Jackson Hole’s Great Solar Eclipse!

A Page of Resources and Links

August 21st will be the big day for this year’s Solar Eclipse—and Jackson Hole is directly in the totality path! The Park Service is preparing for the event with extra staff, one way roads, camping and parking restrictions and so forth. Expect bumper to bumper traffic and all kinds of “issues”. Even with a few potential logistical hassles, this will be a once in a lifetime opportunity for most of us. Luckily, I live in the path so I don’t have much invested in the eclipse. I don’t have to gamble at all! Others will have paid premium prices to be in Jackson Hole for the event—with no guarantee of clear skies. Heavy clouds, and even smoke from area fires, are always a possibility. Barring clouds or smoke, onlookers can expect some of the least polluted skies in the country. Plenty of areas of the country will be in the path of the Solar Eclipse but Jackson Hole will be a hot ticket! Remember—it will be August. Traditionally it is a very hot month in most parts of the US. Jackson Hole’s cool weather and clear skies make it a premier location. NOAA Map

NOAA: Ready, Set, Eclipse: As the map indicates, JH is predicted to have a good chance of clear skies for the Eclipse in August (Historical Averages). Viewers originally planning on being in Oregon might rethink their choices. The “clear skies” gamble is much higher there. Continue reading

May 3, 2017June 9, 2017

Flat Creek Wetlands: My St. Vrain

Jackson’s Year Round, But Often Overlooked Asset!

Flat Creek Wetlands sits on the north edge of the Jackson Hole & Greater Yellowstone Area Visitor’s Center. It couldn’t be more convenient for any Jackson Hole visitor or resident, yet most people drive right by it! Yep, I get it! People are lured to Grand Teton National Park with hopes of seeing a Grizzly, Moose, bugling Elk, Wolf or Bison (short list). Flat Creek Wetlands is my “St. Vrain”. I’ll explain that near the end of the page!

Spring is usually a very active time at Flat Creek Wetlands, but actually it seems that something is going on there all year. While I take photos at Flat Creek Wetlands year round, photos on this page were all taken on May 2nd, 2017. To be more specific, I spent roughly an hour in the morning and another hour in the mid-afternoon. I came home with a couple thousand photos! You might call it a “target rich” environment, yet I was the only person there taking photos! In the photo above, I captured several Canada Geese, a pair of Trumpeter Swans and a group of Yellow-headed Blackbirds. Continue reading

April 24, 2017June 9, 2017

Telephoto Lenses For Landscapes

More than likely, most photographers purchase a telephoto lens for wildlife photography. It’s totally logical, and I use my telephoto lenses for wildlife, too. A telephoto lens gets the photographer “close”, even when it is either impossible or illegal to do so otherwise.

Shooting Data: NIKON D5, Tamron 150-600 mm f/5.0-6.3 at 340 mm, 1/800 Second at f/8, Manual Mode, -1/3 EV, ISO 180

April 8, 2017June 9, 2017

Rainy Night In Jackson Hole

Last night, I came out of the movie theater to find rain falling in Jackson Hole. I grabbed some gear and headed back downtown to see what I could capture with the rain covered streets. Spring Break began two weeks ago and will end on Sunday. It’s traditionally a “sleepy” time after the World Championship Hill Climb at Snow King. Many of the locals head to tropical locations, but we hung around this year. The photo above was taken at the corner of Broadway and Center Street, looking north. Shooting Data: NIKON D5, Nikon 24.0-70.0 mm f/2.8 at 56 mm, 6 Second at f/14, Manual Mode, -1 2/3 EV, ISO 100 Continue reading