Would you go alone?

If you were going to go to Yellowstone for a week, not hike any trails and mostly shoot from the road, would you take someone with You or go alone?

I've done it many times alone. Sometimes I meet people there who I know, but often I do it by myself. The only danger is boredom.

I say do it alone, but it really depends on how you feel about it. I also make a number of trips each and every month, and I make them alone. I will admit there are times on a couple of the trips I would have felt better if someone was along, but that is not often.
If I had the opportunity to go to YellowStone, I would go alone.

While I like shooting alone, this one I would like someone with me. Not for companionship or talk. Someone to drive so I could focus on looking and locating wildlife and being ready when the shot presents.

Perfect example - I was in Jackson last July. I was hanging out on my last day trying to find a moose when a car pulls up and tells me there is one right up the road. Run up there and snap a couple shots. Another couple tells me to go up the road and take my first right and almost all the way down there is a mother black bear with 2 cubs. So, off I go. Take the right, drive slowly looking out both windows while trying to make sure I didn't run off the road. As I turn around, another vehicle is coming behind me and they stop. Guess what? I had driven right by the bears while trying to stay on the road. Had it not been for them, I would have completely missed the bears as they would have been slightly higher than I could see out the passenger-side window.

For that reason and that reason only, I would have someone there to focus on the driving while I did my thing. Now, my answer changes if you are driving a vehicle that sits a little higher off the ground than a car.

My wife and I are making out 8th trip out later this year. It works out nice, she drives and I jump out with tripod and camera when needed. This works great for bear jams, no place to park etc etc. She is sits in the jam, looks for a parking spot or drives back and forth until we are ready to move on. Keeps the rangers happy too!

If you take someone, that person should be a photographer....or VERY supportive of photographers. I am lucky, the wife and I both do photography. We never take trips alone. Too much to share....and too much to protect.

"If you take someone, that person should be a photographer....or VERY supportive of photographers"

Can't stress this enough. I spent three days in Yellowstone last year with my wife and her brother and his wife. I spent the whole time riding in a car around the park, making sure we were where we needed to be at mealtime. It's hard to see any wildlife at 35 mph! I missed a couple of great opportunities to photo bears - one was a mother and two cubs - because "we have to go now."

If I ever get the chance to do Yellowstone again, I'll do it alone.

philk54 wrote in post #14164438
"If you take someone, that person should be a photographer....or VERY supportive of photographers"

Can't stress this enough. I spent three days in Yellowstone last year with my wife and her brother and his wife. I spent the whole time riding in a car around the park, making sure we were where we needed to be at mealtime. It's hard to see any wildlife at 35 mph! I missed a couple of great opportunities to photo bears - one was a mother and two cubs - because "we have to go now."

If I ever get the chance to do Yellowstone again, I'll do it alone.

+1 for this. for this. or take another vehicle.

I've lost too many day's doing what I planned because my invites are hungry, have a headache, too hot, too cold, have to check on something. Now, sure anybody can go, as long as they can drive themselves.

I go hiking and such alone all the time. Of course, people know where I'm going and when I'm due back.

If hiking alone I'll take my gun with me. Sometimes if not hiking alone I will take it. We do have mountain lions and bears and such here so some protection is better than nothing.

I subscribe to the alone +1 theory. I like to experience the wilderness alone, but I like to experience it even more with someone special. They need to compliment the experience though. No loud talkers.

If I was doing no hiking and just shooting from the road I would definitely want to bring someone.

philk54 wrote in post #14164438
I missed a couple of great opportunities to photo bears - one was a mother and two cubs - because "we have to go now."

My response to that is "There's the road, you can start walking."

The only problem with going alone is that some of the roadside shots appear where there is no safe/legal place to leave your car unattended, even on a temporary basis.

If this were a day trip or a weekend trip then I'd say go alone.
but since you are traveling cross country and staying a week then bring the spouse/friend (I assume that is who you are talking about)

It's always nice to share the experience with somebody. Showing somebody 20 gigs of great photos is not the same as being there.

Bring your friend and remember some days will be good for photography and some will be good for picnicing or kicking back----be sure to go with the flow, sometimes unplanned events are the best.
Check out some of the outlying areas around but not in the park--they will be less crowded.

Either way you'll have a great time, just sometimes it's nice to have somebody there to share the experience and the drive.

Beautiful things to see are always better with people to share them with. That being said, I'd rather go alone than not at all.

I think it would depend on the trip. If I was shooting for income, my criteria for a travel mate would be driven by the need to complete the work. Since I'm merely an amateur, I would forego the potential inconveniences for the companionship of my spouse.