Episode 7: Moose Mayhem in Yellowstone

In this episode of PhotoWILD Podcast, Jared and Annalise talk about all things moose. Photographing moose was a big priority for them during their two months spent working in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem this past winter. And when it comes to photographing these swamp donkeys, timing is everything and there are a host of unique challenges we all face when when creating compelling images of these animals - especially in the winter. 

Key Takeaways

• Timing is everything. Moose are the first species to drop their antlers in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. If you want bull moose in the snow, then you have a very small window of time to work with. 
• Finding and photographing moose is all about understanding their biology. Where they live, what they eat, how the changing seasons impact them, and how they adapt to weather on a daily basis. Know this and you will be able to consistently and predictably find and photograph moose. 
• Eye autofocus often falls apart when photographing moose. Dark eyes set against dark fur and lot's of distractions in the environment make working with other AF Area Modes easier. 
• Compositions are everything for us as wildlife photographers. To create art we must be able to control something in the process so as to put our own creativity into the results. But with wildlife photography, we do not control the light and we cannot control the animals. This leaves us with compositions. And in this episode we do a deep dive into our philosophy behind compositions. 
• Lines may be the most important component of the elements of design. They will make or break your composition.