Workshop
Advanced Winter Wildlife Photography (Lamar Buffalo Ranch)
Run by Yellowstone Forever Institute · Up to 8 people · Jan
About
A field seminar for experienced photographers based at the historic Lamar Buffalo Ranch in Yellowstone's Lamar Valley, the park's prime winter area for wolves, foxes and bison. Tuition includes rustic lodging at the ranch; meals are self-catered. Eight participants.
What you can photograph
From this listing
| Subject | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moose | Outside the window | Outside the window | Peak | Outside the window | Peak | Outside the window | Outside the window | Outside the window | Outside the window | Outside the window | Peak | Peak |
Open months
| Month | Presence |
|---|---|
| Jan | In season |
| Feb | Outside the window |
| Mar | Peak |
| Apr | Outside the window |
| May | Peak |
| Jun | Outside the window |
| Jul | Outside the window |
| Aug | Outside the window |
| Sep | Outside the window |
| Oct | Outside the window |
| Nov | Peak |
| Dec | Peak |
The workshop
- Where
- Lamar Buffalo Ranch, Yellowstone National Park
- Length
- Not stated
- Group size
- Up to 8 people
- Led by
- Meg Sommers
- Skill level
- Advanced
- Genre
- Mammals
- Language
- English
Moose — Jackson Hole Gros Ventre & Highway 89 sage flats — late November to mid December first snow
Shoot window
Moose: about an even chance of seeing it (Nov–Dec)
| Month | Presence |
|---|---|
| Jan | Outside the window |
| Feb | Outside the window |
| Mar | Peak |
| Apr | Outside the window |
| May | Peak |
| Jun | Outside the window |
| Jul | Outside the window |
| Aug | Outside the window |
| Sep | Outside the window |
| Oct | Outside the window |
| Nov | Peak |
| Dec | Peak |
- Peak
- Roughly Nov 20 to Dec 15: after snow reaches the valley floor but before most prime bulls drop antlers. NPS: bulls usually shed in late November or December; young bulls may keep antlers to March. The overlap between snow arrival and antler drop is not quantified and varies by year.
- Days needed
- 8 days
- Behaviour
- Migration / passage
- Coat
- Full winter coat
- Habitat
- Fresh snow
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Also here
- Elk and bighorn sheep at the National Elk Refuge (bighorn on Miller Butte), bison, trumpeter swans on Flat Creek, red fox, winter Teton landscapes.
- Light
- 43.6°N. Max solar altitude 24° on Dec 5 (computed), 9 h day, the sun never climbs high so the entire day is low sun. Jackson clear or partly cloudy only 45% of the time in December (WeatherSpark), so about 55% overcast; December averages 17 in of snow in town. Usable soft light: essentially all 9 h, source is low sun plus frequent overcast and falling snow. On clear days snow plus low sun is contrasty; on overcast days it goes high key. Exposure: dark animal on white needs +1.5 to 2 stops. Highway 89 and Gros Ventre Road open all day.
- Weather risk
- Snow / blizzard (asset)
- Atmosphere
- Falling snow, frost on muzzle and back, heavy breath vapour (December mean low about minus 14 °C), snow loaded willows as texture.
- Permits
- Teton Park Road and Moose Wilson Road closed to vehicles from Nov 1 (ski and snowshoe only). Winter wildlife closures Dec 15 to Mar 31 around the Snake River, Buffalo Fork and Kelly Warm Springs. Minimum 25 yards from moose; winter stress: NPS asks visitors to detour around wildlife. Drones prohibited.
- Getting there
- JAC airport. AWD or 4WD with winter tyres. Jackson lodging is cheaper late Nov to mid Dec, before the Christmas ski peak (not priced). Crowd level in this shoulder period is my inference, not sourced.
Who runs trips here: Self drive. Winter wildlife tours run out of Jackson; none verified as photography specific.
Confidence: medium · Last verified 22 Sept 2026
What the price covers
- Accommodation: Yes
- Taxes: Yes
$1,822.62 tuition & lodging (taxes included
Prices are in the operator's currency. Conversions on the site are approximate and marked ≈. Enquiry form coming soon.
Ethics
- Feeding Unverified
- Baiting Unverified
- Captive Animals Unverified
Green means ShutterAtlas has checked it. Yellow means it has not been checked yet. Red means it happens here.
Getting there
- Nearest airport
- Unknown
Sources
Imported listing, not yet claimed by the owner · last checked 28 Oct 2026