Best Images of 2011

Why does everyone do one of these year in review things? How can I go about choosing my top ten or twelve images from any given year?

Okay, fine, I'll try. I guess I make my students present 20 images at the end of each semester, so I'll do the same. There is no particular order to these selections, but I hope you enjoy the fruits of my "labor." I spent 52 days in Yellowstone National Park and another 70 days, or so, on other trips around North America.

All of the images can be clicked on to see a larger version within my site. I hope all of you have had a great holiday season, and are ready for a 2012 full of shooting.

Stars trail through the sky during a five hour set of 30 second exposures from a Canon 5DII and 17-40/4.0L set to f/4.0 and ISO1600. The camera was mounted on an Induro A413 and Induro BHD2 bullhead and a cable release was used.

A male sage grouse displays along the boundary of Montana and Wyoming on the edge of a large sage grouse lek with mountains standing in the background. Captured with a Canon 7D 500/4.0L IS + 1.4TC III in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 1 at ISO800, f/7.1, and 1/320th of a second. The camera was mounted on a Gitzo 3540XLS and Induro GHB2 gimbal head.

A male Mountain Bluebird enjoys the bounty of a spring hatch on a snow bank that still holds tight to Pebble Creek on a cloudy May afternoon in Yellowstone National Park. Captured with a Canon 7D with 500/4.0L IS + 1.4TC III in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of +2 at ISO400, f/7.1, and 1/1250th of a second. The camera was mounted on a Gitzo 3540XLS tripod and Induro GHB2 gimbal head with custom long lens support.

A sow Grizzly Bear uses a log bridge to cross over the water on a warm May morning near Grizzly Lake trailhead in Yellowstone National Park. Captured with a Canon 7D with 500/4.0L IS in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of +1/3 at ISO200, f/7.1, and 1/400th of a second. The camera was mounted on a Gitzo 3540XLS tripod and Induro GHB2 gimbal head with custom long lens support.

A Cinnamon Teal Drake forages for food in a seasonal pond along the snow filled Swan Lake Flats in Yellowstone National Park. Captured with a Canon 7D with 500/4.0L IS in manual mode at ISO800, f/6.3, and 1/125th of a second. The camera was resting on a beanbag.

A Short-tailed Weasel takes its prey back to its den in the trees along Sedge Bay in Yellowstone National Park. Captured with a Canon 7D with 500/4.0L IS + 1.4 TC III in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of +1 at ISO200, f/5.6, and 1/400th of a second. The camera was resting on a beanbag.

A Sow Grizzly Bear enjoys a vole she caught while her "Cub of the Year" sits safely on her back just after an intense May snow storm broke near Fishing Bridge in Yellowstone National Park. Captured with a Canon 7D with 500/4.0L IS in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 1 2/3 at ISO400, f/5.0, and 1/160th of a second. The camera was mounted on a Gitzo 3540XLS tripod and Induro GHB2 gimbal head with custom long lens support.

A pair of Grizzly Bears whisper sweet nothings near Steamboat Point during a late May snow storm in Yellowstone National Park. Captured with a Canon 7D with 500/4.0L IS in manual mode at ISO400, f/8.0, and 1/500th of a second. The camera was mounted on a Gitzo 3540XLS tripod and Induro GHB2 gimbal head with custom long lens support.

A male Calliope Hummingbird (Stellula calliope) hovers between feedings on the spring bounty of the Absaroka Range, about 15 air miles from the North East Entrance to Yellowstone National Park. Captured with a Canon 7D with 500/4.0L IS + 1.4 TC III in manual mode at ISO400, f/6.3, and 1/320th of a second. The camera was mounted on a Gitzo 3540XLS tripod and Induro GHB2 gimbal head with custom long lens support.

A beautiful Red Fox looks around as the sun sets on Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta Canada. Captured with a Canon 7D with 500/4.0L IS in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 1/3 at ISO200, f/4.0, and 1/200th of a second. The camera was resting on a bean bag.

Two bull Bison begin to cross the flooded Lamar River as the sun rises above the Lamar Valley in Yellowstone National Park. Captured with a Canon 5DII with 70-200/2.8L IS II in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of - 2/3 (+-1) at ISO200, f/11, and HDRM adjustments for a three shot image. The camera was mounted on an Induro CT214 tripod and Acratech GP ball head.

A trio of North American River Otters engage in some playful fighting along the shores of Trout Lake in Yellowstone National Park. Captured with a Canon 7D with 500/4.0L IS in manual mode at ISO800, f/4.5, and 1/400th of a second. The camera was mounted on a Gitzo 3540XLS tripod and Induro GHB2 gimbal head.

A grove of quaking aspen shimmer in the miday light on a warm fall afternoon along the Beartooth Pass. Captured with a Canon 5DII and 17-40L in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 1 1/3 at ISO200, f/16, and 1/100th of a second. The camera was handheld.

A herd of captive quarter horse feed beneath a rainbow as storm clouds move across the Teton range at the edge of Grand Teton National Park. Captured with a Canon 5DII 17-40/4.0L in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of - 1/3 at ISO200, f/11, and 1/640th of a second. The camera was handheld.

Canada geese, clouds and turning aspen all unite along the shores of OxBow Bend with Mount Moran reflecting as the sun rises on Grand Teton National Park. Captured with a Canon 5DII 70-200/2.8L IS II in manual mode at ISO100, f/11, and 1/160th of a second. The camera was mounted on a Gitzo 3540XLS tripod with Arca-Swiss Z1sp ball head, a cable release was used in LiveView (mirror lockup) mode.

A polar bear plays with the carcass of a bull caribou while he waits for the ice to form on the shores of Hudson Bay, in the Canadian Low Arctic. Captured with a Canon 7D 500/4.0L IS + 1.4TC III in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 1/3 at ISO400, f/4.0, and 1/80th of a second. The camera was mounted on a Gitzo 3541XLS tripod with an Arca-Swiss Z1sp ballhead and a Wimberly Sidekick.

A five year old male polar bear rests in the shade of the willows as high winds blow along the shores of Hudson Bay in the Canadian Low Arctic. Captured with a Canon 7D 70-200/2.8L IS II in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 1/3 at ISO400, f/3.5, and 1/250th of a second. The camera was handheld.

An Arctic fox looks directly at me during a storm in October on the Arctic Tundra near the Hudson Bay . Captured with a Canon 7D 500/4.0L IS in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 1/3 at ISO400, f/4.0, and 1/320th of a second. The camera was handheld.

A polar bear turns his head away from strong winds that bring the first snow of the year to the Canadian Low Arctic, within sight of the Hudson Bay (Snow and ice came late in the fall of 2011, and that does not help the bears). Captured with a Canon 7D 70-200/2.8L IS II + 1.4TC III in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of - 2/3 at ISO400, f/4.0, and 1/500th of a second. The camera was handheld.

Photographer Dave M. Shumway opens the door to his tent during a cold December night in Yellowstone National Park. Captured with a Canon 5DII and 17-40/4.0L in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of - 1/3 at ISO1600, f/5.6, and 13 seconds.The camera was mounted on an Induro A413 tripod and Induro BHD2 bullhead and a cable release was used.

Ask Dave, May 6th - Backcountry Photography

Ask Dave, May 15th
'Ask Dave' week Thirteen… I get tons of questions each week, I respond as quickly as possible, and this is week number thirteen of answering them here too. If you have questions you can email me at Learn@DaveShumway.com.

Question:
From... Sorry I can't remember your name.
How many of your "real good" images from Yellowstone come from "backcountry" spots.

Answer:
My answer was not a good one; but here is what I had to say:
"I would guess that a normal trip has 10-20 real 'select' or 'keeper' images, lots of other fine images that I can use for stock; but 10-20 'real keepers.' Of those 10-20 less than one is typically from a backcountry camping trip. When I am really in the backcountry I am there for the experience, less emphasis is on photography for those trips; but I still always bring a camera. That said many consider 'backcountry' to be anytime that one leaves the roads or developed areas by more than 100-250 yards and I would say that 5-10 of the 10-20 'keeper' images come from more than 100 yards from the roads (in some months it is more like 15 of 20)."

I felt bad about my answer; but luckily for me I had a chance to ask a real expert on Yellowstone/Photography/Backcountry (Tom Murphy) the same question. I presented for the Photographic Institute of the Yellowstone on Saturday and Tom Murphy was the keynote speaker, so I took the chance to ask him the same question, and his answer was very similar to mine. "Well... my overnight trips really are more about getting from place to place and I don't get to spend the time needed to shoot really good images (he gave some examples); but most of my images come from more than 100 yards from the roads. I would say 75-90% of the images in those books (referring to his YNP books) were made away from the road; but not from overnight trips." (That is my best summary of his response, I did not record it)

Year End Statistics...

Just doing my year end backups, cleanups, and counts. While doing so I found a few numbers pleasantly surprising.

• In 2010 I spent 55 full days in Yellowstone National Park (part of 18 trips).


• In 2010 I spent 21 days in the Canadian Rockies.


• In 2010 I spent about 30 days skiing.


• All together that means I spent over 100 days in 2010 out in great places and not at home or work.


• I also rode several thousand miles on my bike (more time well spent in the outdoors).


• I have taken 200,000 images as "personal work" over the last five years, sense switching to digital.


• I have 57,000 images online from work and by my estimates I have taken around 500,000 images for work in the last 5 years.

When I moved to the "Mountain West" in 2005, I knew that I belonged out here, and five years later I still believe that I am blessed to be able to spend so much time in wild places and to be able to take a camera along (and to create images to share with all of you).

2010 was a great year and I look forward to 2011 and the challenges and opportunities that come with it.

God Bless, and as always... Happy Shooting