Sulphur Sunrise

When you have to dance to keep warm because the best time to shoot is the coldest time of day. Always, worth it for this kind of view.

This image was taken in mid-August of 2019 at 5:30 in the morning. After spending the whole night chasing the Perseid's meteor shower all around Yellowstone Lake, my friend Esme and I settled for sunrise with this ethereal view of my favorite thermal feature in the park. As the temperature dropped, frost took over the boardwalk, chilling our feet to the bone. The wet hot spring air surrounded us with a false sense of warmth as it dampened our faces and clothing. What better way to warm up and distract yourself than to dance!

The very first time I visited this area, the lake was still thawing. Arriving early meant there wasn’t a soul around. All I could hear was what sounded like waves of broken glass, as the large chunks of ice gently overlapped on the shoreline (see video). West Thumb is a unique Yellowstone National Park experience that offers incredible lake views, while enjoying that lovely signature aroma the park has to offer. Just watch out for the abundance of Elk, they love to hang out here, hide their babies under the boardwalk, and intimidate you as you walk by unaware!

Exit: Canon 5D mark iv

(Canon 24-105)

1/40 sec | iso 100 | f16