Misty sunrise, Yellowstone NP, Wyoming
Claudia and I are in Yellowstone, and it’s good to be back, as this is one of our favorite places. It’s not necessarily an area for grand landscapes, though it definitely has them. But I love photographing Yellowstone’s more intimate scenes – especially on cold mornings, when mist and fog blanket the thermal areas. I love fog, and Yellowstone’s geysers and hot springs generate tons of it.
I’ve been making lots of photos, and it’ll take me awhile to go through and process everything, but here’s a selection of images from just one chilly morning here. I climbed a small hill to get a vantage point over one of the thermal areas, and spent an hour photographing the mist. Chasing shifting light and atmosphere like this is super fun for me, and I had a great time.
I’ll post more Yellowstone photos when I have a chance…
— Michael Frye
Steam columns at sunrise, Yellowstone NP, Wyoming
Trees and mist, sunrise, Yellowstone NP, Wyoming
Layers of trees, Yellowstone NP, Wyoming
Steam plume, Yellowstone NP, Wyoming
Misty trees, Yellowstone NP, Wyoming
Steam columns and fog layers, Yellowstone NP, Wyoming
Related Posts: Yellowstone’s Dynamic Landscape; Looking Back to Yellowstone
Michael Frye is a professional photographer specializing in landscapes and nature. He lives near Yosemite National Park in California, but travels extensively to photograph natural landscapes in the American West and throughout the world.
Michael uses light, weather, and design to make photographs that capture the mood of the landscape, and convey the beauty, power, and mystery of nature. His work has received numerous awards, including the North American Nature Photography Association’s 2023 award for Fine Art in Nature Photography. Michael’s photographs have appeared in publications around the world, and he’s the author and/or principal photographer of several books, including Digital Landscape Photography: In the Footsteps of Ansel Adams and the Great Masters, and The Photographer’s Guide to Yosemite.
Michael loves to share his knowledge of photography through articles, books, workshops, online courses, and his blog. He’s taught over 200 workshops focused on landscape photography, night photography, digital image processing, and printing.
I love Yellowstone and it was my very first trip there. Sadly thought I didn’t make it early enough like you did, it was like later in the afternoon but still came up with some fair shoots. Anyway, you know when is the best time to get good shoots with your skills and experiences, Michael.
Obviously time of day is super important in landscape photography. In Yellowstone there’s a lot more steam/fog/mist when it’s cold. That depends on the time of year, and the weather, but also time of day, since of course it’s colder in the mornings.