2024 Wind River Photographer's Retreat Field Report
This month I’m sharing a photography trip report from the recent Wind River Photographer’s Retreat (September 23rd-28th), where workshop participants spent approximately seventy-five percent of their time in Grand Teton National Park and twenty-five percent in the Bridger-Teton and Shoshone National Forests on a quest for wildlife and fall color opportunities.
The group of eight enthusiastic photographers were introduced to grand landscapes, intimate scenics and wildlife of the four legged kind, while accompanied by two veteran workshop leaders with personal knowledge of the area and photo tips to help bring home epic imagery.
Temperature swings from freezing to 80 degrees projected for the week made it imperative to get an early start. Wildlife is most active in the early morning and the late hours of the day so we were loaded and on the road by sunrise and out until we lost the light.
With cameras ready, our first moose sighting afforded everyone a closeup view of a beautiful bull (male) subject as he headed for the cover and shade of a nearby pine forest. The next day we witnessed an impressive bull elk rounding up his harem (the ladies) near Signal Mountain and yet another day, crossing the fog blanketed Snake River early in the morning.
A pronghorn buck (male) worked at keeping his harem of three females together at Elk Flats but ended up losing one when his attention diverted to the two who seemed to be wandering away. The photo opportunity in this instance was questionable. Even though we had lots of action, the heat distortion midday was too much to overcome and we predicted images were going to be soft at best and not recoverable in post.
Our finest and last sighting of the week (not without repeated tries) was the appearance of grizzly 1063, a female sow named Fritter, and her three cubs of the year (COY) hanging near Pilgrim Creek. It was an epic bear jam but all participants were able to get wonderful images. Fritter, comfortable enough with the large crowd, lead her cubs across the highway toward Coulter Bay and Jackson Lake beyond until they were out of sight.
Timing couldn’t have been better as leaves were turning and fall color was in its prime at most locations. Daybreak revealed the frost covered ground at Brooks Lake and the sun predictably crested the pinnacles to light up the volcanic Breccia Cliffs of the Teton Wilderness in the distance.
The workshop ended to quickly, like most do when you are intently documenting the grandeur that presents itself. There were to many photo opportunities to list here. I can’t wait to return next year and lead the sixth annual Wind River Photographer’s Retreat with new and returning participants.
Watch the website for the 2025 Wind River Photographer's Retreat dates. In the meantime, happy snapping! Sandy
