Safari
Autumn in Yellowstone brings out bugling bull elk to
challenge each other for dominance and the right to
breed the cows of his harem. These weeks in September
have drawn me to Yellowstone for more than 20 years
now. It is a truly magical time – the air is crisp as
the seasons begin to change. Sometimes the golden grass
is frosted in the mornings, sometimes snow is already
falling on the Yellowstone Plateau. The bull elk are
bugling their challenges and gathering up harems of
cows. It is a time when wildlife are gorging
themselves in preparation for winter. Grizzlies and
black bears are in the whitebark pines eating pine nuts
on Mt. Washburn, bighorn sheep are on the slopes of Mt.
Everts, and the meadows around the Madison River,
Norris, and Swan Flats are filled with elk. Colorful
berry bushes attract black bears at Tower while the
Cottonwood trees along the Lamar River are taking on
their golden autumn hues – no matter where you turn
Yellowstone is bustling with activity.
We meet in Gardiner, Montana just outside the northwest
entrance to the park a few miles north of Mammoth Hot
Springs on Friday night, September 18th. It is about a
6 hour drive from Salt Lake City up I-15, to Idaho
Highway 20, then into the park at West Yellowstone and
then up to Gardiner, Montana. If you fly into Bozeman,
Montana then its about a 90 minute drive down to
Gardiner. Whether you are shooting Sat-Mon or
Sat-Tue (including the Tetons on Tuesday) we depart each
morning before dawn to be in our chosen location at
sunrise. We do a lot of driving and so when we are
carpooling we split the gas expenses. I have a
couple of rooms reserved at the Super 8 Motel in
Gardiner but I would suggest getting your own room if
you are traveling with another person – there number is
406-848-7401. Another, less expensive hotel is the
Yellowstone River Motel - there number is 406-848-7303.
If you are alone and would like to share a room with
another safari attendee then the costs are split
equally. The cost of meals is typical in a tourist
area, being a bit higher than normal, but there are good
restaurants in Gardiner.
Philosophy
I'm a wildlife photographer first, and a scenic
photographer second. I say this because I don't
want there to be any misunderstanding about our goals
each day. Except for the final day in the Tetons,
each morning is spent finding and photographing the
wildlife around us. During the day if
opportunities present themselves for landscape
photography - great, we will take advantage of them.
My Nikon 500mm F4 lens, as well as all my equipment and
lenses, will be available for safari participants to use
as opportunities arise. Bring all your camera
equipment. Opportunities for wildlife photography
generally require your longest lens for the safety of
the animals and the photographer. A tripod is also a
necessary accessory, especially in the morning and
evening hours when light requires longer
shutter-speeds. I suggest bringing layered clothing,
shooting gloves, camera equipment, tripod, hat, weather
slicker for you and your equipment in case of rain or
snow. Depending upon your camera and how you shoot
images (Raw vs. JPG’s) bring at least 16 gig of compact
flash cards or other media. Bring your laptop or a
portable hard-drive if you feel you might need to
download cards while shooting. Personally, I use the
Epson P-series of portable hard-drives to download my CF
cards as I'm shooting.
Deposit and Conditions
The
deposit is 50%, the balance is due by September 1st,
2009. I accept major credit cards including Visa,
Mastercard, and American Express - and of course,
checks. Please don't e-mail me credit card
information - just call and we will handle it over the
phone. There is a $100 cancellation fee applied if
this safari is cancelled (by you - in writing) within 30
days of the safari. Access to the parks is not
included in the cost of the safari if you are driving
your own vehicle. There is no additional fees if
your wife and/or husband accompanies you and they are
not photographers. You are responsible for your
own safety, travel, hotel accommodations, and food.
Brent R Paull and American West Photography assume no
responsibility for injury, accident, lost or stolen
possessions or camera equipment, delay, weather, or acts
of God. It is clearly understood that outdoor
nature photography has inherent risks and that those
risks are borne by the participants. Your deposit
for this photography safari constitutes your acceptance
of these conditions.
I make
every effort to provide a great photographic experience
for everyone. Getting up early and staying out
until dark is part of great nature photography.
Rain, snow, or sun - hot or cold - we get out and search
for great photographic opportunities. Each night
at dinner we will visit about the day's events and plan
strategy for the following day. I have two-way
radios for talking between vehicles and know where all
the restrooms are (hey, that's important info...).
Look through my galleries to see the type of stuff I
shoot and join me if you feel like you will not only
learn important professional nature photography
techniques - but have great experiences as well.
If you would like to request more
information, feel free to call me directly or e-mail me
below. If you would like to join this photo
safari, call today as space is limited.
Regards
Brent Russell Paull
American West Photography
559-909-5208
brent@amwestphoto.com
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