yellowstone winter photography help

[rickyd]

Going to yellowstone national park between xmas and new years.
Looking for tips on the area or perhaps even to hire a guide to help us get to good photo spots. our first trip, Im hoping to have my new 1DSmk2 :D for the trip.

[Adam Hicks]

Better bring your grey card if it's snowy!

Wish I was going up there... beautiful place. I'll be on a 7 day cruise at the end of this month where the weather's nice and warm thiough, so that'll be fun.

Of course this coming monday I'm having a lamindectomy to repair my herniated S1 disc :(

I digress. Have fun! Let us know if you find a guide service.

[defordphoto]

Shoot CR2!

Snow is ALWAYS tough to shoot.

[robertwgross]

Yellowstone has rather cold snow (at least by California standards). Cold new snow tends to be very white and reflective. You'll probably want to use some exposure compensation to keep the snow from looking gray.

If the snow is very very white, then start with 2 stops. If the snow is white and consolidated, then maybe 1.5 stops. Rarely would I use only 0.5 stop for snow.

You will tend to get a very large dynamic range in your scenes, and your camera probably can't handle that unless you really work at it. Go after the hot springs shots if you get a chance.

---Bob Gross---

[Bruce Watson]

You may want to order one of the DVD Video Journals from Luminous Landscape.

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/

They have a segment on Michael's shoot there last winter along with winter shooting tips.

I can't remember which volume but I think it is # 10, but it will be listed on the web site.

Cheers,

Bruce

[ski-mountaineer]

Thr rules for Yellowstone seems to be going back and forth alot in the last few years. But If I recall right you have no choice, you are now required to have a guide to snowmobile into the park from one of the official commercial operators that go into the park. Many of these operators are located in West Yellowstone and Gardner. It gets me though that tourist can drive all the roads in the summer without a guide, but in winter you have to have a guide to drive the same roads with a snowmobile. Also they are only allowing a certain number per day of snowmobiles allowed in the park

[rickyd]

Thanks for all the replys.
I wanted to go to Mexico but got outvoted by my two photography friends on the trip with me.
I hadnt thought about the grey card but that is good advice.
Also the tip concerning the type of snow never occured to me but thats why I like this website so much. Thanks Bob
Rickyd

[Turbowolf]

Look for wolves early and late in the day around the Lamar valley area. Elk will be all over near Mammoth, and I have heard of foxes near the Mammoth Hotspring Terraces ... have fun, I'll be in the park from Jan 20 to the 25th for wolf research.

[pradeep1]

And remember that it will be exceedingly and excruciatingly cold. :D So plan wisely - clothing, batteries, transport gear to use on snowmobiles, etc.