This wildlife photography cheat sheet showcases important details on how to use basic settings for wildlife photography – Shuter Speed, Aperture (F-stop), and ISO.

Each subject is followed by visual diagrams that assist in remembering the basic settings needed for various photographic conditions.

I’ve had many people approach me and ask “how do you use your camera?” So, I went ahead and designed a cheat sheet card for quick reference. This is how I use my settings on my camera when photographing wildlife.

It’s for those of you that are new to manual mode with your Canon/Nikon cameras. If you get to know these three settings you’ll never switch back to auto ever again.

Enjoy!

Wow, where do I start? I was just charged by a big grizzly bear.

I just got back to my camper in the National Forest just outside of Grand Teton National Park. I went hiking with my dog in the National Forest and was charged by a grizzly bear – twice – !!

The adrenaline was pumping during the attack. So much goes through your mind when a 500-pound grizzly comes charging at you.

Don’t run. Make yourself look tall. Shout to the bear. Back away slowly. Have your can of bear pepper spray ready to discharge on the charging bear.

It worked. I’m glad to be alive to be typing this.

It started out as another ordinary afternoon. Living full-time in our RV and staying busy as a wildlife photographer, I’m out almost daily searching for interesting things to photograph. When hiking in one of America’s National Parks, I hike alone. When I’m in a National Forest, you’re allowed to take a dog with you.  So off I went with my dog in tow.

About a mile into the hike, I spotted grizzly bear footprints in the snow. Cool! As I was taking some pictures of the prints, the dog barked at crows flying about 50 yards (or meters) away. I’m used to that: she doesn’t seem to like big birds. Usually, she barks a few times and the birds fly away. This time, however, they stayed put. Strange. (This should have been my first clue.)

The sun was on the rise, ice crystals glistened on the bison’s frost covered coat. The majestic beast emerged from the steamy bank….. a new day has risen.

I knew I had one last chance as the temperatures were rising and the snow was melting. I knew I only had one opportunity to get what we call the “frosty bison”.

With temperatures on the rise here in the Grand Tetons, and the snow slightly starting to melt, this was becoming quite the challenge.

As I have mentioned in previous posts, this is the water spring that I talk about often in my blog. It’s a hotbed for animals to seek refuge from the record amounts of snow we have gathered here in Grand Teton.

The spring is a safe harbor for animals due to the fact that it melts the snow around it; providing a great steaming effect!

If you read my last post “Where the Wild Things Roam“, I visited this spring right outside of city of Kelly and was able to capture some amazing pictures of bison during the day.

I’ve seen so many pictures on social media, blogs and magazines of the famous frosty bison. Then it hit me; the spring’s mist could attach to the bison if it were cold enough and windy enough.

So, I spent the whole week getting there as early as I could prior to the sun coming up. I was hoping the mist from the river would gather on their beautiful fur coats so I would be able to pull off a frosty bison shot.

The problem was the temperature has been on the rise and all of a sudden Spring has hit. Every morning I would get out there and it would be somewhere close to 20-29 degrees. So, instead of photographing frosty bison, I would drive around looking for other specimens to photograph.

Today though I got really lucky. The temperature was at least 0 degrees and there was a wind chill factor of probably -15. I arrived at my usual time about 30 minutes before the sun rose. As I waited in anticipation I could see that the bison closer to the spring just happened to be covered in frost.

It was so cold that after taking pictures of these frozen bison, I myself was frozen to the bone.

During the cold winter season, bison develop thick, woolly coats that help protect them from freezing temperatures and harsh winds. It is said that a bison’s winter coat is so thick and provides insulation so effective that when snow accumulates on its coat, it will not melt from the heat of the bison’s skin.

This was my lucky day indeed. I was able to pull off some excellent shots as the sun started to rise among the Grand Tetons. I was able to capture a whole family of bison that have been taking refuge at the spring through this harsh winter season.

I really think this was my last chance to get a frosty bison. I am just happy that I am able to provide these pictures for you guys to see.

As mentioned in our previous post: While photographing the bison we could hear faint howling off in the distance somewhere. We wondered if it was wolves or coyotes. After capturing such magical photos of the bison, we decided to head off for another adventure in search of more wild things…

Today was the day that offered a moment every outdoor wildlife photographer could hope for. What began as wonderment, from the sounds of howling, turned into being something quite extravagant.

As we eagerly headed towards the howling next to Kelly Springs, my wife noticed something peculiar laying in the snow. It was at that moment we concluded the coyotes were the wild things roaming around while making their great howls known.

Luckily, we were the first ones to notice this resting coyote. Ironically, he happened to be fairly close to the road. This is a rare sight, as normally coyotes do not get this close to the road unless they’re about to cross the highway.

What a remarkably amazing day!

I went ahead and grabbed my camera, set up my tripod and got everything set to the exact position that I wanted. And we waited…. As we were waiting, several people pulled up and asked if we spotted a wolf. Once we relayed that it was a coyote they lost interest. Usually the reply was, “Oh, it’s not a wolf?, and we would respond back saying, “No, it’s a coyote”.

It’s astonishing how most people here undervalue the beauty and strength of these wild things. The coyotes are among other magnificent creatures that survive the harshest winters in the most enchanted land in the world.

This coyote in general has been observed by us throughout the entire season. It is through this that we have come to fully appreciate the coyotes of Yellowstone Country.

The resting coyote we were eager to take pictures of was in no hurry to move around much. After about an hour or so of waiting, we began to build up a crowd of around 10-15 different cars. Finally, the coyote started to wake up.

The moment we were waiting for was here! First he started stretching, and then the show began. With moves like that, it was as if he was on the payroll. He went from stretching to howling. Then he started posing and acting like a puppy, as he started to roll around in the snow.

After all that, the coyote was on the move. His actions were quite intelligent, as now there were more people around. He tricked us into thinking he was going one way and then heading off in the other direction. As the coyote lost several people with his tactic move, we kept our sights on him and continued to follow his route.

With this coyote’s great intelligence and fearless demeanor, he came to be known as “Coyo the Great & Fearless”.

With such a minimal distance between us, at one point he actually started running straight towards me and another photographer I met that day. We thought he was going to charge us… Coyo, the coyote had other plans though. He veered to the left and that is when I started to snap my photos.

This place truly is magical; it’s where the wild things roam.

The place we call home is raw nature at its best. This is where the wild things roam. They are wild, they are free, they are the raw spirit within you and within me.

After spending a week of being pounded by record snow, the month of February ended with the Wyoming title of “Februburied“.

I was somewhat hesitant about going out and photographing wildlife today. I figured with drifts nearly four to five feet high, that you practically cannot even see over the roads. I assumed that none of these animals would be visible or even around. In all actuality they’re all in town.

It was later in the day around golden hour when I headed off to take my normal route. I came around a bend in the city of Kelly, right outside of Jackson, hoping to find a opportunity. My eyes glanced towards the stream where I had previously photographed a muskrat.

The scene is quite breathtaking, even buried amidst the snow. This stream happens to be naturally warm due to being a part of Yellowstone’s Ecosystem. The mist emits from it, giving it a presence of something beautifully eerie.

I started to drive up and about a mile out and noticed about 20 big objects off in the distance which I figured were bison. This is a very well-known route and by the time my wife and I arrived we were the first ones there. I don’t know if these bison just happened to arrive in this area at that time or if they had been there for awhile.

It just seemed odd that the bison were in sight and nobody really cared.

I never thought about the fact that this stream would actually melt the snow around it, allowing the animals in the area to get whatever grass or feed that they needed just to help survive the winter.

As we pulled up I noticed the steam emitting from the stream where the bison were hanging out. This allowed for a very mystical photo-shoot.

You can actually see in a picture here, that my wife took of me, that the snow is as high as the fence right next to the road. This made for some amazing photos. Keeping my distance, I was able to get eye level with the bison while the sun highlighted the mystical creatures within the mist.

I feel these are some of the best bison photos I have ever taken. But I’ll let you guys be the judge of that…
Please comment and let me know what you guys think.

While photographing the bison we could hear faint howling off in the distance somewhere. We wondered if it was wolves or coyotes. After capturing such magical photos of the bison, we decided to head off for another adventure in search of more wild things…

The place we call home is raw nature at its best. This is where the wild things roam. They are wild, they are free, they are the raw spirit within you and within me.

Stay tuned for our next same day adventure.

Today was a day filled with mystery and excitement. As we were pulling out of our driveway we happened to capture a glimpse of an enormous moose while heading off to our daily photographic adventure.

It’s not everyday that you actually see a moose eating your neighbor’s tree, of course, unless you’re here in Jackson, Wyoming. We knew from that point on this was a sign that today was going to be an amazing day.

Prior to today, we had just received a record amount of snow. It was somewhere close to 24 inches within 24 hours. When the snow hits, that’s when the mysteries within the drift surface.

I heard that there was a great gray owl hidden within the majestic tree line close to the golf course in Jackson, so I made it my mission to find him.

We started heading towards the golf course where the owl was rumored to have been seen. The scenery was incredibly majestic. It was beautiful, with an almost eerie feel like something you’d see from a hobbit movie.

The trees stood tall with patches of snow covered branches that were reminiscent of large cotton balls.

The bridge added the perfect ambiance to a nearby river with snow blanketed valleys. We drove around the bend as my mind wandered, curious if a wizard or some mythological creature would present itself amidst the drift of the snow fallen setting.

And that’s when it happened….our eyes were in disbelief. A great grey owl sitting on a branch in all his glory.

Oh my, I can only tell you how hard it is to find a great grey owl sitting among the thick forest of trees; it’s like finding a needle in a haystack.

I immediately pulled over, noticing the only way to get down in there was to actually follow a route embedded in the snow. The path was somewhere close to waist-high. Remember we just had record winter snow.

Without hesitation I grabbed my tripod and camera and set off for the trek. I did what I had to do, getting as close as I could.

I literally had to climb through the waist-high snow holding my camera while carrying my tripod. Unfortunately I managed to break my tripod while in route to the location. In doing that though it kept me and my camera from getting immersed in the snow.

This was one of the most exciting moments of my life! I have always wanted to get a killer shot of an owl with an excellent lens. The best day ever!

It seems like the more active the weather is, the more you see the animals of Yellowstone Country. When the wind kicks and the snow drifts, it’s within this harsher weather that the animals emerge.

After spending roughly two to three hours photographing this owl to make sure I got the right picture, I ended up shooting about a thousand different photos. Just as soon as I stopped photographing and started making my trek back, the owl flew off.

The photos I captured were well worth the snowy trek. And, to my surprise, my wife managed to get some video of the owl within his camouflaged element.

We then decided to go and head to our spot where I first noticed the porcupine. If you read my blog post you will learn about the adventure I had while trying to shoot this porcupine.

Today was amazing. Winter in Yellowstone Country is anything, but dull.

A mountainous snow blanketed wonderland of beauty that beholds the mysteries within the drift.

I find it amazing in Yellowstone Country that I have not come face-to-face with the popular elk of this area. You see elk almost everywhere you go here within the protected environments like the National Elk Refuge.

Now I’ve seen cow elk, which are your female elk, in a field away from the males. The males, however, have been hidden away from me all winter long. I’ve known exactly where they were at, but every time I tried to get close they made it unattainable to get a photo of them. If I attempted to approach them with a camera they would normally lie down or make it even harder to get a picture in. This has been a Yellowstone reindeer game of sorts that the elk of this area have been playing on me all season long.

Fast forward to today. I started to set up my gear as I was getting ready for the day. I was standing in a field in the Grand Tetons as I was searching for which lens I was going to use. I decided to go with my 100 by 400 by Canon which is my favorite go-to lens for Yellowstone Country.

I snapped my lens on and stepped out of my car when all of a sudden, out of the middle of nowhere, this mystical bull elk appeared. As I stood awestruck, like a kid that just saw a magical creature for the first time, the elk started to approach me . This was probably one of the most surprising moments I’ve had in quite a while, within the past four months.

Besides the fact that I’ve been up close and personal with some of the biggest bull moose I’ve ever encountered in Yellowstone, the unexpected presence of this big bull elk was astonishing.

The bull elk was still a good 250 yards off and a little bit down hill. It was a complete whiteout; which is probably one of my favorite ways to photograph animals in the winter.

This was an older male as I could tell by the coat. He kept walking towards me without hesitation as if he knew this was a meaningful encounter that was meant to be. The bull elk kept getting closer by the minute while I kept snapping my camera and taking as many shots as I could.

I wanted to take full advantage of this opportunity. After all, I’ve been trying to get a good elk picture for at least four months. Like I said, for some reason these mysterious elk eluded me and have made it almost impossible for me to get a good photo in.

I know that elk are everywhere and that usually they’re easy to get a photograph of. For some reason though, they have done everything in their power to stay out of my way this year while allowing me to focus in on the other pictures that I have gotten.

Trust me, I’m not complaining. I know photographing an elk is like photographing any other famous landmark, but like I said what is odd about this year is that they have eluded me continuously. Well, that is, until now.

I feel as though I have earned my right to photograph them. This bull elk was like the elder of the herd that welcomed me in. This mysterious presence let me know that I am welcomed in their community and they were happy to have their picture taken. Every creature of this land has a story to tell; each one completely unique to any other. I take this as another adventure in the photographing day of the Greek Mountain Man.

My wife and I were on a journey through the wonderful back trails of the Grand Tetons. We happen to approach a section where a large herd of bison had been hanging out for the past month or two.

I noticed the past couple days that this group of bison have been missing. They were no longer in action and could not be found in their usual location. So, to our surprise, as we were approaching our destination, we were astonished to see the large herd of bison in motion before us. Their presence was magnificent as they stampeded across the highway and into this beautiful pasture in front of the Grand Tetons.

Now these bison were on the move and were not slowing down. It was as if they had seen a wolf of possibly had been run off a ranch.

The Sun was shining and the sight of this literally took our breath away. My wife had her camera on her so she immediately began to get video of the bison crossing. I will be putting this together soon for future viewing.

I found out today that these bison have been gorging other animals and other people’s farms. So the authorities and park rangers, as of today, are now moving the bison out of the park and then to a safer area. They have shut down many of the areas that are accessible by car while they proceed to ensure a safe relocation of these big beautiful creatures. Learn More!

This was a sight to see though. This was the second time my wife and I have witnessed bison on a stampede. It’s a huge adrenaline rush to be near such an incredible sight in the raw elements of Yellowstone Country.  The bison run right by you while you know not which direction they’re going, as they can change at any moment.

You can feel the thunderous energy through the earth while witnessing the stampede. The gentle snorts and bellows can also be herd as the bison pass by too; it’s almost like a song of sorts.

What I’ve learned is to stay as still as possible and to not get in their way. Being a photographer, at the same time, I try to do the best I can to get the best shot encapsulating exactly what is happening at the moment.

Yellowstone is a magical land and every day there is something new. You really can’t go wrong coming here spending time in this majestic place.

Plus don’t forget that I provide photography lessons in Yellowstone and Grand Tetons area. If you’re looking for someone knows where to locate wildlife and can teach you how to shoot Wildlife photography, then be sure you reach out in the contact form below.

The Greek Mountain Man will have you covered.