Yellowstone Kit and ideas

[tiltshift]

Hello CR,

I will be getting to travel to Yellowstone next week and am wondering what people think are the key lenses to bring and more importantly what are the key things to see/photograph plus hopefully a few suggestions on hidden gems?

For gear:
bringing:
5DIII
a7R
16-35II if my 11-24 doesn't make it on time, might bring both for filter use
24-70II
100-400I
100L macro
Gitzo travel tripod and a full size
Leaving:
35art
50 ZE 1.4
70-200 2.8IS II
speedlites

on the gear side curious what people think on leaving the fast primes at home? would you? also thoughts on taking version I 100-400 over the 70-200II 2.8IS, I am thinking extra range will be helpful over the stop of light and better performance? should I just bring it all and use it based on subject (I normally do this but I hate packing tons of gear only to use a portion of it)?

Thanks!!

 

[Travler]

I was there a few years ago. You may need the long lens when it comes to the different animals. Not sure if you are planning on doing any hiking or working close to the car. If not hiking I would take it all. Yellowstone has opportunities for all types of photography. To keep it light I would take the 16-35, 24-70, &100-400. That way you have all focal lengths and not all the weight

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

The 70-200 and 16-35 would cover most of the common attractions, but the 100-400 might help with wildlife. A TC might also help. I was there a few years back, and found that my shots were either wide at attractions like Old Faithful and landscapes, or long for wildlife at a distance. I just checked the focal lengths, most fell in the 17-40 or 70-200 range. but a few were from my 24-105 L. I missed not having the longer focal length.

I had my 70-200mm f/4L IS. Even when standing way back at Old Faithful, 1/3 of the geyser was out of view at 70mm. There was a person there with a 70-200mm f/2.8 and he looked out of place lugging that monster around thru a crowd of people, most of whom had a ordinary P&S cameras. Another one was setting up a tall tripod rig, again risking the wrath of onlookers who were blocked from their view. I'd expect a sea of cellphone cameras now.

I'd recommend just handholding or use of a monopod when in a crowd.

The selection of lenses is going to be different for each person, since each sees a scene differently. Don't leave your 70-200 at home.

 

[quod]

To keep it light I would take the 16-35, 24-70, &100-400. That way you have all focal lengths and not all the weight

+1 If you know you will shoot macro, then bring that lens too; if unsure, I would opt for the lighter bag and leave it. If you have an extender, bring it, as the wildlife is often far away -- my 500 + 1.4x was often not enough reach on the 5D3.

 

[tiltshift]

Thanks for the feedback everyone ;D

I am planning to hit all the main attractions but will do at least one hike. I am guessing I will just bring it all as I would hate to miss the shot... I wish I had a TC, but my normal shooting I don't often need more than 400. given what has been said I am thinking a rental may be a good idea.

 

[sunnyVan]

Not sure if you're going to Grand Teton which is next to Yellowstone. I think Grand Teton is more photogenic.

I would not bring 100L if I was you. If you're going to be hiking it's a good idea to reduce the weight of your bag. You can probably put your ultrawide on a7r and your tele on mk3 so that you don't have to change lens.

 

[pet7pelt]

Tiltshift,

I live a couple of hours outside of the park and would advise packing lighter rather than heavier. Reach will be your biggest concern so, definitely bring the 100-400 and a 1.4x if you have one for that lens. I was in the park two weeks ago and saw plenty of migrating game animals in the Lamar valley (and oh boy, did all the long glass come out that day). To me, from your kit, I'd pack the 16-35, 100 macro, 100-400 and only one tripod (not two). The 16-35 will give you great images of flowers and close-up nature stuff with that wide perspective we all like. Plus, the versatility to shoot scenics everywhere. The 100 macro will be great for smaller creatures and scenics as well. Then the 100-400 will give you the versatility and reach necessary to get some nice animal shots or to compress the background and flatten out some of those more grand scenics.

26 yrs ago, I spent a month in the park shoot for a national news magazine the year after the fires. I had all the L glass Canon FD stuff of that era. By far, the lens I used the most was my 400 2.8L with a 1.4x. The other primes of the day I used were 135 2.0 and both my 17 4.0 and 35 2.0. That's it. I had a 300 2.8L, 85 1.2L, 200 2.8, 24 1.4L that never left my bag. At the time I had a heavy Gitzo studex, but I tended to like the freedom of my Gitzo monopod for the 400 2.8+1.4x combo most.

I the kit as I described for you will be most useful. If you feel like taking it all, just in case, do so (as I first did), then learn what you're most apt to use from the experience. I think you find having extremes on the wide and tele ends to be your most useful focal lengths, with an occasional image or two made in the standard to short tele range being made.

The single best tip I can give you has little to do with gear. Manage your light. I'd be wherever you think you'd like to make a nice image either at sunrise or near sundown. Stop shooting in the mid-day sunlight (a.m. stop around 10 a.m. , for evening start after 5:30 p.m. if going in July). Check plenty of the postcards to see types of shots you like, then make sure you're where you want to be around the times I've laid out. Travel in the park this time of year is typically estimated at 25-30 mph. So, if you want to get to two places during peak shooting hours, calculate the miles according to these mph figures I suggest. Also, remember that most of the really great scenics are shot when weather conditions are changing during those peak hours I stated. So, watch the weather too. There's some great chances for dramatic scenery images typically in the late afternoons as the storms tend to roll in almost daily in the mid-late afternoons. Gradient filters and/or polarizers help here tons. Good Luck!

 

[wsmith96]

I went a couple of years ago and mainly used my 17-55 and 70-300. Took everything in had at the time, but only really used the two listed. I would bring your 100-400, and 24-70 and that's it for lenses. Pack light and enjoy the sights.

 

[1982chris911]

Hello CR,

I will be getting to travel to Yellowstone next week and am wondering what people think are the key lenses to bring and more importantly what are the key things to see/photograph plus hopefully a few suggestions on hidden gems?

For gear:
bringing:
5DIII
a7R
16-35II if my 11-24 doesn't make it on time, might bring both for filter use
24-70II
100-400I
100L macro
Gitzo travel tripod and a full size
Leaving:
35art
50 ZE 1.4
70-200 2.8IS II
speedlites

on the gear side curious what people think on leaving the fast primes at home? would you? also thoughts on taking version I 100-400 over the 70-200II 2.8IS, I am thinking extra range will be helpful over the stop of light and better performance? should I just bring it all and use it based on subject (I normally do this but I hate packing tons of gear only to use a portion of it)?

Thanks!!

Having the 11-24 myself one warning: that thing is really heavy and you need time to learn how to use it on the wide end, I had a Sigma 12-24 before, but on the wide end that is still different. So if you re not careful you get a lot of more or less vast empty frames. I also don't see many places where you would need such a wide lens in Yellowstone as it is not having very tall things like Sequoia, Grand Canyon or Yosemite NPs ... Only thing is maybe Grand Prismatic Spring ... but for most of the other things you are too far away anyway bc. of the safety fence, or walk way platforms to use such a wide lens as with the 11-24 you need to get really really close to some things to get the desired frame which means sth. like nearly touching it with the front element. Not something I would like to do with hot acid springs ;D

 

[bholliman]

Tiltshift,

To me, from your kit, I'd pack the 16-35, 100 macro, 100-400 and only one tripod (not two).

Manage your light.

+1

Excellent advice! We visited Yellowstone for a week in the summer of 2011. I was just starting out in photography and only had a Rebel (550D) with 18-55 kit lens and a EF-S 55-250 for reach. I constantly felt I needed something wider and longer. From my perspective your 16-35, and 100-400 will be absolutely essential. The 100 macro I would take along as well since I like to shoot flowers and plants, but it depends on your personal preferences here. Many people would be fine just leaving it at home. I would probably take the 24-70 as well, but for me it would be #4 on my usage list.

I recommend renting a 1.4x III extender as you will need the reach. 2x would also be nice, but IQ takes a major hit on the 100-400 I, in my experience you would be better off cropping if the tele zoom with 1.4 are not enough.

Tiltshifts comments about managing your light are spot on. I stumbled into some great light and dramatic clouds at some locations, but it wasn't from good planning - just dumb luck. Determine which sites you want to be at for sunrise/sunset and morning/evening light and set-up a schedule around your priorities.

Enjoy!

 

[Fred Smiley]

To keep it light I would take the 16-35, 24-70, &100-400. That way you have all focal lengths and not all the weight

+1 If you know you will shoot macro, then bring that lens too; if unsure, I would opt for the lighter bag and leave it. If you have an extender, bring it, as the wildlife is often far away -- my 500 + 1.4x was often not enough reach on the 5D3.

I agree with both posters - you will want as much reach as possible for the wildlife. There are the usual big mammals that most think of (wolves, bears, bison), but also a lot of birds and smaller creatures like pika and marmot that a long lens will help capture better.

Your name implies that you are in to tilt shifts. If you have the 17 or 24 TS-E, I would recommend bringing it for the parkitecture. The insides of Lake Yellowstone Hotel, Old Faithful Inn, and Old Faithful Snow Lodge are great, but are hard to capture with a regular lens. If you do want to get interior shots, you will need to start really early (4-5am). Yellowstone is filled with senior citizens who get up at the crack of dawn and mull in the lobby. If I didn't know better, I would say they are on the park service's payroll to mess up your shots so that you will buy their postcards instead .