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<\/a>Nine wolves blend into the sagebrush of Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley. How many can you find?<\/p><\/div>\n
The first hint of dawn was just beginning to touch the Absaroka-Beartooth Mountains as we quietly drove through Lamar Valley. The world was still wrapped in that soft blue light that only exists for a few fleeting moments before sunrise. Then I spotted movement near the confluence where Soda Butte Creek flows into the Lamar River.<\/span><\/p>\n “Wolves.”<\/span><\/p>\n Two Yellowstone wolves, one wearing a radio collar, feed at a carcass.<\/p><\/div>\n I eased the vehicle safely off the road, making sure all four tires were completely on the shoulder before we quietly stepped out into the cool morning air. Near a bison carcass, a pair of wolves had begun their day, tugging at the remains while keeping a watchful eye on the valley around them. One of the wolves wore a radio collar, while the rest of the pack lingered farther out in the sagebrush. I counted about nine more wolves spread across the valley, occasionally lifting their heads to watch the pair at the carcass before disappearing into the rolling folds of the landscape.<\/span><\/p>\n We had arrived early, before the growing line of vehicles created what photographers affectionately call a Yellowstone wolf jam. My clients already had the best vantage point. I helped each of them get set up, found the wolves in their viewfinders, suggested camera settings, and then quietly stepped back. We stayed with them throughout the morning, photographing the pair at the carcass while keeping an eye on the rest of the pack spread across the valley. Eventually the wolves became inactive, and we quietly packed up, grateful to have witnessed such an incredible encounter.<\/span><\/p>\n A Yellowstone wolf stands over a carcass while ravens wait nearby.<\/p><\/div>\n As we climbed back into the vehicle, no one said very much. We didn’t need to. We all knew we had just shared one of those rare Yellowstone moments that stays with you long after you’ve returned home. Those are the experiences I cherish most, not just because I get to witness them, but because I have the privilege of sharing them with others.<\/span><\/p>\n Those kinds of moments are the reason I continue to return to Yellowstone year after year. They don’t happen by accident. They come from understanding the rhythms of the park, knowing when to be patient, and simply spending enough time there to let Yellowstone reveal itself. That is the experience I hope to share with every photographer who joins me, and it all begins the day I meet my clients at the airport in Bozeman, Montana.<\/span><\/p>\n Sometimes it’s a reunion with friends who have traveled with me before and are excited to return for another Yellowstone adventure. Those reunions are always special because we simply pick up where we left off, sharing stories before we’ve even loaded the luggage into the vehicle. Other times I’m meeting someone for the very first time. I know that by the end of eight days together we’ll have shared enough sunrises, wildlife encounters, meals, and conversations that they’ll no longer feel like clients. More often than not, they’ll leave Yellowstone as friends.<\/span><\/p>\n A Yellowstone wolf carries a mouthful from a carcass while ravens wait patiently for their turn.<\/p><\/div>\n Once I pick everyone up at the airport, they can relax. From that moment until I drop them back off eight days later, I’ve got everything covered. My job is to help them experience Yellowstone without worrying about where to go, what time to leave, or whether we’re in the right place at the right time.<\/span><\/p>\n I’ve been photographing Yellowstone for many years, and while wildlife is never predictable, experience matters. I know where to look for bighorn sheep, pika, black bears, grizzly bears, wolves, moose, elk, bison, foxes, and countless other species. More importantly, I know how to follow the ebb and flow of the Yellowstone ecosystem. We don’t rush from one stop to the next trying to check animals off a list. We let the park reveal itself at its own pace, adapting our plans to whatever nature gives us that day.<\/span><\/p>\n One of my favorite parts of every tour is introducing someone to Yellowstone for the very first time. Everything is exciting. The first bison almost always brings out the cameras, and I usually smile and tell everyone, “Don’t worry, there will be plenty more.” Before long they’ve seen dozens, then hundreds, including the little red dogs racing across the spring meadows beside their mothers. The excitement never disappears. It simply shifts from one unforgettable encounter to the next.<\/span><\/p>\n Because I limit my tours to just three participants, the experience feels less like joining a commercial tour and more like traveling with a few friends who share a passion for wildlife and photography. We have the freedom to stay with an active wolf pack, wait patiently for a grizzly to emerge from the willows, or spend an hour photographing a family of playful river otters if that’s where the story takes us. We share early mornings, unforgettable wildlife encounters, good meals, and conversations about photography, wildlife, conservation, family, and life. The only thing I ask everyone to leave behind is politics. For eight days, we’re simply a small group of people enjoying one of the most remarkable places on Earth, and somewhere along the way, strangers usually become friends.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a>