YELLOWSTONE NOTES

"But geysers and hot springs, as fabulous and precious as I know they are, leave me looking for something else to do."

- Paul Schullery in "Mountain Time: A Yellowstone Memoir," Roberts Rinehart Publishers, 1984.

If you feel like Paul Schullery, one of the most thoughtful and readable writers on Yellowstone, then you may not think much of these images. I have been fascinated by the geysers and hot springs of Yellowstone since my first visit to the Park in the late ‘90’s. I visit several times each year and spend hours exploring the geyser basins. One authoritative author states that there are 600 geysers in Yellowstone National Park. More than all of the rest of the world combined.

Geyser gazing offers its own challenges to the photographer. While about half the geysers in the park are said to erupt "frequently," most erupt irregularly, and even “regular” geysers are often not predictable with much precision. Old Faithful, usually predictable within plus or minus ten minutes, is the exception, not the rule. Grand Geyser, a more spectacular performer than Old Faithful, is usually predictable within plus or minus two to three hours. Some geysers do not erupt for weeks, months or even years at a time! There is a lot of waiting – and not “for the light.” Eruptions, depending upon the geyser, can last for seconds, minutes and sometimes, though rarely, hours. For the photographer, it will pay off to learn something about the behavior patterns of the geysers that interest you – and most of them are interesting. Confining your work to dawn and dusk hurts your odds badly –starting at dawn and working until dusk is best. Of course, white water erupting against overcast skies – a good time to take photos of wildlife.

The geyser images represent some serious study and preparation, a good deal of waiting, as well as some pure luck.