DLWS Yellowstone National Park – 2008

Digital Landscape Workshop Series  in West Yellowstone | photography workshop

SO this seems like a million years ago, but 5 years ago back in Feb of 2008, I braved sub-zero temperatures to attend a wonderful photographic workshop held by Moose Peterson and his gang at DLWS. (which I don’t believe they do any longer, but stood for Digital Landscape Workshop Series) Somehow, I do not believe I have ever shared these in this manner, except for a few postings here and there. I must admit at first I was hesitant as I had never attended an organized type of workshop, getting there was a bit of an adventure in itself (flying into Bozeman then driving to West Yellowstone) as well as the total cost ( not really cheap!) . But, I bit the bullet and signed up. It took a lot of prep as well, since this was no ordinary shooting situation. The park gets so snowy in the winter that the West entrance is closed unless you’re on snowmobile or in a snow coach. Add to that sub-zero temps and you have a most interesting set of circumstances to photograph in (the last morning at around 6 am for example, it was about 24 degrees  below zero. Cameras are NOT happy in that kind of cold. But neither were my feet and fingertips.) 

People thought I was crazy – that I considered this a ‘vacation’ but I DO like the cold and the idea of getting into Yellowstone off-season without tourists was most appealing. Joe McNally was one of the instructors as well, and was with us the whole time which was for me, a huge selling point.

Anyway, there were about 30 of us or so, and we’d meet each morning in our snowsuits and get into 4 separate snow-coaches–all bundled up and squished in, with a crapload of equipment on our laps.

But boy oh boy, was the payoff worth it….

the colors , because of the sulphur and mineral, was astounding.

I must have stood waiting for this fella to look up at me for about 20 minutes–just W A I T I N G—

 

one of my favorites from the trip of a geyser right near the Yellowstone Inn

 

there one of our team out on the boardwalk braving the smelly,  thermal steam

 

it’s hard to tell, but there’s a waterfall in there!

I liked that this looked like an old postcard or something!

 

Joe McNally: frozen like the rest of us!

this is another fave I have framed over my fireplace!

the snow out there is VERY deep!

 

this was one of the shuttle drivers whom I could not resist asking for a portrait of. He liked it so much he asked I send him a copy for his mom as he said, “She hasn’t gotten a new photo of my in YEARS!”

too many photogs in too small a space!!! Not quite as peaceful as it looks!!!

 

 

this may appear to be a fire, but it’s the geothermal steam rising up in massive clouds

 

it’s so cold and the vapor freezes so fast in the wind, that it freezes in a ‘sideways’ position as it blows on many trees

 

a couple of bison say hello–

 

a dramatic version of Old Faithful

 

I love this as well – it’s like another planet

 

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SO when the workshop was over, I decided to go dog-sledding–something on my mini-wish list of things to do

these dogs are pretty untamed and REALLY loud when they know they’re about to go out–they LOVE it!

drivers seat view

 

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so I spent a little time in Bozeman as well, which is a super cute town

…filled with some GREAT old signage!!!

 

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…and finally, back in West Yellowstone. A town that gets so much snow, folks go to the grocery store on snowmobiles. This was the snow piled up outside out hotel—

 

the Dude and Round Up motels must have the same owners as they share the same website!!!!

 

I’m sorta sorry I didn’t stay at the Westward Ho–the plywood looked so appealing…. [closed for the season but yup–they have a website!!]

 

and finally – me in my stupid, but practical fuzzy hat in a rare self-portrait—