Yellowstone in May Photo Gallery by Dave Shumway

May is, by far, my favorite month to visit Yellowstone National Park. New roads are opening each week (or so it seems), snow is melting (normally), the crowds have not filled the park (yet) and all of the wildlife is starting to recover from winter’s extreme cold.

Old Faithful is always stunning to see. (Photo by Dave Shumway)

Old Faithful erupts on a sunny afternoon in Yellowstone National Park. I captured this with a Canon 5D III and 24-105L IS in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 1/3 at ISO400, f/11, and 1/800th of a second. The camera was handheld.

Morning Glory Pool is known for its colors. (Photo by Dave Shumway)

Morning Glory Pool looks incredible on a sunny afternoon in Yellowstone National Park. I captured this with a Canon 5D III and 24-105L IS in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 1/3 at ISO400, f/11, and 1/400th of a second. The camera was handheld.

Don’t miss the Grand Prismatic while you’re in Yellowstone. (Photo by Dave Shumway)

Park visitors take in Grand Prismatic on a sunny afternoon in Yellowstone National Park. I captured this with a Canon 5D III and 24-105L IS in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 1/3 at ISO400, f/4.5, and 1/8000th of a second. The camera was handheld.

You might see a woodpecker like this one while you are in the park. (Photo by Dave Shumway)

A female three-toed woodpecker does what woodpeckers do just before sunset in the Roosevelt Junction area on the last day of April. I had the privilege of spending a few hours with him while he consumed all of the green grass that he could find. I captured this with a Canon 7D with 500/4.0L IS in aperture priority mode set to +2/3 at ISO400, f/4.0, and 1/200th of a second. The camera was mounted on a Gitzo 3540XLS and Induro GHB2 gimbal head with custom long lens support.

This sunset in Yellowstone is dramatic. (Photo by Dave Shumway)

The sun sets on April as most pray that May will bring warmth. Captured with a Canon 5DII with 70-200/2.8L IS II + 1.4 TC III in aperture priority mode set to +0 at ISO200, f/8.0, and 1/250th of a second. The camera was resting on a beanbag.

See this mountain bluebird in flight. (Photo by Dave Shumway)

A male mountain bluebird enjoys the bounty of a spring hatch on a snow bank that still holds tight to Pebble Creek on a cloudy May afternoon in Yellowstone National Park. Captured with a Canon 7D with 500/4.0L IS + 1.4TC III in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of +2 at ISO400, f/7.1, and 1/1250th of a second. The camera was mounted on a Gitzo 3540XLS and Induro GHB2 gimbal head with custom long lens support.

Two kestrels sit near each other in Yellowstone. (Photo by Dave Shumway)

A mating pair of American kestrel keep a look out on a rainy/snow day in May near Specimen Ridge in Yellowstone National Park. I captured this with a Canon 7D with 500/4.0L IS in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of +1 at ISO800, f/4.0, and 1/125th of a second. The camera was mounted resting on a beanbag.

Check out this beautiful sunrise in Yellowstone. (Photo by Dave Shumway)

The sun rises as three days of rain/snow give way to better days and the magical light reflects off of a seasonal pond along Specimen Ridge in Yellowstone National Park. I captured this with a Canon 5D II with 70-200/2.8L IS II in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of -1/3 at ISO200, f/4.0, and 1/250th of a second. The camera was resting on a beanbag.

Wolves howl in Yellowstone. (Photo by Dave Shumway)

The alpha male of the Lamar Canyon wolf pack howls to rally the troops to try and take back their carcass from a grizzly bear in Yellowstone National Park. I captured this scene with a Canon 7D with 500/4.0L IS + 1.4TC III in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 2 at ISO400, f/6.3, and 1/400th of a second. The camera was mounted on a Gitzo 3540XLS and Induro GHB2 gimbal head with custom long lens support.

A black wolf poses for the camera. (Photo by Dave Shumway)

A black wolf stares from the tree line near Mary Bay during a snow storm in Yellowstone National Park. I captured this with a Canon 7D with 500/4.0L IS + 1.4TC III in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 2/3 at ISO400, f/7.1, and 1/160th of a second. The camera was resting on a beanbag.

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is a spectacular sight. (Photo by Dave Shumway)

The Yellowstone River plummets over the Lower Falls into the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone on a cloudy afternoon in Yellowstone National Park. I captured this scene with a Canon 5D III and 24-105L IS in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 1/3 at ISO400, f/11, and 1/400th of a second. The camera was handheld.

A ruffed grouse looks around from a stump. (Photo by Dave Shumway)

A ruffed grouse (the same grouse that lead me to the sow and cubs earlier that day) forages at the edge of the trees along the shore of a lake near Tower Fall in Yellowstone National Park. I captured this with a Canon 5D III and 500/4.0L IS + 1.4TC III in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 1/3 at ISO1600, f/5.6, and 1/100th of a second. The camera was mounted on a Gitzo 3540XLS and Induro GHB2 gimbal head.

Evening in Yellowstone is beautiful. (Photo by Dave Shumway)

A herd of bison cows and calves approach a small lake for an evening drink in Yellowstone National Park. Captured with a Canon 5D III and 70-200/2.8L IS II in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 1/3 at ISO400, f/11, and 1/400th of a second. The camera was handheld.

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