We only had a few hours in the Tetons, as we drove down from Gardiner and had to get back by evening. One of our first stops was at a bend in the river for a classic autumn view of the Tetons. Here we have a moderate wide angle view with the Sony a5100 and Sony E 10-18 f4 at 27mm equivalent…and a moderate telephoto view with the Sony a6700 and Tamron 50-400 Di iii at 75mm equivalent. Both capture an aspect of the autumn mountains. Superior Auto on the a5100 and Program mode on the a6700. Processed in Photomator.
The activity at the thermal features of Yellowstone National Park varies day to today with both the above ground and the underground weather. This was our second stop at Mud Volcano, and it was much more active this day than the other, with huge plumes of steam. These are not geysers. They do not erupt. The output of super-heated water and steam is pretty constant. It is called a mud volcano because the water mixes with clay and emerges as a super hot slurry, with the consistency of heavy cream, and a smooth mud grey color. The close up of the plume is with the Sony a6700 and Tamron 50-400 Di iii zoom at 75mm, in Program mode, and the two other shots are from closer with the Sony a5100 and Sony E 10-18 f4 wide zoom at 15mm equivalent, and Superior Auto with the Landscape Scene Mode selected. Processed in Photomator.
Sheepeater Creek flows at the base of Sheepeater Cliffs. We went there several times to try for the Pika who live in the talus at the foot of the cliffs, and each time I was captured by the beauty of meadows, the forest, the cliffs and the sky. Sony a5100 with Sony E 10-18 f4 wide zoom at 27mm equivalent. Superior Auto with Landscape Scene Mode selection. Processed in Photomator.
Slough Creek has been, for many years, the place to see wolves in Yellowstone. They have denned several different spots on the far slopes in this wide angle landscape. From the Slough Creek access road you get “scope” views. They are so far away what you do not get much at all with any conventional camera set-up…so not my favorite place to see wolves…but one of the only relatively reliable spots in the park. Which means there is always a crowd, and parking is always a challenge. Another reason it not my favorite place. 🙂 Still, it is one of them of the most beautiful little valleys in Yellowstone, and always worth a landscape shot. Sony a5100 with E 10-18 f4 wide zoom at 15mm equivalent. Superior Auto with Landscape Scene Select. Processed in Photomator.
It is impossible to separate the landscape of Yellowstone from its wildlife…a pretty obvious statement when you get to think about it…but one that grows on you the longer your visit is, and the more thoughtfully you view the world. The Bison were made for these hills and high plateaus, meandering rivers and steams, and yes, even the hot springs and geysers, and the landscape was made for them. And they live in a simple balance and a harmony that is just as it ought to be…or as close as we will let it be in our way too complicated world. Sony a5100 with Sony E 10-18 f4 wide angle zoom at 27mm equivalent, and Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii zoom at 123mm equivalent. Superior Auto and Program Mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.
Cottonwoods along the Lamar River in Yellowstone National Park. Nothing so yellow. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii zoom at various focal lengths for framing. Program mode. Processed in Photomator.
I got out for a walk around Roger’s Pond by the Mousam River in Kennebunk, Maine yesterday and caught some of the now fading fall color or Southern Maine. Not in full sun, so a bit on the subtle side, but that is okay. It is the season. Sony a5100 with the Sony E 10-18 f4 zoom at 15-27mm equivalents. Superior Auto with Scene Select (Landscape). Processed in Photomator.
While standing at Surprise Springs on the Firehole Lake Drive in Yellowstone National Park, we had another surprise. White Dome Geyser took that moment to erupt. It apparently erupts on an irregular schedule with an average interval of 20-30 minutes, but it has been known to be as short as 8 minutes and as long as 3 hours. It is among the tallest dome geysers in the park, though its plume only reaches about 30 feet. This shot is from between a quarter and a half mile away. Sony a6700 with the Tamron 50-400 Di iii zoom at 273mm equivalent. Program mode. Processed in Photomator.
From below with the my telephoto zoom, this is the outflow on the Upper Terrace of Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park. Rock in the making as we watch and more layers of travertine are deposited. Sony a6700 with the Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode. Processed in Photomator.
I already shared the close up shot of Old Faithful. We arrived at the lodge, after about 30 minutes of looking for parking, just in time, according to the geyser clock in the lobby, for the next eruption, and made it out to the nearest corner of the boardwalk with seconds to spare. It does not matter how many times you see it, or how many photos or videos you see, there is nothing like being there. One second the mound of colored rock is all there is to see, and the next, after a tentative spurt of steam or two, there is a column of boiling water and steam 130 feet (or more) tall. The roar. The rush! I barely had time for a few shots with the a6700 and the Tamron at 75mm equivalent…and then to switch to the a5100 and E 10-18 f4 at 27mm equivalent, which you see here. Superior Auto with Landscape scene mode selection. Processed in Photomator. Next time video 🙂