Pixtus - Photography Forum, Photographers, Photo Tips

MHampton · **Going to Yellowstone/Tetons need advice -** 06-22-2009, 07:28 AM

I've been reading about photography in these places and from what I have read so far, i need to pick up some graduated ND filters for this trip to balance out the exposure of the mountains and such. But wow, there are too many choices on these things. I think I have everything else I need (40d, 5dii, 70-200, 10-22, 24-105, 2x, tripod, head, cable releases, polarizers.

I'm looking at the square filters that clip onto the front of the lens so I can use them on either camera, but there are different densities and brands and I'm not sure what goes with what.

So, any suggestions? We'll be going the 3rd week in September (12-19). Are there any kits out there that has multiple densities as a package deal?

Thanks,

kenw · 06-22-2009, 08:01 AM

Cokin is the brand you are looking for, they make the holder that screws on like a filter and the square filters that go in the slots on the holder. Most of the holders hold several filters so you can combine them if needed. Cokin has several kits. Be aware that the filters are very soft and scratch very, very easily.

You will need a holder for the filter diameter of each of your lenses, or a filter up/down adapter ring to make one holder fit all the lenses.

You can use the ND filters or use separate exposures on a tripod and merge them in post, which is what I am doing.

We just got back from Yellowstone this past Saturday, our 1st trip; we had a blast!

MHampton · 06-22-2009, 08:27 AM

Thanks. I'll check out Cokin's website and see what they got.

Did you spend all your time at Yellowstone or did you do anything at Jackson/Tetons? We're staying in Jackson, but I think we're going to need to spend at least one night in Yellowstone in order to get the sunrise in places.

kenw · 06-22-2009, 10:04 AM

Michael, we spent 4 nights in the park, but in the northern part (Roosevelt) and commuted to each “spot” daily; and well after sunrise...... It was overcast/cloudy with light drizzle most days in the north, sunny and clear in the south.

Our 1st day we came in from West Yellowstone and spent that day in the SW corner: Madison to Old Faithful. The next day we drove to Canyon and Upper/Lower Falls and explored that area, the 3rd was in Mammoth to Norris.

The speed limit within the park is at most 45mph, and 35 and 25 in a lot of places, so plan accordingly! Traffic in the southern area was already starting to jam, it willonly get worse as the summer heats up! We spent our last night in Jackson; the road between Jackson and Yellowstone has some construction and can slow you down quite a bit. Also realize that the road between Norris and Madison is under construction with the associated delays during the days not being too bad, but it is closed totally at night (10pm-8am?) and will shut down totally sometime in August (iirc). This is an important road that crosses the middle of the park; East-West. Even without this delay, slow drivers and scenic “distractions” (aka photo ops…) can make a trip from Jackson to Roosevelt take several hours/1/2 day at best.

My future choice of a centrally-located place to lodge would be Canyon. If I couldn't get to stay in the park, I would try West Yellowstone, it is closer and an easy drive in. Once you get in the park to Madison Jct, it is a relatively equidistant shot to Old Faithful to the south, to Mammoth to the north and Canyon to the east.

The southern half of the park is much more popular, has more geologic features, a lot more people and traffic but less a lot critters. The northern areas seem to have more critters (we saw bears, bison, a ram and elk between Tower Jct and Mammoth). An entire herd of Bison with babies was in the Madison area near Fairy Falls, but single or small groups of Bison were literally everywhere in the park. There seems to be a moose semi-permanently grazing at Moose, WY in Grand Tetons NP, fwiw; and the attendant hordes of onlookers.....

Personally, we found Mammoth (in the far NW corner of the park) the least interesting, and except for the trip to and from there where we found the critters and a couple of falls, we would have skipped it if pressed for time.

Trust me, the waterfalls need to be totally shaded to get success with slow shutters, my polarizer (@2stops) wasn't enough to keep the water from overexposing at slow shutters and min aperture (like f32). ND or graduated filters may not work very well as the separation is rarely linear. I tried multiple exposures at most places, exposing for the shadows in one and the water (brite!) in another, then combine in layers when I can.

My 28-135IS was fine for the Bison, they're big and close....I could have used more reach for the Elk and Bears, 300mm would be a good place to start. Heck, the Ram was sauntering down the Grand Loop Rd in traffic, so virtually anything would have worked for him!

Most of the waterfalls need wide, wider and widest. My 20mm (on a crop-sensor 10d, FoV = 32mm) was required in many places, and Fairy Falls needed much wider. Your 10-22 on a full frame will be great.

Within Teton, the lupines are in bloom around Jenny Lake and north. These look exactly like light purple/pinkish bluebonnets. Don't forget a macro!

venchka · 06-22-2009, 10:35 AM

Singh Ray graduated ND filters.

2 stop soft and 3 stop hard.

Galen Rowell made them famous.

http://www.singh-ray.com/grndgrads.html

3rd week in September? Call ahead to find out what roads and facilites are open or closed. For Yellowstone. The south entrance, coming from Grand Teton, may be closed.

MHampton · 06-22-2009, 12:26 PM

Ken,

Thanks for all the information. I look forward to seeing some posts soon. I saw the t-shirt pic you posted already. :)

Wayne,

Thanks for your info as well. I'll check out the filters as well as the road. We're really hoping that we are far enough away from "summer" to avoid some of the crowds.

andyz · 06-22-2009, 12:27 PM

On outings such as this, do those of you who've done them plan and go it on your own, or do you ever consider hiring a guide? I can see real advantages to someone who knows how to get where and at what time of the day. Plus they'd provide the transportation which could make it easier. (If you have a limited time and want to get the most shooting in, this may be good. If you want to take your time and hike it all, you may not want a guide.) If you do get a photo guide of some sort, how do you find one?

MHampton · 06-22-2009, 12:31 PM

I looked at a couple of guides, but the wife balked at the price. :) As a second choice I have gotten a few book specifically on photography and the parks that lists places, times of day when the sun hits them. Pretty good stuff. The transportation was really the best part of the deal I though of getting a guide. Karen (wife) didn't want to be on anyone elses time schedule either though, so, it's the books, gps, and "go with it" time. Just bought a new pair of hiking boots that I'm starting to break in as of today. I figure they're going to get a lot of wear when we get there.

Some of the places I've used on-line for checking out places would be sites like lumious-landscapes. They were crucial in my decision to go to White Sands the year we went to Carlsbad Caverns. Got some great shots there. I used the store-front on this site to order the books on Yellowstone/Tetons.

Angelo · 01:01 PM

Michael, when will you be going to Jackson/Tetons?
I will be there August 1st for 8 days.
I was there last year and it's a photographer's paradise.
The town of Jackson Hole has a lot to see (not very big but full of old style structures).

Edit: Michael, Sorry, I just noticed when you'll be there.
You will probably hit it when the foliage is changing - absolutely beautiful.

Here are some photos I took last year in that area. It will give you an idea of what you'll
find.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/3197495...05139373/show/

MHampton · 06-22-2009, 01:21 PM

Thanks Angelo. I'm trying to see as many as I can before I go so I have an idea what to expect! That will be helpful.

andyz · 06-22-2009, 01:25 PM

Angelo, those shots are breathtaking. How would you go about planning that trip? I've never done it. On trips I usually go, do and return. I just got into real photography a few years ago and a photo trip has to be in my future. But I'm afraid I'd be there for 4 or 5 days, come back and have someone like you ask me "did you see the..." and I'd have missed so much. You have shot after shot that is a winner after winner. Michael's plan seems pretty sound. I didn't know such books for planning were out there.

I want to see Yellowstone, Arches and the Grand Canyon first. The order doesn't matter so much as being able to do it. Now that my two boys are older and may stay at home, it makes a trip like this more possible. My wife will come along, but she isn't a shooter, more of a shopper when available. But she'd love a lot of this. At least for the first couple of days. (But that means hotel, not camping or anything.) Still, its all good.

venchka · 06-22-2009, 01:52 PM

Andy,

Monument Valley and Canyon de Chelly require local guides. Well worth the cost if you do your homework and hire a guide with a good reputation among photographers. The Large Format Photography Forum is a great place to start the search.

Late September won't be crowded in Yellowstone. Enjoy.

Angelo · 06-22-2009, 04:25 PM

Andy/Michael,
That was a National Geographic tour we took (wife and I). If I remember correctly there were only 18 people. The tour began in Montana (Bozeman) and finished in Jackson Hole Wyoming. this was during Hurricane Ike and we were forced to remain in Jackson Hole an addition 5 days. I called it "stranded in paradise".

We stayed at the Trapper Inn in Jackson Hole and hooked up with a photographer that sells his photos at the hotel. He's always there at breakfast time giving travel hints to the guests, and selling his images. I don't remember his name at the moment, but I will get it to you this evening when I get home. He is a great guy and knows the area well. His wife is also a photographer.