These are a series of photographs I took on my first day in Yellowstone National Park. They are from the East Park entrance from Cody, WY along the North shore of Yellowstone Lake, and then up through the Hayden Valley towards Canyon Village.
This was my first stopping point to photograph after entering Yellowstone National Park. I arrived in the afternoon and the sun was just starting to break through the clouds at this point. It turned out to be the warmest time during my visit to the park.
Photograph of Middle Creek along the East Entrance Road just after the main gates to Yellowstone National Park.
Wide angle shot of Middle Creek with the forest and valley in the distance.
This is a focus stacked image. Combining two photos into one so both foreground and background are in focus. This small waterfall is right next to the main East Entrance Road.
Sylvan Lake seems to be a popular name. There is one in South Dakota's Custer State Park. This one is in Yellowstone National Park. I found the large tree trunks just under the surface interesting. These were scattered all along the shore.
Different vantage point on Sylvan Lake. In this photograph the waters are reflective instead of transparent. The focus is on the leafy plants along the lake edge that have turned yellow in the fall.
The next few images are captured from the Lake Butte Overlook. This side of the lake was impacted by wildfires and is in a state of regrowth. My timing was exactly right to capture this photograph of the sun breaking through and shining down right on top of the island in the middle of Yellowstone Lake.
The photograph shows the destruction the wildfires have had along this side of Yellowstone Lake. The haze in the air was from wildfires elsewhere in the park that had drifted to this location. You could smell the burning wood in the air.
Occasionally some trees manage to stay standing despite the fires. These three stand tall watching over the new forest growing at their feet.
Below the butte closer to the lakeshore, this photograph captures the transition from old forest to new forest. It also captures the transition from summer to autumn.
Taken at the location as the name implies. You will note that the capture is short rather than a long exposure to smooth out the water flow. This is the case with all rapids and waterfall photographs I took on this trip to Yellowstone. The reason for this is I did not yet own neutral density filters for my lenses.
Would you risk the Dragon's wrath venturing into that cave? I hope not. Maybe there is not a dragon in that cave, maybe the last dragon has been hiding out there all along. In either case it is not the dragon that is going to burn you up, it is the water at your feet. If visiting Yellowstone, please do not be that person I read about that wanders off the path into the springs and pools where they should not be. And above all, leave the wildlife alone. Observe from a distance, do not interact, or interfere. It is not a petting zoo.
A popular stop in the Hayden Valley. If you have watched my Yellowstone Vimeo video there is a stock footage clip shot in this location. This was my final stop on the first day of my trip.
Alternative perspective to Dusk Light in Hayden Valley. I really liked the color of the evening sky and how it reflected in the Yellowstone River.