Leaving "Someday" Behind: A First Timer’s Weekend in Yellowstone
Visiting Yellowstone National Park was always at the very top of my photography bucket list. But as everyone knows, things placed on a "someday" list can easily turn into "never" or an "I wish" if you don’t take the leap. This year, the stars aligned. I stopped making excuses to put my life and dreams on hold, and I booked the trip: Spring in Yellowstone.
After 30 days of planning and anticipation, my journey began with a brutal 4:00 AM wake-up call after only 30 minutes of sleep. What followed was a grueling 12-hour travel marathon—navigating chaotic airports, sitting through restless flights, and waiting for my fellow photo tour participants. Armed with nearly 60lbs of gear and a quiet hope that my new motion sickness medicine would work (it worked like a charm!), the exhaustion finally faded when we checked into the hotel and set out for our first evening in the park. We entered the park through the North Entrance—one I find fitting for my first time visiting—and I finally saw America’s first national park on that Thursday evening just as sunset approached.
That first scouting drive started with a bang. Our small photo group spotted six black bears, a red fox, countless elk, bison, pronghorn, and some incredibly colorful bird species. As the sun dipped below the mountains, the nagging worry of whether I had planned correctly completely melted away and the Yellowstone wildlife photography opportunities awaited.
Day 1: The Ultimate Fox Photography Jackpot
Friday morning began with a 5:00 AM entrance into the park. The forecast predicted rain following a warm day, resulting in a quiet, misty morning as we drove and appreciated the landscape toward Cooke City. Suddenly, a subject at the very top of my goal list lit up the landscape among the fallen logs near the roadside: a wild Red Fox.
After we found a safe pull-off, I hopped out of the car, gripping my rented 600mm lens with my backup 100-500mm lens on standby and got into position to observe from a respectful distance. To our amazement, it wasn’t just a fox—it was a young fox kit playing and posing beautifully on a pile of fallen logs. Talk about a dream photo opportunity!
After a few endearing moments, the fox kit traveled up the road and crossed over the bank behind us. That is when mom emerged, coming from the same direction the kit had originally been in. I like to think she was telling her kit it was time for dinner, as she trotted across the road with two voles clutched tightly in her jaws.
She disappeared over the slope to drop off the food, but a moment later, she returned to the crest of the hill. She sat down and gave the most beautiful, relaxed pose for the small group of admirers her kit had gathered.
Because I had opted to rent the massive, fast 600mm prime lens to handle low-light, I crouched into position to hold the heavy gear steady handheld while also getting a good angle on mom. I carefully adjusted my stance and settings, allowing the background shadows to fall away, focusing solely on the details of her coat as it shed from its vivid winter red into a summer gray.
It was only when she headed back to her kits and we headed back to the car that I realized I had completely forgotten to breathe—partially to reduce camera shake, but mostly due to the sheer adrenaline of capturing a dream shot. After that Yellowstone fox photography experience, I could have gone home happy.
Dominating Rushing Rivers: Harlequin Ducks and Dippers
To wrap up the day, we looked for some more unique subjects that call Yellowstone home and stopped along a rushing river to view some of the most unique Yellowstone bird photography subjects: the rare Harlequin Ducks.
I wanted to capture some slow shutter speed photography to blur the rapids around them, but nature photography always comes with lessons. When I first set up, a smudge on my teleconverter glass rendered my first few shots unusable. Then, as the boardwalk filled with more onlookers, footsteps caused slight vibrations during my slow exposures. While I didn't get the perfectly crisp images I originally hoped for, I walked away with some unique, artistic shots that I love.
On the way back to the car, the river gave us one last gift: an American Dipper—North America's only aquatic songbird. That’s right… an AQUATIC songbird! It was a wonder to watch both species navigate the freezing rapids with such expertise, the ducks diving under the whitewater and the dipper bobbing in and out of the currents like it was nothing.
Day 2: Grizzlies, Badgers, and High-Contrast Bighorns
Saturday brought an entirely different kind of energy. Our very first sighting of the morning was a massive male grizzly bear cutting across the valley, passing right in front of our vehicle. Following strict park safety rules, we stayed inside the car and watched in awe without getting any shots other than with our cell phones. But for my first-ever grizzly sighting, I was not complaining! O Once he reached the safety of the treeline, we stepped out into a pull-off and managed to capture a few distant shots as he continued on his determined path.
Later that morning, our group shifted focus to the steep, rocky cliffs looking for Pika, Marmot and Bighorn Sheep. We spotted all three in Northern Yellowstone and took a few distant photos for the bighorn ram, but since he wasn't moving, we packed up our gear and started to drive away.
As we were pulling out of our spot, I looked back and he was up!
We scrambled back out of the car, and it was the best decision we could have made. The rain from earlier in the morning created a moody, high-contrast scene. As the ram navigated the slate rocks, a second ram emerged and they continued on with their day. Moving through the rugged terrain gave us a spectacular variety of backgrounds, with the wet rocks and deep shadows that was an absolute dream to photograph.
As the afternoon turned rainy and "slow," we continued through the valleys where I spotted a badger furiously digging up a ground squirrel burrow. Even though the angle wasn't ideal for a portfolio piece, witnessing such a magnificent creature doing what it does best was exhilarating.
The Mountains are Calling…
By Sunday morning, the rain had settled into a consistent pace. We spent a few final, quiet hours driving through the park, photographing some rain-drenched bison, and capturing the vibrant colors of the thermal features.
We took one final photo of a pronghorn standing near the valley edge as we left the park boundaries for the last time, before heading back for a 9:00 AM breakfast and catching our flights home to Florida.
Looking back, Yellowstone delivered everything it promised while leaving plenty for next time. In one single weekend, I was able to check some major shots off of my goal list while adding a few more for the future. I’m convinced that I left a part of my soul in those mountains—or perhaps a part of them came home with me. The park has a way of showing you a wild side of the world you didn't even know you were missing. I am already feeling the pull to go back, and I am already planning my next trip.
Explore the Full Collection & Bring the Wild Home
I’ve uploaded a curated selection of some of my favorites photos from this adventure into a brand-new folder on my site! Head over to the Spring in Yellowstone Portfolio folder to view the full journey.
Want one of these moments on your wall? I am currently selecting my absolute favorite frames from this trip—including my trip making fox portrait—to feature as fine art prints for my upcoming shop launch! Drop your email below to join the newsletter and get notified the exact moment the print shop goes live.