Maine! Aurora Borealis
We will take a break from our coverage of Yellowstone to bring you last night’s Aurora Borealis from the beach here in Kennebunk, Maine. I missed the 7PM maximum by two hours, but when photos began to appear in my wife’s Facebook feed around 9, we went down to beach to see what we could see. The moon was up by then and offering some competition but still, a long exposure captured an impressive green curtain with fading red above. Sony a5100 with the E 10-18 f4 zoom at 15mm equivalent. Superior Auto with Low Light scene mode for an exposure of 2.5 seconds at ISO 3200. Processing and noise reduction in Photomator.
Yellowstone! First light
First light on the terraces at Mammoth Hot Springs. I am finding the 75mm equivalent of the Tamron 50-400 to be a very useful landscape lens…especially the grand scale landscape of Yellowstone…and I have not found the need to switch the Sony a6700 from my Program mode bird and wildlife modifications to take landscapes. If the camera does not find a bird or animal, it reverts to normal focus and works just fine. Processed in Photomator.
Yellowstone! #24
Elk: Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, September 2024 — On our first day in the park, we stopped in Mammoth Hot Springs early in the morning, long before the sun was high enough to light the Hot Springs terraces, to photograph the herd of Elk that make downtown Mammoth their home. They generally spend the night on the green and the surrounding lawns, and only disperse into the hills and up the terraces as the day gets warmer. This is #24, the dominant bull of the herd, though he is so secure that he tolerates at least 2 other, younger, bulls. There is, however, no doubt about who’s herd, whose harem, it is. Here he is bugling his dominance as he returns from putting one of the younger bulls in his place. Sony a6700 with the Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC zoom at 463mm equivalent, and just about full frame. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Yellowstone! Early Morning Gardiner
From our first morning in Gardiner and Yellowstone. Up early to get into the park. The view across the Yellowstone from the Conoco parking lot. Sony a5100 with the E 10-18 f4 zoom at 15mm equivalent. Superior Auto. Processed in Photomator.
Yellowstone! Grizzly too
Grizzly Bear: Tom Miner Basin, Gardiner MT, September 2024 — This is another shot of the Grizzly with two cubs digging Caraway roots in a meadow. It was well after sunset so the light was not optimal, and the bears were over 670 yards away…as measured with a rangefinder…that is almost 4/10s of a mile…so I am happy to have gotten any shot at all with the Sony a6700 and the Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator. A heavy crop from an image at ISO 2000. This is a close as we got to a Grizzly, as apparently the warm fall weather has kept them mostly up in the higher meadows.
Yellowstone! Goblin Rocks
Goblin Rocks is another spot for Pica and we stopped there several times…though we never did find any Picas. Still the rock formations are worth a photo or two. Sony a5100 with the Sony E 10-18 f4 zoom at 15mm equivalent. Superior Auto with Landscape scene mode. Processed in Photomator.
Yellowstone! Pica pica
Pica: Sheepeater Cliffs, Yellowstone National Park, October 2024 — We made 4 visits to Sheepeater Cliffs in search of Pica…the little rock bunnies with the round ears…and saw them on two of those visits. They come out to the edge of the talus pile in search of green grasses and leaves, and then scurry back to eat what they find. And they are, in my opinion, about the cutest thing you can imagine. Sony a6700 with the Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Yellowstone! Tower Falls
Tower Falls: Yellowstone National Park, October 2024 — The second most photographed waterfall in Yellowstone. There is an interesting geological story behind the towers of Tower Falls, but you do not have to know it to appreciate the beauty. Sony a5100 with the Sony E 10-18 f4 zoom at 27mm equivalent. Superior Auto with Landscape scene mode. Processed in Photomator.
Yellowstone! Pronghorn
Pronghorn Antelope: Yellowstone National Park, October 2024 — This buck Pronghorn was leading (or herding) his small harem along the road-side in Yellowstone. Pronghorns are truly odd looking animals but have a beauty of their own. Sony a6700 with the Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Yellowstone! Study in Bison
American Bison: Yellowstone National Park, October 2024 — This big boy was right along the roadside by Yellowstone Lake in a little semi-thermal depression. He stood up for us when we stopped. Sony a6700 with the Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC zoom at 207mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.