Grand Teton National Park is in the northwestern corner of the state of Wyoming. At approximately 480 miles square, this park includes the major peaks of the 40-mile long Teton Range. The highest peak, Grand Teton, stands at 13,775 ft. That’s more than two miles high! The park also encompasses about 50 miles of the Snake River. Because it is so close to Yellowstone National Park, it often falls in the larger park’s shadow. This should not be. In addition to its majestic peaks, the park boasts nearly as much wildlife as Yellowstone, but half the crowds. Over the course of five days my family and I were able to see Moose, Antelope, Beavers, Otters, Grizzly bears and Black bears, Elk, Deer, Uskrats, and over 80 species of birds.
When photographing anything, especially wildlife, I love to challenge myself to get eye-level with them. Not only does this provide new angles, but it also makes the picture much more pleasing to the viewer. For example, when photographing large mammals such as antelope or moose, I always attempt to get some vegetation (grass or other plants) between me and the subject. This creates the eye-level feel that is so coveted. During our trip while we were hiking the Hidden Falls trail, I found a Red Squirrel sitting on a log, vigorously defending his territory. Slowly and quietly so as not to disturb him I laid my camera down on the other end of the 15-foot dead tree… the result being a portrait shot of a Red Squirrel with his mouth open and eyes closed. After getting some tips from Ms. Langell (a professional wildlife photographer) on where to go in the park, I decided to try to photograph one of the barns on Mormon Row in early morning light. This meant getting up at five and getting there by five-fifty. The sacrifice of sleep was greatly rewarded though, and we were afforded stunning views of the barn with the Tetons in the background.
“Levi is an ambitious and thoughtful young photographer. He consistently captures images with gesture, expression, and pays attention to light, detail, background and foreground. He is selfdriven and it shows in his work. If I were to offer a suggestion to consider, I would like to see what Levi can do by adding a few new techniques to his post processing workflow to enhance the potential and magic that is already there in his work.”
-Lisa Langell
Professional Wildlife Photographer, langellphotography.com
One of the lessons I have learned is that almost no light is bad. I challenge myself to take advantage of whatever light there is. Obviously, the “golden hour” is my favorite time of day as this is the time when most birds and animals are actively feeding and moving around. It is also when getting the sun behind you is easiest. But even when it is overcast you can take advantage of the fact that there are no harsh shadows on your subject. Another thing that I have found extremely helpful is to study and know your subject backwards and forwards. Know what it eats, what time of day it is most active, and what habitat it requires. Know its behavior. With most waterfowl, when they duck under the water and put water on their backs you know it is only a matter of time before they raise themselves up and flap their wings. With Ospreys you know they are about to dive when their tail goes up, and you can get ready to catch their mid-air action. If you are photographing feeding deer for example, a simple snap of your fingers will most likely bring their head up out of curiosity, for a good shot. You can read the body language of many birds and know exactly when they are going to take off. Knowing birds and animals’ body language also helps you to know if you are too close and are disturbing them. This has often helped me take pictures of birds for a longer time period, by giving them some space and allowing them to go on with their normal behavior.
My bag consists of a Nikon D500, a Tamron 150-600mm f/5, a Nikkor 18- 55mm DX VR, a Nikkor 55-200mm lens, a Gitzo tripod, and a gimbal head. I obtained the D500 in May of last year after saving up for almost three years. I have been photographing wildlife, especially birds for about five years. I have always had a passion for birds, and when my father got me a camera for my twelfth birthday I was hooked. I am mostly self-taught, but Ms. Langell has given me many great tips for photographing wildlife, like laying down on the ground to get a great perspective on waterbirds. Other photographers that I have run into in the field have helped me as well. One photographer I met in while photographing moose on the Gros Ventre in Grand Teton challenged me to get to the moose’s eye level by climbing down the bank of the river to water level (the moose were feeding on the other side of the river). Learning from others is very important in photography. Back home I follow other photographers examples in getting the right angle on a beautiful spider or flower. Asking other photographers what settings they are using is a great way to learn more. Patience is another key element of photography.
When photographing moose along the Gros Ventre River it started pouring rain. I was tempted to get back in the motorhome and drive away, but I decided to wait it out and see what happened. I ended up getting a great portrait shot of the moose and I got to meet some local shutterbugs. One of the mistakes I made in Grand Teton was actually placing my camera too near the water’s surface when I was taking a landscape shot. This accidentally captured every single insect that was on the surface of the water, giving the photo a not-so-serene look.
One of my favorite shots that I got in Grand Teton is a shot of a Violet-Green Swallow sitting on a bunch of pinecones. The light was just right and you can see all of the wonderful purples, blues, and greens on its back and rump. Another shot I really like is one of a Barrow’s Goldeneye coming in for a landing on the Snake River in early morning light. The light was reflecting perfectly on the underwings of the duck, creating that dappled look. Oxbow Bend is always beautiful, but especially in morning light. On the particular morning I took my favorite photo, there was virtually no wind, creating amazing reflections, mixing different tones of blues and greens. A shot of a Common Merganser that I particularly like
shows the merganser swimming on the Snake River with fir trees creating wonderful green reflections.
In the future I would love to travel to Alaska, Florida, and Costa Rica. Short term though, I would like to get some good shots of migrating hummingbirds in the White Mountains of Arizona. Earlier I mentioned that Grand Teton had almost as much wildlife as Yellowstone but half the crowds. There were many times that my family and I were the only people at a lookout point or river access. If you are looking for adventure or great wildlife photography opportunities head to Grand Teton National Park. It was by far the most photogenic place I have been since starting photography. The majesty of this park is unrivaled. Yes, Grand Teton truly is the hidden jewel.
