Images of Grand Teton National Park – Western Wyoming, taken in July 2019.

Rising directly from the valley floor the starkness of the Grand Teton Mountains adds to the beauty and wonder of this range. Perfectly framed by the Snake River and set against a beautiful blue sky I stood in awe of the grandeur of the landscape before me. It was the beginning of only a few prime hours in Grand Teton National Park.

The day began at 4:00 a.m. in eastern Idaho where I was staying about 16 miles from the West Entrance to Yellowstone National Park. I knew I had to get up early because it would take me two and a half hours to reach the Tetons and this is a “morning park” photo-wise as the range faces the east; after 11:00 a.m. the glare from the midday sun would wash out the beauty of the scene. As it turned out I made it with time to spare as I actually had to wait for the valley fog to burn off so I would have a clear view. Then it was off to the races as I had only a few hours to shoot this beautiful range. My timing was perfect; I hiked the trail along the Snake River at Schwabacher Landing where the mirror-like waters were so still that they flawlessly reflected the range and surrounding area. I had good light along Mormon Row where the famous T.A. Moulton Barn sits and a clear view of the mountains across Jenny Lake. By the time I made it to the top of Signal Mountain the window on my day was closing. The beauty of the mountains was still there but it would not be captured as sharply as it had over the past few hours. My photo day was done, now I just relaxed and took in the sites to include the long trip through Yellowstone and a slice of Montana back to my ‘home’ in Idaho.