Overview
Join a professional photographer and experienced safari guide on our small group 5-day photography workshop into Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. This intensive field based photography workshop will focus on finding and safely photographing the abundant wildlife of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, as well as capturing both classic and lesser known landscapes throughout the 5 days in the field.
Highlights
- 5:1 Guide/Participant Ratio
- Wildlife & Landscape Photography Opportunities
- Personalized Photography Instruction
We will spend our time in prime wildlife habitat within both national parks including places like Willow Flats, Elk Ranch Flats, Hayden Valley and the famous Lamar Valley, often referred to as the Serengeti of North America. This will allow ample time and opportunity to safely photograph the area’s big game and predators in addition to learning wildlife photography techniques throughout the workshop.
This workshop has a 2-person minimum requirement to run.
Fall is a great time to explore the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Wildlife will be on the move, elk rut will be audible and the fall colors will brighten the landscape before the winter snow settles in.
During the workshop you will also have the opportunity to photograph famous Yellowstone National Park landmarks like Old Faithful, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, the Grand Prismatic and Mammoth Hot Springs as well as landmarks in Grand Teton National Park, such as, Oxbow Bend, Jenny Lake, Mormon Row or Moulton Barns and Schwabacher Landing. Our small group size combined with an experienced photography guide will ensure personalized attention, great wildlife photography and great landscape opportunities.
Depending on group interest and ability, small day hikes are also an option throughout our time together. Group size is limited to 5 participants per workshop to ensure plenty of time for everyone to benefit from one on one conversation with the instructor throughout the tour. There will also be photo processing instruction and photo critiques available during mid-day breaks.
The exact routes and itineraries will depend on a number of factors – the most important being your areas of interest, current wildlife sightings and road conditions. One of the great things about our safaris and photography workshops is our ability to customize each safari for you. Our guides are all highly experienced with thousands of hours in both Grand Teton and Yellowstone allowing them to make suggestions and calibrate the adventure to your experience level and desires. Every day is different for us which makes our safaris more fun for both you and your guides. Lodges and hotels may also vary depending on season.
What's Included
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Hotel pickup
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Professional photography guide
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Small group safari : 5 guests max
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Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
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Water bottle
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Use of UHD binoculars and spotting scopes
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National Park entrance fees
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Lodging
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Guide gratuity
Open Safari
Minimum age is 12 years old. Maximum per vehicle, 5 guests. This is a mixed group safari.
Available Dates
TBD 2024
Pick-up Times
All guests are picked up and returned to their place of lodging. We pick up at hotels and condos in Jackson and Teton Village. Your exact pick up time will be determined by your hotel location and the season. Please make note of your pickup time, and save it for your reference.
Please give your guide an additional 5-10 minutes before and after the scheduled time to allow for other pickups or traffic conditions.
Changes to trip timing may be made to accommodate daylight and/or optimum wildlife viewing.
Approximate pickup times for Jackson Hole include:
May – October
- 6:30 AM – Teton Village locations
- 6:45 AM – Wilson, Aspens, Amangani and Spring Creek locations
- 7:00 AM – Town of Jackson locations
We went on the 5 day Fall Photography Workshop. Our guide was great, he showed us a lot of wildlife, majestic scenery and historical sights. He offered valued photography suggestions and was knowledgable of the area. It was a wonderful trip and we were very pleased.
Itinerary
Grand Teton National Park
Your professional photography guide will meet you at your Jackson Hole area hotel and start by traveling north to photograph a couple of the classic landscapes of the area as we begin to explore Grand Teton National Park. This first morning will include a field orientation to the best camera settings, framing, and tricks to creating great landscape images. Once the sun gets too high in the sky for landscapes we will switch gears and prepare for photographing wildlife by discussing settings, strategies and techniques for maximizing the wildlife photography opportunities to be had throughout the workshop.
Over the last several years Grand Teton National Park has become one of the best wildlife viewing parks in the world with all of the region’s wildlife represented. Moose, elk, deer, bison, pronghorn, fox, coyote, bald and golden eagles, black bears, grizzly bears and even wolves are commonly spotted. Golden aspens highlight the fall foliage that will also add color to the dramatic landscapes you will encounter at every turn. Your professional photography guide will cover the best camera settings to increase your chances of making great images of animals in different light and backgrounds.
After a break for lunch we will find out a little bit about each other, sharing photography stories, asking photography questions and discovering photography goals during the workshop. We will again head back out, continuing our search for wildlife opportunities.
We will check into our lodging and take a short break in the afternoon to rest, process images and have an early dinner in preparation for photographing a Teton sunset.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Grand Teton National Park
We will wake early to photograph sunrise on the Tetons and early morning wildlife. As the sun rises will explore lesser traveled roads in Northern Jackson Hole in search of wildlife before returning to the lodge for an early lunch with time for a mid-day break and a photo-processing class for anyone interested in learning about image management, editing, post processing and outputting images for different uses.
We will then return to the field for more great photography opportunities in the softer light of late afternoon and evening. The exact locations and topics will depend on current conditions, group interest and the successes of our previous field time. Flexibility in our schedule will allow us to take advantage of any wildlife sightings in addition to other photographic opportunities. After sunset, we will again return to the lodge for a late dinner.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Grand Teton & Yellowstone National Park
We will spend another early morning tracking bears, photographing classic landscapes and looking for other wildlife in Grand Teton National Park. Once we have our fill, we will then travel north into Yellowstone National Park along the Lower Loop. We will travel along the east side on our way north, which will take us around Yellowstone Lake to where the Yellowstone River flows out to the north at the famous Fishing Bridge. From here on is some of the best bear and wolf habitat in Yellowstone! We will see Mud Volcano on our way to Hayden Valley where the river flows through open sage meadows toward the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. At the top of the canyon the river falls over both the upper and lower falls creating the 20 mile long canyon that is one of the most scenic places in Yellowstone. Depending on timing and group interest we will try to fit in as much as possible on our way to the northern part of the park.
From here the route will vary on road conditions, but we will make our way to the Lamar Valley, often called the Serengeti of North America. This is the single best wildlife photography area in Yellowstone and known for its abundance of grizzlies and wolves. Here we will spend the afternoon and evening in search of these apex predators with time to learn about and photograph other wildlife and landscapes. The day will end at our lodging in Silvergate, Montana where we will be based for two nights. Silvergate is only a half mile from the park entrance and one of the most remote places you will ever spend the night. This is one of our favorite places on earth!
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Yellowstone National Park
We will depart early in order to be out for sunrise and the best chance to find and photograph wolves in Lamar Valley. Time will be spent tracking wolves with plenty of time to photograph the magnificent landscape and vistas of this dramatic part of Yellowstone. From there, we’ll spend the day exploring the northern Yellowstone region including time for Tower Falls, Mammoth Terraces and the north entrance to Gardiner, MT. We will take a mid-day break either along the way or back at our lodge or at a place of interest along the way. This will allow us to rest and prepare or another great evening in Lamar Valley! After an evening of bear, wolf and wildlife photography in Lamar and Slough Creek, we will return to Silvergate for dinner.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Park
Another early morning will give us one last chance to photograph the wolves of the Lamar Valley before beginning to head back into the interior of Yellowstone via the west side of the lower loop. This will give us time to explore and photograph more classic Yellowstone places including the Upper, Middle and Lower Geyser Basins with an opportunity to photograph an eruption of Old Faithful. We will then travel south over the continental divide (three times!) on the way back to Grand Teton National Park and Jackson Hole. We will plan a mid-day break at Old Faithful where we can explore the geysers, lounge in the lodge and enjoy lunch at Old Faithful Inn.
We’re not done yet! We will continue to search for wildlife opportunities in the late afternoon as we travel through Grand Teton National Park, which should make for a great finish to our adventure together. We will plan a group dinner in Jackson Hole where we can relive our memories of our peak moments together and share our best images with the group.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Safari Tour Gallery
All photography has been shot by our talented tour guides.
FAQs
What is your cancellation policy?
For groups of 14 guests or less:
We have a 48-hour cancellation policy for all single day safaris and a 14-day cancellation policy for all 2-3 day safaris. For multi-day safaris of 4 days or more, we have a 30-day cancellation policy. Cancellations made before the policy goes into effect will receive a full refund with no penalty. Cancellations made within the cancellation policy period will not be refunded.
For groups of 15 or more guests:
We have a 30-day cancellation policy. Cancellations made before the policy goes into effect will receive a refund minus a 10% fee. Cancellations made within the cancellation policy period will not be refunded.
We highly recommend obtaining travel insurance before your departure to protect you from incurring any costs associated with unforeseen circumstances that prevent you from joining us.
What is the weather like in the summer?
Summer in Jackson Hole runs from early May to late October. Average high temperatures in the valley during the summer season range from 61F to 81F (16C to 27C), and daily temperatures can fluctuate quite a lot. The high elevation often creates cool mornings and evenings but hot afternoons. It is important to come prepared for a variety of conditions throughout the day as they can change quickly in the summertime.
Average highs and lows by summer months:
May: Average High 64F/17C, Average Low 30F/-1C
June: Average High 76F/24C, Average Low 37F/2C
July: Average High 81F/27C, Average Low 40F/5C
August: Average High 80F/26C, Average Low 39F/3C
September: Average High 73F/22C, Average Low 31F/-1C
October: Average High 61F/16C, Average Low 23F/-5C
What should I bring?
This is always a tough question for this kind of tour as it is pretty personal and there are a lot of right ways to do things. The list below is what owner and photographer Jason Williams uses/wears and may differ from the other guides, photographers and your own preferences. All items on this list are simply a suggestion and may or may not work best for you based on your personal preferences and style of travel. The two main areas to focus on are clothing and camera gear. Firstly, May in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks can be cold and windy with winter weather possible. The weather can also be warm and sunny depending on where we are and current weather patterns. Plan on temperatures that are below freezing in the morning and evenings, especially during our time in Yellowstone. It can be chilly to say the least. With that said there are two strategies to stay warm while outside in these conditions. One is to bring along heavy outer layers (think thick, heavy winter coats) or to dress in layers with a windproof outer layer. I tend to fall into the dress in layers camp so my packing list will tend to reflect that. If you are in the heavy winter parka camp, adjust your clothing list accordingly. The below list reflects what I will bring and what worked well for me on previous safaris. I tend to be warm blooded and have worked as a snowmobile guide in Yellowstone for 10 years. If you tend to get cold more easily you may want to add a layer and/or more insulation to your kit.
Clothing
- Base Layers – Light to Mid-weight long underwear (Patagonia, Smart Wool etc.)
- Middle Layers (upper) – mid weight fleece and/or softshell jacket
- Middle Layers (lower) – Down/wool pants (I tended to wear blue jeans most of the time)
- Outer Layers (upper) – Down parka/sweater, waterproof shell (I wear an LL Bean Down sweater as my outer piece unless it was raining or really wet snow)
- Outer Layers (lower) – Weather proof pants (Ski pants or equivalent)
- Footwear – This is a tough one and entirely personal. Some people wear full on military grade winter boots and others wear walking shoes the entire time. Probably something in the middle is best. Sorel Winter boots and/or waterproof hiking boots with gators in case of snow is probably adequate. Also comfortable shoes or slippers for inside the hotels might be nice if you have room.
- Underwear
- Mid-weight Wool socks (Don’t overdo the socks as more socks on your feet can actually make them colder!)
- Stocking Cap
- Sunglasses
- Gloves and/or mittens (I wear Kinko Thermal Pigskin Work Gloves)
- T-shirts or equivalent
- Comfortable pants to wear while inside
Personal Gear
- Headlamp
- Earplugs
- Phone (There is cell phone service in most areas but not around Lamar Valley or Silvergate)
- Computer/Tablet
- Toiletries
- Medications
Camera Gear
This is the place where personal preference and style really comes into play. It is also where those of us planning on focusing on photography will quickly bump up against the space and weight restrictions while traveling. Any photographer will tell you there is no such thing as enough lenses – especially long lenses! What they won’t tell you is the crazy price you will pay for them – with all that said here is what one of our photography guides usually brings and has great success with on these trips.
- 1 Lowe Pro Camera Bag
- 2 Camera Bodies (Canon 5D MKIV currently)
- 1 – Canon 24-105L
- 1 – Canon 70-200 2.8L
- 1 – Canon 400 5.6L
- 1 – Canon 2x Tele
- 1 – Canon Circ Polarizer
- 1- Canon Remote Trigger
- 1 – Charger
- 2 – Extra Batteries
- 2 – 32 Gb, 1 128 Gb, 1-256GB Memory Cards
- 1 – Waterproof Camera cover
- 1 – Gitzo Tripod with head
It is by no means required to have everything listed here in order to enjoy this safari and make great images. Any person with a good eye and an iPhone would come away from this trip with a ton of knowledge and great images!
What are the packing guidelines?
Though we are a small group traveling in a large passenger van we are somewhat limited on space. Please try to limit your baggage to include no more than 1 camera bag, 1 tripod, and one carry-on size bag for clothing, personal items and computer.
What photography credentials will our professional photography guide have?
Photography Credentials
- Bachelor of Science: Radio and Television, Southern Illinois University
- 30+ year career in broadcast television for PBS, ABC and NBC
- Nominated for 28 Emmy Awards
- Recipient of 14 Emmy Awards
- 30+ years experience specializing in portrait and wedding photography, corporate photography and landscape, wildlife and fine art photography
- 10+ years instructing digital photography for Big 12 University TCU, extended education department and private digital photography classes for individuals
- 10+ years spent photographing, living and guiding in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
- has led numerous 5 -Day Photography Workshops throughout Jackson Hole, Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park
- has led countless photography day tours while working for Jackson Hole Wildlife Safaris
- has led polar bear photography expeditions in Churchill, Manitoba (Canada)
- his fine art photography can be found on his website, at fine art galleries in Jackson Hole and Texas
Do I have to book my own lodging?
No, the team at Jackson Hole Wildlife Safaris will book your lodging for you for the four nights of your photography workshop (September 25, 26, 27 and 28). This will be a separate charge on your credit card. The tour price does not include the cost for lodging. When we book your lodging for the four nights of the tour, you’ll be booked in to the same hotel as your guide and other guests traveling with you. Please do not book your own rooms for the 4 nights of the tour. However, you will need to secure lodging for the night prior to your pickup and for the last night of the tour. The tour starts and ends in Jackson, WY.
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