Grand Teton National Park Photoguide
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Grand Teton National Park Photoguide by Miles Hecker Go to Teton Photo Map Table of Contents Fortress of Solitude © Miles Hecker Preparation Photographic Ethics Clothing and Personal Items Equipment Lodging and Camping Dining and Food Grand Teton National Park Photomap All materials © 2010 WyoFOTO LLC Preparation Physical Preparation Photographic sites numbered 1 through 23 on the Teton Photo map are located within a 100 yard or less easy walk from the spot where you can park your vehicle. The majority of these sites, are 100 feet or less from parking. As such, no special physical preparation is needed to photograph these areas. Sites 24, 25 and 26 are located many miles from the nearest parking area. Photographing them requires either a multiday backpacking trip or a very long and strenuous day hike at high altitude. Only you know if you are physically able and equipped to deal with such an adventure. If in doubt, proceed with caution. Teton rescues are very involved and costly. If the NPS determines the hiker was at fault, it will bill the hiker for the rescue operation! Mental Preparation The Tetons are part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. As such, they do not have a convenience store or restroom located at every photographic location or stopping area. If you are not prepared to deal with these inconveniences, you have come to the wrong region of our beautiful country. As wild as this area is in theory, June, July and August are a zoo in this great national park. Some 2 to 3 million tourists pass through during this period. The roads and popular destinations can be quite crowded during this time. If possible, schedule your visit to not coincide with the peak tourist season. If you can do so, you will have a great deal more solitude. Winter is an especially beautiful time to see this area. The catch of course is the weather conditions. Daytime winter lows in the Teton Valley can easily reach -20 degrees F. If you can deal with this sort of weather, the winter is a great time to visit. Go to Teton Photo Map Photographic Ethics Ethics Photographic ethics can be described as the principles of good practice that photographers should employ while carrying out their activities. Most of these principles are based on respectful behaviour, common sense and morality rather than on rules and regulations. Do No Harm Nature magazines and televison shows, have been invaluable in raising public awareness of environmental issues . As part of that movement, it's important for photographers to respect natural systems, and to minimize our own impact on those systems. When visiting those systems you have a responsibility to not wantonly affect their ecology. Some behaviors are obvious. Don't harass wildlife, don't pick flowers or plants from the area. Don't remove rocks or other major artifacts form their resting place. If everyone took home a souvenir from the petrified forrest it would soon be a barren desert. Ultimately we have to decide for ourselves, what is appropriate when photographing nature. Some people think that if an animal looks up when it sees you, you are harassing it. I don't agree. That said I would never disturb an animal in an intrusive and unusual manner. If it runs from your approach you have obviously gotten a little too close. Watch their behavior and learn to read their body language. It is not all that hard to do, if you open your mind and sensibilities to the non verbal world that they inhabit. Some photographers think it's improper to garden. That is to remove distractions, such as blades of grass, small rocks or pinecones while photographing a flower. I disagree here too. In the end, you have to ask yourself the following question. Will my actions adversely affect the condition of the area as I found it? If the answer is yes, don't procede with the act. Millions of people visit the Tetons every year. Take no action which may cause permanent damage on our human time scale. You came here to photograph their beauty, take care that your actions do nothing to lessen it. Go to Teton Photo Map Clothing & Personal Items The Weather The Tetons are a high altitude landscape where the weather can change quickly. The old Wyoming saying is, 'If you don't like the weather, just wait five minutes'. From early June to late September when most photographers visit the park, daytime temperatures can range from the low 30's to the high 80's degrees F. Rain and snow are common in June. Afternoon thunderstorms are common in July and August. Many of these storms are severe and can be accompanied by hail, lightning and strong wind. It is not unusual for the first fall mountain storm to occur in mid September, with temperatures as low as 20 degrees F. The Sun The high altitude, dry air and lack of shade, make sun screen and a hat with a brim a wise choice to prevent sunburn. The low humidity combined with the altitude result in a high evapotranspiration rate. Even if you don't seem to sweat, your body will lose a lot of moisture through normal breathing. It is wise to carry a good supply of liquid and drink frequently. Don't drink out of the streams as the Giardia parasite is quite common in the Tetons. Clothing The best way to cope with the large temperature swings that occur during the day is layered clothing. It's possible to remain in your personal comfort zone by adding or subtracting layers. These layers include sweaters, microfleece shirts or light jackets .A breathable rain shell type outer layer is the ideal choice for both rain and wind protection. Taking nothing but shorts and a cotton t-shirt on a long hike, is an open invitation to hypothermia, if you get caught out in a sudden afternoon hail storm. A knit cap and light gloves might be appropriate early in the morning when the mercury is still hovering in the low 30's F. Good footwear is recommended for long hikes. Custom calls for "good hiking boots". However, if you have strong ankles, I and many others find running shoes to work very well on the high grade trail system that covers most of the Tetons. An extra pair of socks might be in order for stream crossings early in the season. Winter is another story. A heavy hooded parka, long underwear, insulated pants, insulated boots and heavy mitts should be worn to keep warm. Waiting for the sun to rise at temp of -20 degrees F. can be a chilling experience. Sunglasses to protect your eyes from the sun reflecting off the snow is a wise acquisition. Sunscreen is also recommended if you spend much time out in mid day. The valley floor in the Tetons gets at least 100 inches of snow in a typical winter. That said, snowshoes or X- country skis are absolutely a necessity for any off road travel. Carrying your gear I recommend a photo backpack for journeys of more than 100 yards from the car. The styles of photo backpacks vary greatly. I recommend the Lowe Pro and Tamrac brands for their high quality. Go to a good camera shop, if you have one in your area, and check out the various packs in person. Buy the one that fits you best and can carry your gear in a way that suits your tastes. Go to Teton Photo Map Photographic Equipment 35mm SLR's For landscape shooting on a standard full frame 35mm SLR camera, a 24-70mm zoom lens will work for 90% of the shots within the park. For a crop sensor camera a 17-50mm lens will cover the focal range equivalent to the 24-70mm lens. Add a 70-200mm telephoto lens and you will be able to shoot the remaining selection of grand landscape and detail type landscape shots. The lens requirements of each shot in the photomap is discussed on the individual page dedicated to the shot. For wildlife shooting something to cover the 100-400mm range will work for near shots on a 35mm full frame camera. Similarly a 70-300mm lens will work on a crop sensor camera. A big lens say a 500mm prime with a 1.4x teleconverter will give you the added reach needed for long distance shots. For my thoughts on current digital SLR's to use for landscape photography, look here. Medium Format If you shoot medium format film in 645 or 6x7 formats, you need to do the simple math required for transforming the full frame 35mm focal lengths in their MF equivalents. For a 645 or 6x6 camera that means lenses covering the focal length range between 40- 120mm will be required to do the job. For 6x7 cameras lenses covering the focal length range between 45- 140mm will be required. If you shoot digital MF you will have to make adjustments for the crop factor of your specific digital MF back or camera. Large Format For Clyde Butcher, Christopher Burkett, and the other Vulcans still shooting LF film as we enter the year 2011, all I can say is Mr Spock and the entire crew of the Starship Enterprise wish that you LF shooters, "Live long and prosper", as you continue your most excellent journey. Tripods Tripod, tripod, tripod, just do it! Go to Teton Photo Map Lodging and Camping Lodging in Jackson The town of Jackson Hole and its nearby area can accommodate photographers needs with a great range of lodging options.