Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming · September 10, 2026

A Bison Family Strolling By

A lucky encounter with a passing bison family in Yellowstone, photographed at 117mm—and just a wish for clouds.

Four bison, two larger and two smaller, standing among golden grasses and sagebrush beneath a clear blue sky — A bison family strolling by in Yellowstone National Park, August 21, 2025Original photograph · Single exposure

Exposure for this photograph

Aperture: f/4.5
Shutter: 1/1000 second
ISO: 200
Focal length: 117mm
Technique: Single exposure

Camera and capture details

Camera: Canon EOS R1
Lens: EF100–400mm f/4.5–5.6L IS II USM
Support: Handheld
Process: Single exposure

I felt super lucky to get this photograph of a bison family strolling by so close during my visit to Yellowstone National Park on August 21, 2025.

The frame I came home with

I had my 100–400mm lens with me, but I wasn’t shooting at 400mm. This photograph was made at 117mm, with the family filling much of the frame and the grassland stretching behind them.

I shot handheld, making a single exposure at 1/1000 second, f/4.5, and ISO 200 with my Canon EOS R1.

Just a wish for clouds

The only thing I could wish for was clouds. There is plenty of texture in the bison’s coats and the grasses around them, while the sky is an uninterrupted blue.

I would have liked a few clouds up there, but I’m happy to have this moment with the family passing by.