21 Mar
2011

Mammoth Hot Springs sunbeams, Yellowstone

Most of the roads in Yellowstone National Park are closed during the winter, but the road to Mammoth Hot Springs is open all year long, giving the winter photographer easy access to some beautiful geothermal features. Canary Spring is a particularly good place for sunrise. If conditions are right, steam rising from the thermal pool can create some incredible lighting effects. This photo of sunbeams streaking through fog is one such example. A windless morning is best to get the right conditions for sunbeams. For the composition, I waited for the rising steam on the right to catch some light, creating an element of counterpoint to the sunbeams.

"Daybreak" - Yellowstone National Park

Technical details: Canon 5D Mark II camera, 24-105mm lens (@55mm), ISO 100, f/16, 1/200 second.

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About Ian Plant (275 Posts)

Ian Plant's photographs and instructional articles have appeared in a number of books, calendars, and magazines, including Outdoor Photographer and Popular Photography. Ian writes a regular blog column for Outdoor Photographer online, and he is the author of numerous instructional eBooks and digital processing tutorials. Ian leads several photo tours each year.