Charge up your camera batteries and make sure you’ve got plenty of storage cards! We will enjoy a full day exploring Yellowstone and its surrounds, searching for wildlife to photograph. Your guide will pick you up at your lodging and drive you on a route that will give you the best chance of seeing the animals you are most interested in. Your guide will help you to get the best photos you can, and can provide instruction if you need it.
Timing is flexible, but be aware that many animals prefer to be out at dusk and dawn. Also, getting into the park during the busy season can take some time if we arrive at the gate later than about 8:30 or 9 am. We recommend an early start.
| Cost | $1,075 for 1-3 people +$50 for each additional person over 3 * |
| Maximum capacity | 6 people |
| Duration | 8-10 hours |
* Price includes Big Sky resort tax. Lunch and snacks are included. Additional credit card processing fee will apply. Park entrance fees and gratuity are not included.
What’s included
Tours include the following for no additional charge:
- A professional photographer as your tour guide
- Certified Yellowstone Master Naturalist
- Certified Montana Master Naturalist
- Certified in CPR and Wilderness First Aid, and will carry a first aid kit, bear spray, and GPS with emergency SOS capability for safety
- A lunch (full day tours only)
- A reusable water bottle and a supply of water for refills
- Use of a limited selection of equipment
- All transportation
Equipment that is available for your use on a photography tour:
- Tripods, with ball heads with Arca-Swiss quick release
- Monopods, without heads
- Arca-Swiss plates for your camera
- Binoculars and spotting scope
- Head lamps
- Low-level lighting units with stands
- Day packs
- Microspikes or snowshoes
Not included:
- Park entrance fees
- To streamline entry, your fees can be pre-paid through us, or you can bring an America The Beautiful Pass and an ID to cover your entry
- Only required if your tour enters Yellowstone
- Gratuity
- Not required, but always appreciated
What you should bring
Any photo tour is based on the assumption that you will be using a DSLR camera. Here are some basics you’ll need to go along with your camera:
- A long lens for wildlife
- A zoom is ideal. You may have trouble with a prime lens, as there may not be opportunities to move very far towards or away from your subject.
- A mid-range zoom for scenics, closer wildlife, etc
- A zoom that covers mild wide angle to mild telephoto is ideal.
- A very wide, fast lens for night photos
- You will need the widest lens (without fisheye distortion) and widest aperture (smallest f-stop number) that you can get for best results with the Milky Way. For star trails, this is less important.
- A macro lens for wildflowers, in the right season
- If you’re visiting in winter, sometimes cold mornings result in very interesting hoarfrost crystals that are worth use of a macro lens as well.
- A good camera bag or pack for hikes
- Plenty of storage cards for your camera
If you need a particular lens from this list, or some other piece of expensive photo equipment, but don’t have it, we can help you get a rental from a local camera shop. (Availability may be limited, as lenses are popular rental items in the busy season.)
For any children under 60 lbs, you will need to bring a car seat.
Other needs
Beyond photography needs, there are some basics you’ll need for any trip to this area.
- Good shoes
- If hiking, wear wool socks and a good pair of comfortable shoes or boots.
- Layers!
- No matter what time of year you visit, layers of clothing you can add or remove are crucial. Even in the summer, mornings can be in the 40s or 50s (in degrees Fahrenheit), while afternoons can be in the 80s or 90s.
- Sun protection
- Long sleeves/pants, sunscreen, hat, etc. The sun is powerful out here!
- Rain gear
- Rain can spring up out of nowhere, so having a raincoat and rain pants available is important.