During Jeff Parker’s Fall in Yellowstone Photo Tour 2023 , focus on creating memorable images of America’s first national park . Between wildlife and autumn landscapes you — and your lens — will have a great time!
Yellowstone is a magical place any time of year, but fall is really something special, and this photo tour takes advantage of that. Join me as we journey into the heart of Yellowstone in search of pronghorn, bears, wolves, elk, moose, bison, and other wildlife.
Bears, especially, are photogenic this time of year because they’re eating as much as possible in preparation for a long winter’s nap they’re at their fittest in autumn.
And, speaking of photogenic: the aspen should be putting on their annual show when we’re there. Picture them — and make pictures of them — dressed in their golden leaves amidst myriad evergreens!
LIMITED to just five (5) photographers. ~ FOUR (4) SPOTS LEFT ~
ALL-INCLUSIVE ~ SINGLE-occupancy; includes all ground transport so you don’t need a vehicle)
** We are an Authorized Permittee of the National Park Service. **
Yellowstone National Park is the only place in the lower 48 states that still has all of the wildlife species that were present when Europeans arrived. Fall is a great time to see all of them. 
We’ll journey about the park keeping our eyes peeled for wildlife activity. Bison and elk are a given. Pronghorn, bighorn sheep, and coyotes and foxes are other likely subjects for our lenses.
And…if we get really lucky we may even spot a wolf, or — EVEN BETTER! — catch a pack hunting or dining on a kill (no promises, of course, but I stay in touch with those-in-the-know to keep up with latest wolf activity).
Plan also for some iconic landscape images including the geyser basin, Mammoth Hot Springs & Yellowstone Falls. In addition, we’ll head to some locations that I’ll scout out specifically with fall foliage in mind.
WHAT YOU CAN LEARN ON THIS TOUR:
- How to master manual exposure (& when it’s better than priority exposures)
- How to capture sharp wildlife action images
- How to create interesting wildlife portraits
- Tips for creating “animalscapes”
- Landscape photography composition & metering tips
A note about instruction on my photo tours:
Since skills levels vary so much on photo tours, I tailor my teaching to individual needs. Please do not be shy about telling me what you need.
ITINERARY:
PLEASE NOTE: This is an estimated schedule and we’ll do our best to stick to this itinerary, but certain conditions may necessitate changes. The best photographic experiences and the opportunities to view wildlife remain our goal at all times.
Sunday, September 24, 2023
Arrive in Bozeman, where I’ll pick you up. Please be sure to arrive by 3:00 pm as I won’t be able to make more than one trip from the airport to Gardiner, where your tour begins. (If you miss the ride, there are shuttle services available for about $120).
Once I have everyone tucked inside our ground transport, it’s time to head to Gardiner.
After having a bit of time to get settled into your hotel room, we’ll get together for the Welcome Dinner (tentatively set for 6:00 pm). During this first meal together, I’ll go over what to expect in the coming days.
Sleep well, nestled into your warm bed in your single-occupancy room.
OVERNIGHT: Gardiner
Monday, September 25 — Saturday, September 30, 2023
Wake and then “wolf” down your breakfast. Specific activities during these 6 days will depend on weather and wildlife, but the plan is to create as many wildlife images as possible.
Also plan for visits to iconic Yellowstone spots with landscape images in mind. Too, I’ll bring you to spots I’ve scouted where the fall foliage is most photoworthy.
We’ll eat lunch in the field so we don’t have to waste our precious time going back to town. Wildlife action will determine where we go in the park each day. We may spend extended time at one location if wolf activity looks promising.
OVERNIGHT: Gardiner
Sunday, October 1, 2023
Alas, all good things end and today marks the end of the tour. Please book your return flight for a departure AFTER 10:30 am.
As I shuttle you from Gardiner to the Bozeman airport be sure to exchange contact info with the awesome folks you met on this tour. As you may have already learned, sharing a love of nature and photography together tends to make good friends out of tour attendees!
WHAT’S INCLUDED:
- Lodging — SINGLE-Occupancy
- Meals from the Welcome Dinner our first evening to breakfast the last morning
- One-on-one instruction & image review (I’m also glad to help you via Zoom once you get home)
- All ground transport within the park.
- Round trip transportation to & from the Bozeman airport.
- Water & snacks
- Park entrance fees
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED:
- Alcoholic beverages/bar tab
- Laundry or other personal expenses
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Yellowstone is a high elevation, mountain environment. Elevations on this tour range from 6,000 to 8,000 feet. To participate in this tour you should have reasonable endurance for short walks with your camera gear in chilly conditions.
IMPORTANT! ~ Keep in mind that autumn in Yellowstone has highly variable weather! Be sure to pack accordingly. Temps could be anywhere from 20F to 80F . It could be snowy, rainy, sunny, windy or cloudy. Whatever weather Nature brings our way, we’ll be out there photographing the sights and scenes. Bottom line: bring layers and be prepared for any type of weather.
ARRIVAL:
Please plan to arrive on September 24, 2023 by 3:00 pm.
Fly into Bozeman, Montana where I’ll pick you up. Please be sure to arrive by 3:00 pm. Because of the long distances, I won’t be able to return for those who arrive late. (In that case, there’s a shuttle for about $120).
The airport is officially called “BOZEMAN YELLOWSTONE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.” The airport code is BZN.
LODGING & MEALS:
SINGLE-occupancy lodging is included in this tour. (Yay! A room to yourself — unless, of course, you want to share with someone.)
All meals are included in the tour from the Welcome Dinner on September 24 through breakfast on October 1.
SUGGESTED EQUIPMENT:
Wondering what sort of photography equipment you might need on a trip like this?
Here’s the EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST (PDF) I send out to participants as we prepare for the tour.
NOTE: You do not have to own everything on the checklist to get good shots in this photogenic national park!
It’s a list of recommended equipment. If you have any questions about the minimum lenses, etc. that will get you though, don’t hesitate to ask!
GENERAL INFO / SIGN UP:
- DURATION: Six (6) full days & seven (7) nights.
- DATES: Sunday evening, September 24 — Sunday morning, October 1, 2023
- SPACE FOR: Five (5) photographers ~ FOUR (4) SPOTS LEFT ~
- DEPOSIT: $1500
- PRICE: $5170
- PAYMENT DUE DATES: Remaining balance (after paying your deposit) due 60 days prior to start date of tour.
CANCELLATION POLICY
Please read our Cancellation Policy before purchasing. (Follow the provided link or go to link under “MORE” on sidebar to the right.) Thanks!
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RISK:
At the start of any tour we lead in a U.S. national park, we’ll ask you to sign this Acknowledgement of Risk. We encourage you to review it before signing up.
