake River: You can see how some of the cottonwoods are beginning to turn near Triangle X Ranch, north of Snake River Overlook.
Numerous aspens are turning yellow at the Jackson Lake Lodge.
September 17, 2019 – Tuesday
Snake River Willows and Cottonwoods: This is a good example of current foliage. You can find good color in patches, with green all around. Notice the willows at the bottom and cottonwoods behind them. There seems to be more “color” south of the Snake River bridge at Moose than north of there. Color is better near the Snake River bridge in Wilson.
Gros Ventre Willows and Cottonwoods: Similarly, the Gros Ventre River drainage is making a major shift. These are some of the brighter ones I saw when driving home.
Variegated Colors: I always like to find examples of the wide range of colors like this leaf along the Moose-Wilson Road.
The Black Hawthorn leaves along the Moose-Wilson Road are still green. They often become colorful as the season advances. As of today, the northern portion of the Moose-Wilson Road is closed due to bear activity.
Fall Fishermen: Bundled for the much cooler weather we had today. They were headed towards the Snake River at the Wilson Bridge.
Wilson Bridge: This is the bridge over the Snake River near Wilson, WY. Foliage in this area is ahead of the river bottom north of the Snake River bridge at Moose.
East Bank of the Snake River near Wilson.
West Bank of the Snake River near Wilson
Spring Gulch Aspens: Aspens are much farther behind in almost all areas. I took this photo from Spring Gulch Road. I’d call them the exception to the rule so far.
September 15, 2019 – Sunday
It was a little hazy when I took this photo this morning, but you can get an idea of some of the color. Across the board, it looks like the foliage season is very late this year!
This essentially the same shot on September 16 of last year.
I drove by the Gros Ventre this afternoon. Yes…there is a bit more of a shift in color there! Far from peak, but more 4.5,6 on my scale than only a few days ago.
September 13, 2019 – Friday
I took this photo Thursday afternoon along the Gros Ventre River. As you can see, there is a variety of color stages, but not many leaves are really bright yellow. As I keep saying, most of the valley is “shifting” colors.
September 12, 2019 -Thursday
Changing Aspens: Taken from one of the Willow Flats turnouts.
Mountain Ash Berries: Photographed at the Jenny Lake Overlook drive.
September 11, 2019 -Wednesday
Moose Cow and Calf on the Gros Ventre: I posted this photo on the September 2019 Daily Journal for GTNP and JH, but thought it might fit here, too. It shows the shift in color for the grasses and some of the willows.
Choke Cherries: Berries are ripening around the valley. I get report suggesting the Black Hawthorn berries along the Moose-Wilson Road are less this year than some other years. There have been bear sightings along the narrow road, but rangers and wildlife brigade volunteers are keeping people away from them. I also hear reports of people seeing black bears along the trails farther up the mountain trails.
Yellow Leaves: I took this photo of some leaves along the Gros Ventre yesterday.
September 9, 2019 -Monday
Gros Ventre Willows & Cottonwoods: There is a noticeable shift in the color of trees around the valley, but it is far from prime.
Gros Ventre Cottonwoods: I took these to backlit shots along the Gros Ventre this morning. They always look a little brighter with light on them! There was a fair amount of haze in the air this morning…but I don’t believe it was smoke from any area fires.
September 6, 2019 – Friday
Ferns: Nice color after a light rain at String Lake. Some of the underbrush is very vivid.
Oxbow Bend: The stand of aspens at Oxbow Bend are still green but a lot of the surrounding low willows are turning. There are a few aspens in the area beginning to change.
Arizona Meadows: Similarly, the grasses at Arizona Meadows (Kamas Meadows) are nice and golden in color. Aspens are barely shifting color.
September 5, 2019 – Thursday
I snapped this photo yesterday of a grove of aspens— not far from Snake River Overlook. Most of the valley is still in Level 1 or 2, but you can find smatterings of 6 and 7. The low willows in some areas are shifting in color.
September 2, 2019 – Labor Day Monday
If you want to find “color”, it’s out there! Don’t get too excited, however, as the bulk of the valley is still green. The leaves above are part of the ground cover along the Gros Ventre, taken today.
These aspens were seen near Jackson Lake Lodge yesterday.
Berries are ripening and turning deeper in color. Black Hawthorn leaves along the Moose-Wilson Road are beginning to change. This photo was taken in late August.
If you are in town right now and want to find larger groves of aspens, consider a drive down to Pinedale. That area is roughly 1000 feet higher in elevation than Jackson. Green River Lakes is close to 2000 feet higher than Jackson and can be beautiful. When our kids were young, we camped there. I remember noticing the big changes in the aspens over just the four days of the Labor Day weekend.
Reports indicate the Mountain Maple trees in the Snake River Canyon and along Palisades Reservoir are not colorful yet, but that should happen soon.
Several people tell me about the beautiful color in the meadows on Togwotee Pass right now. The willows at Willow Flats have shifted to burnt yellow in the past week or so.
As the month begins, the sky is clear of smoke. I read a recent article that talked about controlled burns south of town. This could pump smoke into the valley at times this year. This smoky photo was taken on September 29th last year.
Remember, this is the Initial Entry for the 2019 Foliage Reports. I will be adding more photos and updates fairly often throughout the foliage season.
I offer year round photo tours in Grand Teton National Park. Seasons are changing! 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
You might enjoy the work of Freeman Patterson—author of many photography books on learning to see the opportunities. Click Here to see a selection of his books available on Amazon. I have quite a few of his books. My favorite is probably “Photographing the World Around You”, but all of them are very good.
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