Small group and private workshops with a local guide
Learn photography in Yellowstone
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About my workshops
These workshops combine learning photography with the wildlife of Yellowstone National Park. Photography instruction can be as much or as little as you’d like. Our first priority is finding wildlife to photograph, so a lot of driving to different areas of the park is involved. As a guide I will help you find the animals and get in a good position to photograph them. If you aren’t getting the shots you want, I will be there to answer questions and guide you in correcting camera settings.
Please note you will get much more out of the workshop if you know what it is you need help with most. Whether it’s basic settings or composition, you should be prepared with questions!
REQUIREMENTS
By no means are these workshops meant for just experienced photographers. Most people that join me are at the beginner to intermediate level. There is minimal physical activity involved other than walking. Over the course of a day we may walk 1-2 miles at the most, on easy surfaces. I have led people anywhere from age 40 to 80 with no issues, even in the heart of winter.
Trent Sizemore Photography is authorized by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, to conduct services in Yellowstone National Park. I am also up to date on CPR and first aid certification.
I spend a lot of my personal time inside the park as well, so I will be taking you to some of my personal favorite spots for wildlife watching. People who have visited Yellowstone many times before are often surprised when I can take them somewhere they've never seen.
A NOTE ABOUT ETHICS
We will not photograph wildlife if it’s unsafe to do so, or if the animal starts showing signs of stress. The welfare of the animal should come before getting the best shots. Although most wildlife will be near the road, we won’t be able to photograph them unless we find a safe place to park. Park rules must be followed by everyone, especially guides.
Testimonial, Jim M.
"I was lucky enough to get into Trent's last workshop of this past Spring season. What a time we had! I lost count of how many Grizzly and Black bears we photographed. We got great pictures of Bears, Elk, Bison, Coyotes, Marmots, different birds, and even a family of Badgers.
I was amazed how Trent always knew where to head when the bears we were watching went into the forest and out of sight. He would drive down the road to a set spot and each time the bears came out for more photos. Trent knew all the sighting spots and where to look for different animals. I took about 1700 pics during the week and I've parred that count down to about 450. Next time I will slow down that camera a bit more!
Lastly, Trent picked me up at our hotel each morning and the vehicle accommodations were very comfortable. Trent kept us well informed on the park and animals as we were out hunting. I can't wait to sign up again for Spring 2022!"
Featured Workshop
WORKSHOP DETAILS
May is arguably the best month of the year for finding and photographing wildlife in Yellowstone. Most grizzly bears and black bears will be out of hibernation after the first week of May, actively looking for food in the lower elevation areas. Other wildlife like wolves, coyotes, foxes, and badgers are all possible to see throughout the park. Bison calves will be around at the beginning of the month, with elk calves starting to show up by the end of the month.
- Total cost of $2,197 includes transportation and instruction for the five full days in the park, plus an introductory dinner on the first night.
- 50% deposit of $1,100 to book now
Itinerary
- We will meet for an introductory dinner on the evening of May 15th
- Five full workshop days are May 16-20th
- You'll depart on the 21st
- Each day is roughly sunrise to sunset, depending on weather conditions.
Location
This workshop is based in West Yellowstone, Montana. I would recommend lodging at the Holiday Inn, Best Western, or Gray Wolf Inn. Other options will work as well; as long as they are in town I can pick you up from your hotel.
Yellowstone is huge so there can be a lot of travel time in between wildlife sightings. Multiple days increase your odds of seeing different animals. We will travel one section of the park each day, overlapping the same areas often, but typically doing 100-200 miles per day.
The group is limited to only three photographers, and we will be traveling by regular vehicle.
Instruction
This is an instructional photography workshop, geared towards intermediate to advanced level shooters. You should be comfortable with the majority of camera settings, looking to learn more about Yellowstone, finding animals, advanced techniques, the artistic elements of photography, etc. Overall instruction is less than a beginner-level tour will be, but still available to those who want it.
Post-processing instruction is optional but possible at the end of each day.
Gear
I'd highly recommending having a mirrorless camera capable of animal eye autofocus, as well as a 400mm, 500mm, or 600mm lens with teleconverters available for the best image quality. I personally use the Canon R5 with a 400mm f/2.8L IS II and 2x extender most of the time in the winter.
Tripods are optional, but you can bring one if needed. Most of my still images are shot handheld. A monopod is a good compromise for easy traveling.
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Travel insurance is highly recommended because of the possibility of winter weather conditions causing airline or travel delays.
Trent Sizemore Photography, LLC is authorized by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, to conduct services in Yellowstone National Park.