PHOTO TRIP!!!!!!! (Bozeman/Yellowstone/Tetons/etc)

[Barracuda]

Okay, after my slightly ill fated trip to Beavers Bend earlier in the month I’ve been extremely in need of a real vacation, a long vacation, away from anything even remotely reminding me of work. Just happens to be that the weekend of Sept 14th the guy who built my custom bike frame is having his 10th anniversary party up in Bozeman. So, making a full week (make that 9 days) of it and doing some sight seeing before the party. Departing the 7th and returning the 16th with what should be a boat load of great photos and memories.

More details to be worked out, but I’m going to at least get to Yellowstone and the Tetons, as well as the Bozeman area. Haven’t decided if I’m going to try to make it north up to Glacier / Kalispel MT as well, I’ve got plenty of time so I may, but it’s a 5+ hr drive each way from Bozeman.

I’ve started researching photo locations already, but any ideas/suggestions/pointers will be appreciated.

[bender16v]

I have just started researching a similar trip of Tetons, Yellowstone, and Glacier for September 2014. I haven’t found anything specific yet other than the iconic Moulton Barn. So I will also be looking forward to finding any information in this thread.

[Barracuda]

Here’s a link I found pin pointing a number of the better photo locations in the Grand Tetons area:
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?authuser=0&vps=2&ie=UTF8&hl=en&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=212756499080043029701.00049adae802782c113a6

I have a buddy that has spent a lot of time in the area so I’m going to be picking his brain as well for good locations as well.

Right now my plans are: Saturday arrive in bozeman early afternoon, spending Sat & Sunday night in the Bozeman area, driving down to Yellowstone early Monday, spending Mon & Tues nights in Yellowstone, departing early Wed morning (how early to be determined by sunrise location selections) to Grand Tetons, spending just Wed night down there but most of Thursday as well before driving back up to Bozeman for Fri-Mon morning. I know I won’t get to see it all, but this will be a good primer trip for future trips if so decided.

[chupathingie]

I have yet to see Yellowstone, and I wind up in Pocatello (<2hrs away) every year. I need to fix that.

[CauseISaidSo]

Been to Yellowstone twice, but it’s been 30 years so I can’t really offer any specific photo advice. What I can offer is my profound jealousy of you both. 😉

I’m looking into taking my boys skiing at Jackson Hole this winter and doing a 2-day snowmobile trip through Yellowstone while there, but it’s still in the very early tentative planning stages, so we’ll see.

[Barracuda]

So, suggestions on a non-insane telephoto lens to rent for the trip? Looking at the 70-300L, with the crop body I’m hoping that 300 will be the sweet spot between size and reach. I have my 55-250, but something tells me that for the quality wildlife photos I’m hoping for, I may need a some ‘red’ on the end of the camera.

[fluffybunny]

I thought long and hard about the Canon 100 – 400 L before I settled on the Sigma 100-300 F4. The Canon 70-300 seems to be on par with the 100-400 here:

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=738&Camera=453&Sample=0&FLI=4&API=1&LensComp=113&CameraComp=453&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=5&APIComp=2

In the end, I got the Sigma at 1/2 the price of the 100-400 and I’m happy with its IQ. None of these are going to be inconspicuous, casual tele-zooms. They tend to get people’s attention. At 2.3 lbs the 70-300 is slightly lighter than my Sigma’s 3.2, but either way you’ll tend to consider the need to carry it on a long hike.

AF speed will be a consideration if you trying to follow the subject. Some super zooms have very slow focus speeds.

Don’t forget TCs, they aren’t the best solution especially with zooms, but if you’re carrying your gear and water on your back all day, a 1.4x TC can make a long lens out of something light if you have the aperture to work with.

(that comparison site lets you add a TC on some lenses)

[bender16v]

I’m not as familiar with Canon but I’ve heard good things about the 100-400mm and I wish Nikon made one, not their 80-400 that is $3k. I generally carry a 300mm f4 plus a 70-200mm and a 1.7 TC. I did just buy a 28-300mm yesterday to try to reduce the lenses that I’ve been lugging around. The 300mm f4 plus 1.7x gets out to 500mm but it certainly isn’t a 500mm f4 prime as the image quality isn’t great and it is f6.7. If you really want to get a big zoom maybe you could look into renting Canon’s new 200-400 + 1.4x but that might be a lot to lug around. I’m hoping to have a 500mm f4 by the time my trip rolls around. When you get that big though you really need to also consider having the correct support for the weight. I also love the idea of Sigma’s 300-800mm but is doesn’t have image stabilization, weighs 12#, and costs 10 grand so it’s out.

[Barracuda]

I could just take the old Nikon 300mm f/4 and the doubler I have for that… but talk about slow focus – it’s manual! 😆 I may take the 135mm f/2.8, something about that old lens’s bokeh and contrast that just can’t be reproduced on my 100mm macro and post production.

[Barracuda]

Well, ending up picking up one of the Tamron 70-300 VC’s, most of the samples I’ve seen are pretty good, and figured for the price they were going for used I could flip it after my trip for less than I could rent one them (let alone the 70-300L I was looking at) for the time I’ll be on my trip. Also, given the smoke in the area wildfires, there may not be much use in using a telephoto for any long shots if they end up looking like they were taken from downtown Beijing. Here’s to hoping the fires are under control in the next two weeks so I don’t end up with bronchitis by the time I get ready to do the cycling part of the trip!

[ravnostic]

I’ve been very happy with the Tamron 70-300 I have. VERY happy. :o)

[Barracuda]

Had an eventful first full day here in Bozeman. Feet are informing me they are not happy with this sudden hike, bike, hike some more, stoop in all sorts of odd positions all day long thing I pulled on them today. Met up with hunches this afternoon and headed out to hyalite south of Bozeman. Water was low at the lake, but we found plenty of photo opportunities regardless. Finished up just before the rain came in, saw but no photos of a great sunset from in the middle of a downpour. Finished the night with some local food and some local beer.

Oh, and loving the heck out of my new 10-stop ND, had much fun with that today. 🙂

Oh, and hunches, the reverse camera on the car started working again when I got done at Walmart. Go figure.

[fluffybunny]

Cuda’, you are in God’s country, I am jealous. Share some photos when you get back.

[Barracuda]

Not back yet, but is it okay if i share a few now (no promises on quality, facebook links till I can upload to picasa later…)

SOOC long exposure w/ 10stop

Gran Prismatic @ Yellowstone

Mt. Moran (Tetons)

[orionid]

Gran Prismatic @ Yellowstone

WOW

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