Yellowstone..

[Nocturnus]

So, after seeing quite a few photo's of the place recently... I've been thinking about going. So far all I have planned is I'd be staying in Jackson Hole. Other then that, I know nothing of the park. Any tip's, pointers, advice will help. This will be a photo trip. All I have at this time is my Canon 40d and a 24-70L. I'm sure another lens or two would be useful in a place like this.

[venchka]

Jackson, WY (I assume that's what you mean by Jackson Hole) is too far south of Yellowstone N.P. You need to stay in Yellowstone N.P. or you will spend too much time driving around. There are campgounds, hotels, motels, etc. scattered throughout the park. I would suggest that you pick two-one on the north loop and one on the south loop. Rent a 400/5.6 for wildlife. A 500/4.0 if you can afford it. Take a tripod & polarizer.
Have fun!

ps: It's 100 miles one way from Jackson, WY to Old Faithful. Old Faithful is on the southern edge of all the good stuff in Yellowstone, N.P. That's 100 miles across the Continental Divide about 3 times. One way. I know. I've done it in several cars and on a bicycle. Stay in the park.

This map explains a lot.

http://www.nps.gov/pwr/customcf/apps...ational%20Park

[kenw]

West Yellowstone is a small town on the western border of YNP, it's about as close as you can get without being IN the part. But if you can stay IN the park, do. We stayed at Roosevelt Lodges (in the park, fairly rustic but very comfortable).

Longer lenses are a must altho wides will be needed as well, most of the wildlife shots absolutely require something longer than 70mm. Even on a crop body. On my trip a few years ago, the number of shots I took with my widest (20mm) are maybe 1 in 30 of those I took with my 28-135 at its longest. Going back now limited to one lens (hypothetical!!) I would take the 70-200/2.8. and rent a 1.4x tc.

(edit) Expanding a bit. With a lot of downed trees remaining in many spots, I found it necessary to zoom-crop more often than not as some spots were just impossible to get closer to. A longer lens would have made it easier. I used my el-cheapo 75-300 a lot more than I intended simply because I couldn’t get any closer. Push come to shove, I wouldn’t go without some means to get those longer shots. I am glad I still had that lens.

A friend once went to Yosemite and bought a cheap tripod once he got there (somewhere outside the park at a WalMart , etc). Rather than tote it back home on the plane, he gave it to the Ranger at the gate on his way out.

[slallen]

Tagging along. Planning a similar trip.

[Orogeny]

You can also stay in Gardiner which is the northern entrance to the park. It is located about 5 miles from Mammoth Hot Springs. Lodging is reasonably priced.

Edited to add: To add to Ken's comments, you can't get long enough. While it is very possible to see wildlife close to the road (and in fact you WILL see bison and elk either next to or on the road), you will also see things like bears and wolves at a distance. My avatar photo is of a grizzly bear taken with a Sigma 150-500 lens at 500 mm and then cropped. That bear eventually walked right by my car, but he could just as easily walked over the hill instead. The only wolves we saw were at a great distance.

[Orogeny]

One more thing. I bought my 7D and the Sigma 150-500 partly in anticipation of our trip to Yellowstone. My wonderful, loving wife, who allowed me to buy my toys, laughed when I told her that she was going to see some really big lenses when we got to the park. In her mind, my Sigma IS a big lens. After seeing all the white 500, 600 and at least one 800 mm lenses, she stopped laughing. One of the neat things about Yellowstone is the camera equipment one gets to see when visiting!

[venchka]

The Greater Yellowstone-Grand Teton Ecosystem is ideally a 3 week minimum trip. 1 week in Grand Teton. 1 week for the southern half of Yellowstone. 1 week for the northern half of Yellowstone. I suppose you could stay at Canyon Village and cover both the north & south loop in Yellowstone. That still involves a lot of driving and expensive gasoline. There are campgrounds at most of the Villages. A few campgrounds are hard side units only (RVs-no tents) for your safety from critters. I have stayed at Colter Bay CG (Tetons), Grant Village CG, Old Fatihful Cabin, and Madison Junction CG. Madison Junction was the only unpleasant experience: the Easy Rider crowd made a lot of noise. The only other unpleasantness was the tour bus crowd. We quickly learned to go someplace else when the tour busses rolled in.
Mrs. Wayne LOVES the Hamilton Stores shop at Old Faithful. It's full of native silver and tourqoise jewelry.
The last time we were up that way we stayed in Teton Village. A very nice place for the Tetons, fishing the Snake River and spending enjoyable time in Jackson. WAY too far from Yellowstone.

[venchka]

Originally Posted by Orogeny

...One of the neat things about Yellowstone is the camera equipment one gets to see when visiting!

I saw my first 7"x17" camera in Yellowstone.

[crbeveri]

Originally Posted by venchka

The Greater Yellowstone-Grand Teton Ecosystem is ideally a 3 week minimum trip. 1 week in Grand Teton. 1 week for the southern half of Yellowstone. 1 week for the northern half of Yellowstone. I suppose you could stay at Canyon Village and cover both the north & south loop in Yellowstone. That still involves a lot of driving and expensive gasoline. There are campgrounds at most of the Villages. A few campgrounds are hard side units only (RVs-no tents) for your safety from critters. I have stayed at Colter Bay CG (Tetons), Grant Village CG, Old Fatihful Cabin, and Madison Junction CG. Madison Junction was the only unpleasant experience: the Easy Rider crowd made a lot of noise. The only other unpleasantness was the tour bus crowd. We quickly learned to go someplace else when the tour busses rolled in.
Mrs. Wayne LOVES the Hamilton Stores shop at Old Faithful. It's full of native silver and tourqoise jewelry.
The last time we were up that way we stayed in Teton Village. A very nice place for the Tetons, fishing the Snake River and spending enjoyable time in Jackson. WAY too far from Yellowstone.

This is good to know as next year i'll have 3 weeks of vacation and was planning on either Yellowstone or UK (depending on funds)

to OP: as far as glass to take. I would say you want something that will be wide (10mm-20mm range) mid range 28-135 is a great lens... and something long like the 70-200 with 1.4x or get a 300 f/4 (small and light weight). all of these can be rented. good luck and be sure to post pics after your trip.

[Nocturnus]

I was looking outside the park, considering all the places I found in park were very pricey to stay at. Roosevelt Lodge does seem to have a good price. I'll prob camp at least one or two nights, then the rest in a cabin. I'm planning on 5-7 days there, since I am driving (wanting to see things along the way). I have not decided on when to go, but it will be after March 2012.

I'll def want a lens wider then 24, been looking at buying a Tokina 11-16 2.8, and prob rent the 400 5.6L.

My real thing is.. Where to go.. I know when I get up there I will just be floored and have no idea which way to head.

[kenw]

reservations fill up quick, often a year ahead. several months prior to our trip Roosevelt only had 1 cabin available (early June)

[kenw]

Originally Posted by Nocturnus

....My real thing is.. Where to go.. I know when I get up there I will just be floored and have no idea which way to head.

you must plan. must. We only had 1 week so we planned around sun angles and waterfalls. This area that day, that area this day, 2 days that area. Otherwise you'll spend all your time driving. It is a big place.

[venchka]

Originally Posted by Nocturnus

I was looking outside the park, considering all the places I found in park were very pricey to stay at. Roosevelt Lodge does seem to have a good price. I'll prob camp at least one or two nights, then the rest in a cabin. I'm planning on 5-7 days there, since I am driving (wanting to see things along the way). I have not decided on when to go, but it will be after March 2012.

I'll def want a lens wider then 24, been looking at buying a Tokina 11-16 2.8, and prob rent the 400 5.6L.

My real thing is.. Where to go.. I know when I get up there I will just be floored and have no idea which way to head.

Do not plan to go too early. The roads in the park & services in the park don't open before mid to late May.

Distances: you are drving on two lane roads in the mountains. You will see things to stop and photograph around every bend. You won't make good time. Keep your driving to a minimum.

What is your time worth? Do you want to wake up & start shooting? Or start driving at 0:dark 30 to get to the good places while the light is good and ahead of the crowds? Factor in the price of gasoline in a remote tourist area. Easily $0.50-$1.00/gallon more than Texas. If your budget is tight, camp more nights. I stayed in the tent cabins at Colter Bay in Grand Teton N.P. Colter Bay is still a long drive from the center of Yellowstone. They are cool & you are sleeping in a bed. OK, an Army surplus bunk bed. Just like Old Times! We also stayed in the duplex cabins at Old Fatihful. They are fine. You fall out of bed in the morning with your camera. Start shooting. The Old Faithful cabins are $70-$115/night. That's reasonable considering the location-full service food/fuel/scenry/etc. One nice aspect of Yellowstone camping: there is food service near most of the campgrounds so you don't have to cook outdoors. Grant Village & Canyon Village had showers & laudramats when I was there. They probably still do.

I suggested where to go: The two loop roads inside Yellowstone. Look at the map I linked to. Every major thermal, scenic, waterfall & wildlife viewing area is along those two loops. You can't go wrong.
The trip there/back is the subject of another 2-3 week trip.

Follow up to Ken's advice: Have rainy day alternate plans. If it's raining in Yellowstone, it might be clear in the Tetons.

Wide lens: Maybe not. It's easy to go too wide out there. A lot of nothing in the frame. Learn how to use a longer focal length turned vertical (portrait) and stich overlapping frames together.

[kenw]

Originally Posted by venchka

Have rainy day alternate plans. If it's raining in Yellowstone, it might be clear in the Tetons.

.....

or shoot macros. Under an umbrella that your loving wife is holding. That 100 miles to the Tetons is several hours 'cause you won't be going 70mph. It is crowded and often under construction. It took all morning for us to get from Roosevelt (northern YNP) to Rockefeller Parkway for lunch (between Yellowstone and Tetons).

[venchka]

Originally Posted by kenw

or shoot macros. Under an umbrella that your loving wife is holding. That 100 miles to the Tetons is several hours 'cause you won't be going 70mph. It is crowded and often under construction. It took all morning for us to get from Roosevelt (northern YNP) to Rockefeller Parkway for lunch (between Yellowstone and Tetons).

I alluded to the lack of speed on the roads. It's very true.
Since you won't stop just because of a little rain, pack good raingear. Ken's umbrella (golf type?) is also great advice. The rain doesn't stop folks. I watched men fly fishing in the Yellowstone River in the rain. In a catch and release area. It's a real effort to get there. Use every second wisely.