The Chase: Wolves in Yellowstone
My photograph, “The Chase: Wolves in Yellowstone,” captures one of the most thrilling moments of my life. Winter in Yellowstone National Park is exhilarating, with its snowy landscapes, steaming geyser basins, and unparalleled opportunities to witness the drama of wildlife surviving the frigid cold and ice.
Last year, I observed and photographed a pack of wolves hunting in the Lamar Valley; over the course of two hours, I watched the wolves attempt to kill three different bison.
Two scouts led the way each time, slipping stealthily past an isolated bison and approaching from the opposite side in order to drive the frightened bison toward the rest of the wolf pack, which was closing in at a full gallop.
At one point, the wolves incited a stampede of some twenty to thirty bison, clouds of snow flying into the air as the bison herd raced through the valley. At another point, I saw ten wolves leaping on and lunging at one bison, and still the bison managed to break free. Several times I observed bison and wolves challenging one another face-to-face as the wolves attempted to cull a single bison from the herd.
Although I didn’t witness a successful bison kill, I am in awe of the sophisticated communication and cooperation employed by the wolves, as well as the tenacity and endurance it takes for them to bring down a 2,000 pound bison. Watching the beauty, grace and strength of the wolves, along with the stamina and immense power of the bison, was a thrilling and unforgettable experience.
I used a high-key post-production process on this photograph. I overexposed the highlights in the photograph, removing the snow and allowing the texture of the watercolor paper to show through instead. (I did leave a bit of shadow underneath the trees and the wolves). I hadn't been thinking of doing this when I was in the field photographing the wolves, but when I was home, I thought the snowy detail of shadowy blues and grays distracted from the two primary graphic elements of the picture: the stand of trees and the wolves. I love the resulting minimalist look of the photograph.
