Road Trip Part 1: Yellowstone National Park

There is so much to see & photograph in Yellowstone. Did you know it was our first national park? I knew that the 2 days of the workshop would not be enough for me, so I reserved a room in West Yellowstone and had 7 additional days to explore the park on my own.

Geysers   

With over 500, Yellowstone contains the majority of the world's geysers, which are hot springs that erupt periodically, sending steam and water shooting into the air.  Old Faithful is the most famous of the geysers because it erupts more frequently than any of the other big geysers.  Every 90 minutes or so, tourists fill the benches surrounding the cone to watch the spectacle, which lasts from 90 seconds to 5 minutes, expelling thousands of gallons of boiling water and steam. I found a spot away from the crowds and was fortunate to catch an eruption just after the sun set.

 
And another after dark

 My brother asked that I send out a few pictures that included me, so Mike Hall took this photo with my iPhone while several of us waited for Old Faithful to erupt. 

A short hike away from Old Faithful is Castle Geyser, which erupts every 12 - 14 hours.  I saw in the visitor's center that an eruption was due close to sunset so I sat and waited.  I hoped it would erupt before the sun disappeared because the late side light and reflections were so beautiful.  How lucky I was.  The eruption started just minutes before the sun slipped behind the mountains.  I got off about 20 hand-held shots before the light went flat and the reflection disappeared.

I found White Dome Geyser one afternoon while exploring a side road off the main loop and thought it would look much better at sunset.  I returned several nights later and was treated to the backdrop of a colorful sky. 

White Dome, which erupts every 30 minutes or so, was also on the workshop itinerary as the last location before the workshop ended.  The eruption was overdue so while we waited, I took my camera off the tripod and crossed the parking area to shoot the scene in the other direction.  When I heard the gush of the eruption I turned back and started shooting.  From this new angle a rainbow appeared which I would have missed if I had stayed with my tripod. 

This was the last significant photograph I took in Yellowstone, and because of the rainbow, it is one of my favorites.  After packing up to leave the park, I got a speeding ticket which you can read about in Part 4.

Hot Springs, Fumaroles (Steam Vents), and Mineral Formations

Most of the park is in the caldera of a volcano that erupted 600,000 years ago.  Geothermal features often set a scene that looked like the cataclysmic eruption happened last week, and it might happen again at any moment.

    

A variety of mineral formations surround the geysers and hot springs.  When the hot water from a geyser or hot spring cools, it leaves behind a thin mineral deposit.  Ribbons of color around the thermal features are formed by thermophiles (heat-loving organisms, including algae, bacteria and archaea) that have inhabited the earth for almost 4 billion years.  Cool, huh?

 

Bears, Wolves, & Moose (The Animals I Didn't See)

Millions of bison once roamed the prairies and grassy areas in & around Yellowstone.  By 1900 only one wild herd remained in the USA (in Yellowstone). From 1907 to 1952 an area called the Buffalo Ranch used captive herds to rebuild the population.  Today some 3,500 bison freely roam the park.  BTW: They are bison, not buffalo.  Early explorers nick-named them buffalo and the name stuck.

One of my goals for this trip was to see & photograph bison.  These shots far exceeded my expectations.

Although elk are plentiful, sightings are sparse.  I followed this young bull (at a safe distance) down to the river's edge.  Right after I took this, the fisherman moved downstream.

I first saw this bull next to the main road, but he soon walked off into the brush.  I jumped into my car and drove back to a service road ("Do Not Enter") that had a view of a clearing, and waited.  I knew when I saw the cows walk through, he would not be far behind. 

After photographing a sunrise along the Madison, I spotted a herd of photographers with tripods and long lenses advancing toward a stand of trees well off the road.  I grabbed my big lens (400mm) and followed.  What a thrill to see this big guy posturing and bugling while keeping a close eye on his harem.

Sunrise/Sunset & the Moon

Except for two days, I was up and out the door at oh-dark-thirty to be in position for the sunrise.  Although I was usually the first to arrive, and sometimes sat in my car waiting for some light (and thinking I could have slept a little longer), 6 or more other photographers usually showed up.  The smoke from the Idaho fires added to the morning color.

I stayed pretty close to West Yellowstone for sunrises (so I could return & go back to bed),  but I picked a different location for each sunset.  

Grand Prismatic Spring

 Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

 Madison River

 Upper Geyser Basin

 Norris Geyser Basin

If you have read my previous blogs you know how how fascinated I am with the moon.  I cannot pass up an opportunity to photograph it.

 I hope you enjoyed this visual tour.

Next stop: Grand Teton National Park

Road Trip Part 2: Grand Teton National Park

Mormon Row + Ansel Adams

The groups of old farm buildings known as Mormon Row have withstood the elements for more than a century, since the farmland was first homesteaded by the predominantly Mormon settlers in the early 1900s.  Six of the original 27 homesteads are preserved as historical landmarks and have become iconic Grand Teton photographs.

 

This is one of several locations so popular with photographers that we arrived an hour and a half before sunrise to claim the prime positions.  Tripod legs overlapped and once a spot was established, there was no repositioning.  Anyone who arrived after this iPhoto was taken did not get a clear view of the T.A. Moulton Barn.  My tripod on the right holds my place.

When the Grand Teton portion of the workshop ended, I had 5 hours before we were scheduled to reconvene at the Old Faithful Inn, back in Yellowstone.  I used some of that time to revisit Mormon Row and take the shots I couldn't get earlier.

 

Another popular photographic spot is Snake River Overlook where Ansel Adams took one of his famous photographs.  I could be standing right where he once stood. Once again we had to arrive early to claim our positions.  This photo, taken by Mike Hall (far left), shows the entire workshop group.   Don Smith, the workshop leader is 5th from the left.

When Ansel Adams took his photograph, the trees in the foreground didn't block the view and he  captured the entire curve of the river. 

Fall Color +

Our views of the mountains were often obscured by smoke from the Idaho fires, fog (unusual for this time of year), and clouds.  But theses same conditions brought out the best of the Fall Color, which was at its peak.  Enjoy....

 

This last shot has a blue cast because it was taken at 5:40am, more than an hour before sunrise, light & warmth (30 second exposure).      

Road Trip Part 3: The Oregon Coast

The Lighthouses

The nine historic lighthouses along the Oregon Coast are as much a part of the coastal scenery as the rugged headlands, beaches and sea stacks.  I photographed six of the classic structures.

Tillamook Rock Lighthouse:  1.2 miles off shore and nicknamed "Terrible Tilly," it has a 62 foot high tower built on a basalt rock islet.  The first photo was taken from Ecola Park; the second from Tolvana Beach with a 400 mm lens.

Cape Mears Lighthouse: The 38 foot tower is the shortest on the Oregon Coast.  The sky was such a bland blue that I converted the photo to black & white (and red). 

Yaquina Head Lighthouse:  Since I stayed the night in Newport, I made two visits to the lighthouse.  The first was mainly to scout a sunset location, but while there I took the tour and climbed the 168 steps up the spiral staircase to peer out the glass dome.

I returned for the sunset, but this photo cries out for some interesting clouds.  The park closes exactly 5 minutes after the sun drops below the horizon, so this was the last shot I could take.  Use your imagination to add a gathering of storm clouds.

 

Yaquina Bay Lighthouse: Also in Newport, this lighthouse is now a museum.

Coquille River Lighthouse:  Just north of Bandon, the lighthouse sits on the north bank of the Coquille River, where the river meets the ocean.  This was my favorite.

I did not include the photo of the Haceta Head Lighthouse because it was under repair and covered by a tarp, which sort of marred its photographic appeal.

Beaches, Sea Stacks & Waves

The Oregon Coast is a playground for photographers.   In addition to lighthouses, it offers rocky headlands, sweeping beaches, picturesque harbors, and iconic sea stacks.  I tried to time my travels so I could photograph early in the day and again from late afternoon to sunset.  I used the bright middle-of-the-day hours to drive to the next location, sight-see, and  scout for sunset/sunrise settings.

Cannon Beach Sea Stacks at Sunrise

 Cannon Beach Sunset

 First light on Haystack Rock on Cannon Beach

I scouted this scene earlier in the day to determine the best spot for a sunset shot of Crescent Beach & Cannon Beach from Ecola State Park.  I returned and claimed my spot an hour before sunset.  Good thing.  Another photographer showed up who tried out positions on either side of me.  He clearly wanted my spot, but had to settle for second best.  Thank you to Don Smith for teaching me to arrive early. 

I so appreciated those wispy clouds.

Seal Rock Beach

I had to scramble back when I saw this wave coming.

 A driftwood strewn beach in Bandon. 

 Finally on my last night at the coast, clouds to reflect 

the sunset light on Bandon Beach.

Bandon Beach Sunrise.  

I spotted this hole in the rock the night before.  This is a 3 second exposure of a wave breaking through the visible hole and pouring through another.

Last Shot from Bandon Beach

This is similar to the shot above from Cannon Beach.  By the time the sun was up all the clouds had disappeared, but the early bands of light created a subtle backdrop to this far off sea stack that was just starting to catch the first rays of sunlight.

I was reluctant to leave.  I thoroughly enjoyed my early mornings on the Oregon beaches and this was my last.  I usually had a beach to myself until the first light appeared, and even then only a few others ventured out to see the sun rise.   My only disappointment in Oregon was not photographing any tide pool creatures.  I tried.  I researched which beaches had the best tide pools.  I timed my visits to low tide.  No luck.  The only critters I found were a dead crab and a dead starfish with with 2 points partially nibbled off.  Pretty pathetic.  But maybe it is a good idea to leave a few photos behind.  They present a good reason to return.

Road Trip Part 4 - Family, Self-Portraits & a Ticket

After the workshop ended, I left Yellowstone and  headed west to Tacoma, WA to spend 2 days with my cousin, Jim, and his wife, Barbara.  We rode the ferry from Bremerton to Seattle.

I took a picture of Jim taking a picture of 

Barbara taking a picture of the sunset.

After 2 days of rest (not driving), I started my drive down the Oregon Coast.  For this iPhoto self-portrait at sunset on Cannon Beach, I positioned myself to match the shadow of the tripod legs.

Bandon Beach was my last stop on the Oregon Coast.  I headed inland to Grants Pass to stay with my cousin, Jeri, and visit with my Uncle Carl who is an eccentric 93.

People often ask, "Don't you get lonely traveling alone?" The answer is an easy, "No." How could I be lonely when I always had such good company?  

I enjoyed the workshop portion, traveling and photographing with new friends, but when it was over and I left the Old Faithful parking lot, I was so excited to be on my own again that I got a speeding ticket! I had been in the park a total of nine days and thoroughly enjoyed the 45mph speed limit. I was often the driver who pulled over to let faster cars pass. For just a few minutes, I was caught up in my own exhilaration which made my right foot a little heavy.  The polite, friendly ranger explained that since my transgression was on federal land, the ticket would not be reported to California or my insurance carrier.  Just pay the fine and we can all forget this ever happened. I accepted the message from the Universe to slow down, and continued merrily on my way. I still had many new places to see and photograph.

 Any suggestions on where I should go next?