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How to Photograph Wildlife in Yellowstone National Park
Last Updated On By Dvir Barkay 49 Comments
Thank you very much for this terrific description and set of photos of such a popular and magnificent location. In particular, I thought the bear photos were stunning and, of those, the snow covered bear and the photo with the blue hues stand out further. It is often overlooked how many hours, days, weeks, of a life can go into capturing a handful of photos, so thank you for your efforts. Well done.
Hey Benji,
I am glad that you found the article informative. Indeed the two bear photos are some of my all time favorites from Yellowstone. You need a lot of luck and patience to be placed in a position to get such photos but Yellowstone is one of those places where it is possible.
All the best,
Dvir
Great pics and useful advice. I will probably never get to Yellowstone but if the opportunity comes up its good to know there are options for all seasons.
Hey James,
Thanks for taking the time to comment and glad you liked the article. If you do ever make it to that region then Yellowstone is a must see place.
All the best,
Dvir
This is a timely article as my wife and I just returned from 8 days of wildlife photography in Yellowstone. Great photos – I advise readers to click on the photos to view them in greater detail than the embedded photos in the article. Very nicely done Dvir – I enjoyed the text as much as the photos!
Thanks Rob. The pictures come alive only in the detailed view, where they are magnificent.
Hey Rob,
Hope you and your wife had a good time in Yellowstone. Winter is a good time to go there for photography. Thanks for pointing out to other readers that they can see the photos in much greater detail by clicking on them and that is why Nasim asked me to send larger sized photos. Thanks for taking the time to comment and soon there will be part 2.
All the best,
Dvir
Beautiful photography and well written narrative. I am privileged to have this wonderful area in my backyard and one thing I would like to emphasize is to use extreme caution around these large and potentially dangerous animals. Every year there are reports of tourists getting attacked by bear or bison and the common denominator is that they took unnecessary chances to get that one special photo. It is not a petting zoo. Enjoy it but be careful.
Dear Paul,
Indeed it is good advice to heed to remember to keep your distance with wild animals and make sure that you understand their behaviour and not harrass them or bother them in any way. Glad you liked the peice and thanks for commenting.
All the best,
Dvir
Crazy, amazing photos, Dvir! I am partial to image 9 of 15 (black and white image of the bear in snow) — among all the other good ones. Thank you for sharing your work with Photography Life, and I cannot wait to see more!
Hey Spencer,
Glad you liked the photos! Yeah that bear one in the snow is one of my favorites too. There will be more parts to this series and other articles that will come in the near future so stay tuned!
p.s. I saw your work back when you were on Nature’s Best so I am familiar with your photos,
Best regards,
Dvir
Just one word: WOW !!!
Luck is what you need.
and as long I remember when a bear or elk shows somewhere at the park lot of professional photographers stops in the curbs with big lenses and heavier tripods.
then it is esay to find the spot, just watch for a photographers crowd.
I am not complaining about pros, but travelling as a tourist I am unable to carry a 400 2.8 or longer and heavier lens.
mine is just only a tip to make things easier
Hey Nestor,
Yes indeed when you see the big crowds you know it is either a bear or wolves. I have been lucky to have experienced some of the scenes above totally alone and that is when Yellowstone truly becomes special. Regarding heavy lenses, I actually think Yellowstone is one of the easiest places to operate with big lenses because you are mostly in the car and you don’t have to walk a lot with your heavy gear.
All the best,
Dvir
I visited Yellowstone this past fall and while I saw a lot of wildlife, I did not go to a single place in your article. Now I want to go back! Thanks for such a great article. Keep up the excellent photography.
Hey David,
Glad you enjoyed the article. If you ever go back in the Fall season around late September, I am always there ;)
All the best,
Dvir
Dvir: thank you for having taken the time to write such a detailed and informative article. Photo number 9 of the bear in the snow, is the best I’ve ever seen.
Hey Richard,
Thank you for the kind words :)
All the best,
Dvir
very nice pictures, the bear in the snow i like most looks like a polarbear almost :-)
Hey Michael,
Glad you liked the photos. Indeed that particular photo you are talking about is quite unique because the bear had just done a snow bath prior to that frame and so he was covered in a lot of snow.
All the best,
Dvir
Yellowstone National Park is a fantastic place we all benefit from. Its history makes for interesting reading. Unfortunately, its early days included visitors being captured by Indians (they all survived) and Indians being killed by the U.S. Army “protecting visitors.” That was in the late 1800s so we no longer have those worries. The greatest detriment to photographers are the crowds of people which, of course, includes many photographers. Nowhere else in North America can you find the opportunities to photograph wildlife that can be found in Yellowstone. I recommend finding a good reputable guide who knows where to go and when to go there as those opportunities change with the seasons.
Hey Allen,
Indeed the parks history is facsinating and you can actually see more backround info about the parks different denizens on my project section of my website. Yellowstone offers something you cannot find in the rest of the North America and really the world and so I think that uniqueness is what makes it so satisfying to photograph. I agree about getting a good guide (I guide otu there myself in the fall) but I really think that you can really do well if you are on your own as well, especially if you follow my advice here.
All the best,
Dvir
Wonderful photos and information. Hope to go there one day.
Thank you!
Thank you for the guidance. Your pictures are stunning!
Thank you Janis :)
Expertly wriiten, obvious you have a love and respect for this great place. As always, with wildlife photography patience is crucial and in YNP it is especially so for several reasons. Visitation in the park is beyond description: SUV’s, RV’s Tour buses, motorcycles, bicyclists, even joggers pushing baby strollers can clog roads. “Bear jams” can last for an hour. You almost always will be “sharing a scene” with other photographers: a few of which are aggressive and unethical, along with visitors who just don’t know any better. These are educational moments for you if you have the temperament. Over the years I have trended away from head shots to presenting an animal in its environment. Your photos of the landscape and energy of the animals in YNP are superb – hope to see many more.
Thank you. This is very timely as I am planning a visit in May.
John,
Living within 4 hours of YNP I find it getting busier earlier in the season. We were there in mid-May last year and it was packed. For me the best time to go is in late September but weather can be an issue. Enjoy your trip.
Hey John,
Indeed Paul’s advice is very true. The park gets very much packed with people already in May. My favorite time to go is in September when I guide out there and even then there are too many people for my taste. If you can afford to get some heavy snow days I find October a really good time as well with a lot less people and the chance to photograph wildlife in snow.
All the best,
Dvir
I have invested many trips to YNP, all through the year, for a number of years. Seeing and especially getting great story telling images, versus reporting shots (see the critter I saw) is about investing the time to understand the different areas of the Park and how things change month by month, and some seasons week by week.
When people ask me about “the best” time to visit the Park, a lot has to do with what interests of the person and how much time they have. Most go when is convenient for them, which also often means when a lot of other people are there – which also tends to mean less chance of critters. Early to mid-May tends to be among the best times of the year if you wish for mammal and birds. Where depends on what you want to see. I have photographed many more species than most see in the Park and more interesting images than the typical reporting shots most share.
This said, while I don’t like to be in the Park from June through August, there are some prime times for some species during these months, too – but wrangling with people and higher heat can be not much fun.
I have had the privilege of photographing wildlife all over the US from Alaska to Florida and California to the Northeast. YNP is one of our jewels. Given the right time of the year and willingness to work a bit, it can be like being in Africa due to all the diversity. I know this is not the experience of most, but it is possible if you are willing to put in the time and let the critters come to you.
Excellent article and superb photos – thanks. I live in northern Montana and make the 6 hr drive twice a year, early spring and late fall are best for me. I skip summer as there are too, too many visitors and negotiating the crowds ruins the experience for me. It’s truly a magical place though and every day offers up new experiences and photo opportunities. I also fly fish and the Yellowstone rivers and creeks offer up some great fishing experiences as well.
Thank you for your beautifully detailed article and magnificent photos Dvir. As an Australian I feel very privileged to have visited YNP twice, both times in Fall. It was on my first visit here that I became interested in photographing photographers. In the clearing up from the fishing bridge a bear had hunted a deer a few days earlier. In the late afternoon every photographer within a 100 mike radius seemed to gravitate to this one spot in the hope of capturing scavengers or a returning bear to photograph. I too was there but what intrigued me was the species …. photographer. So since 2010 wherever my travels have taken me I’ve been on the alert for interesting and unusual antics of photographers. My collection is quite large now and one day I will make myself quite the unique little coffee table book. All thanks to the very spectacular Yellowstone National Park.
The antics of photographers is right! I should start photographing the people who run, literally, from their cars to the nearest bear in my area. It’s comical and yet sad.
Yellowstone has been on my list for a long time. It’s just hard to find the time in my situation. But I’m hoping to go in the next year or two. You’ve confirmed for me, though, that an early May timeframe may be the best timeframe for me. A bit more moderate temperature, pre-tourism, still a good mix of the bigger animals. And I’m sure plenty of wildflowers, etc. as well.
IMHO, May is the most magical time for witnessing and photographing wildlife in YNP. Over the years, I tend to spend the most time, of any month, during May. Each week is almost a new week in terms of what is visible. Each year is a bit different, depending on the weather. Flowers are way cool, but it depends on the part of the Park as to when they show up, as the Park is so large that some parts are having Spring while other parts are still buried in snow and ice. It is a gem that rewards those that can give it lots of time, all through the year – but if one gets only one trip, then May is the month, with more viewable, generally speaking, from the middle to later part of the month.
Hi, A very informative article well supported by astonishing pics. I visited the park May last year and had the opportunity to sight grizzly, bisons, bighorn goat and coyotes but hardly any birds. I only wish I had access to a write up similar to yours before that visit. Wish I am able to have another visit.
Birds are found all over the Park and vary by season, but in general one does have to work a bit to see and photograph some of the rich bird life that is observable within YNP. Most species are tied to specific ecosystems and therefore specific parts of the Park, and also certain months as well, relative to their lifecycle/migration, etc. The larger mammals are easy to see and photograph – the smaller mammals require more effort and the same is true for the birds – has been my experience.
Hey Devandra. Mark is very accurate when he states that the birdlife in the park takes more patience and knowledge to photograph than some of the larger mammals. Often times specific birds are tied to particular ecosystems and seasons. Owls are a good example of very shy birds whose excellent camouflage, exceeding quietness and large territories means that a lot of luck is needed to find them.
Excellent article and information. I need to save the link when we visit on my retirement. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you found the article helpful!
It’s a neat article thank you. However, it’d be nice to see an update log so I can figure out what’s changed and what’s stayed the same since this was originally published.
Three new wildlife hotspots, namely Old Faithful, Mt. Washburn and The Eastern Entrance have been added today.
Did anyone else just scroll through and look at the pictures and forget to read the article like me? :)
What article?
This. Is. Photography.
Crazy good.
I can see all the decisions that led to each image and I feel like you nailed every one of them.
The Old Faithful section was my favorite.
Thank you for sharing here.
A fantastic review – Many thanks for the valuable information and stunning pictures. We will be visiting YNP for 6 days (Mammoth and Old Faithful) at the back-end of August through early September, also spending a few days in Grand Teton NP.
As we are visiting from the UK, this has been one of our ‘must do’ vacations for a long while. If anyone also has any useful tips for Grand Teton in early September, we would be most grateful.
Really enjoyed the article as i hope to be in that are within the next year or two. My question is regarding settings. Are you using single point focus or multi? evaluative metering or single point? Lock the exposure or allow it to change with the scene? or are you using manual settings?
Wow! This is a fantastic article. Thank you so much for sharing.