On to Yellowstone and Beyond

On the fourth day our focus turned to Yellowstone National Park. Approaching the park boundary from the south there was a distinct odor in the air. It was not an overpowering one, but somehow it seemed to lie in the background of the fresh mountain air. Driving out to the geyser basins that lingering odor was no longer in the background; it was now exerting a full press on the senses. A potentially deadly mixture of hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide was the culprit; all toxic, and all at significant levels in many areas of the park. It made me wonder how well the Nikon D200 is sealed and whether these fumes and vapors would knock it out of commission.
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One of the main subjects for photography on this trip was the fantastic formations at Mammoth Springs. Here the thermal springs have deposited layer upon layer of calcium carbonate creating elegant terraces of travertine, each holding small pools of water. Some are a brilliant white and others are varying shades of bronze created by stains from microorganisms. To add to the effect, steam billows up from the scalding water carrying with it that toxic cocktail of fumes mentioned earlier.

In order to fully represent this area I knew the D200 and its accompanying lenses would be subjected to prolonged exposure to this environment and at times would be very close to the source of the steam. After two hours of constant exposure to these chemicals the Nikon D200 continued to perform as expected and the lenses did not fog up once, although I was feeling a little woozy.

The next day brought a sky filled with cloud cover that portended what was to come that afternoon. As the day wore on the clouds accumulated and grew darker. Soon there were serious thunderclouds in the area of Blacktail Deer Plateau. As we approached the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone near Tower Falls the atmospheric conditions created a majestic sight. Overlooking the Narrows section of the canyon thunderheads were suddenly lit up by the late afternoon sun. At the same time the canyon rim was aglow with an intense golden hue. A hasty survey of the scene indicated this would be a great opportunity to shoot a digital panorama of the opposite canyon wall. Ablaze with sunlight and with the ominous clouds hanging over the area, it was a sight to behold. The Nikon D200 was outfitted with a 12-24mm f/4G ED-IF AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor. Shooting panoramas with a wide angle lens like the 12-24 can be problematic. Light fall-off at the extremities of the image can be an issue at the lower end of the focal length of this lens and the need to use a neutral density graduated filter would compound the ability to later blend the seams of the stitched image. Keeping the lens dialed in at 24mm minimized this problem and the Nikon D200 provided consistent exposures for the three images that made this composite below possible.

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Moving on down the road after being pelted with hail from the storm another photo op soon appeared as we rounded a turn on the winding road through Hayden Valley. Suspended over the valley a magnificent double rainbow appeared. One of the most Divine experiences in nature was taken to a higher level when the complete rainbows were visible from end to end. The Nikon D200 was pulled out of the SUV and after a quick scramble down a hillside the camera and tripod were set up for the shot. Although the complete arc of the rainbow could not be captured while still maintaining a pleasing composition this image captures the magical moment where atmospheric moisture and sunlight combine to touch the soul. For another three days the Nikon D200 was put through a hectic schedule of early morning and late afternoon shooting at Yellowstone. The last leg of the trip involved driving east out of Yellowstone and into the high mountain passes of the Wyoming/ Montana border. Here the Beartooth Scenic Highway climbs the Absaroka/ Beartooth Range to an altitude of over 13,000 feet. The air is thin and the climate is cold, even in the late spring. At the top of the highest paved roadway in the lower 48 states there is nothing but snowfields, jagged boulders and the view of the top of the world. I was struggling to breathe in the thin air but the D200 took it all in stride, making a few last images of this majestic high alpine country.

Closing remarks

Nearly 1,200 images were taken on this adventure and the Nikon DSLR never once failed to capture a scene. It was handled rough and tossed around a few times but it never complained. I am really impressed with the build of this digital body.

If you click on any of the images in the article, you'll be taken to an enlargement with full details. I used the LANDSCAPE/NATURE settings mostly for this trip to Wyoming.

I tried many shooting techniques and the Nikon D200 was there to respond to my commands like an old friend. There is no denying that Nikon engineers have taken extraordinary steps to create a camera that will perform in almost any situation and respond to just about any photographer’s requirements.