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Grand Viewpoint
One night while driving to Oxbow Bend during one of my first trips into Grand Teton National Park, I stopped when I saw a tour-bus and other travelers on the side of the road. When I saw the alpine glow and the elk in the field, I knew that there was more to my quick-trip than what I intended. An hour later I still hadn’t made it to Oxbow, but I returned to my little home, happy as could be.
During a surprise music video shoot (for an instrumental piece my mother wrote) (Check it out here: XXXXXX ) I looked up to notice the steam rising from the falls into the trees on the mountain side. And just like I thought - not minutes later, the sunrise lit it up like fire in the night.
As I drove up to Oxbow Bend for my second weekend-long attempt to photograph the famous location, I was disappointed to see that the sky was again completely overcast – foiling any chance for the sunrise that I hoped to capture. Since this would be my last opportunity to capture this scene before the leaves fell, I packed up my gear and headed out simply hoping for a miracle. I arrived at the bend and made my way to my previously chosen spot. I knew it well by now. There were a few other hopefuls like myself that morning, but far fewer than usual.The hours passed silently, and the scene was as beautiful as always. The geese called, elk bugled in the distance, and we exchanged stories about other shots we had acquired during the season while waiting for a sunrise that came and passed without announcement.Slowly, photographers began to pack their gear and head for the other locations they had scouted previously. I thought about turning in as well, but for the past two weeks I had only one goal in mind. I decided to wait. The clouds were moving quickly and occasionally a patch of sunlight would make its way through, so I was hopeful. Suddenly, and out of nowhere – the clouds opened up and lit up the scene! It was everything I hoped for. Quickly, I fired my sequence. Going right; one, two, three, four, five, sweeping back, but the light was gone as quickly as it had arrived. At the moment, I couldn’t know for sure. I stayed a few more minutes, then packed up my gear and headed out - but in my heart I was sure I had captured something truly special.
First Light
As the sun rises, even the horses stop to watch the light show.
Last of the evening light illuminates the sage and flowers of the Tetons
Night rolls in as a thunderstorm rumbles in the distance over the Teton mountain range. Despite the darkness, wind and light rain, I know that I am in the right place. Between the flashes of mother nature's performance I make subtle adjustments as the night light grows dim. The wind makes my stone-bag a necessity to keep my tripod still, and I must be vigilant in keeping specks of rain from off my lens. Minutes pass as I count off frame after frame, some lucky, some black, until the dark of night encompasses me. Uncertain and a little wet, yet full of hope, I pack my gear and return home for a night of rest as nature's music sounds quietly in the distance.1. Mel Maki and Joshua Rackham
Lower Mesa Falls
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Aged Sunrise
Mid Morning on Mount Moran
Lazy Lunch
Curious Bear
An early morning hike led to a great sight at Taggart Lake. I scoped this one out a week before with my friend Krista.
My first shoot using my new Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO lens. I scoped it out the night before and planned the shoot for the next day since I knew with the humidity that the cloud cover would be spectacular.
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A cold and rainy evening the night before told me that of all the times I had been to Schwabacher Landing before, the next morning would be one of the most clear and still of them all. Packing my car I could see that the sky was cloudless, but since I was awake anyway I decided that there was never a bad time to visit the scenic location, regardless of conditions. Arriving an hour before sunrise, an enjoyable morning yielded perfect conditions for this famous location. Patience paid off, and my sixth visit provided the image I had always wanted.
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