i woke up to a very familiar view.

the night before, i finished working way too late.  so i had to stay at my “secret” campsite, that i learned last year is a very active wolf and bear area…

the last time my brother and i were here (see like brothers on a hotel bed), we could hear wolves howling just yards from my tent.

not a sound that lulls one to sleep…

but i didn’t hear that sound, or any for that matter last night.  i slept great.

so i decided to scout locations during the day for my night shots.

and again today, i tried to get some shots i’d never thought of…  tetons through a moving vehicle…

blurred motorcycle with tetons…

during the middle of the day, when the light’s not all that great for shooting landscapes, i figured i’d take a nap.

and when i woke up, the clouds were really starting to gather in dramatic wyoming fashion…

so, i set up again for the first of many star pictures.  i wanted to start at the north end of jackson lake again becuase i thought i could do better than the night before, and it’s the farthest location form all the others.

well, i didn’t do better.  it’s a beautiful shot, i think, but no star trails.  so i decided to move on.

oxbow bend is a really famous spot for photographers, and for good reason.  but i usually shy away from it because of the crowds and the sheer volume of great shots there are from that spot.  but, i’ve never seen a really great star photo from oxbow.  so i found my spot, and gave it a whirl.

oh, how utterly devistated i was when i got home and saw it on a big screen… BLURRY!!!  ugh.

something must have moved the tripod during the 40 minute exposure.  ugh.  it was so beautiful too…

oh well, have to try again in october…

the next shot i tried was another very famous, very overshot point.  snake river overlook.  once immortalized by ansel adams himself, this spot is photographed thousands of times every single day.  but i am unaware of any night shots there…

i loved the way this one turned out.  finally, one of the three actually went as planned!

the fog really started to roll in over the snake river valley.  haunting.  but i was sad not to be able to see the snake as it actually “snakes” it’s way through the frame from this vantage.  oh well, guess i’ll have to shoot it again in october!

then i just wanted a classic, uninhibited shot of the tetons.  this was probably the least dynamic of the successful shots of the night.

and then the fog started to roll in.  so i kept the tripod set, and continued shooting…

though i missed the first two and came away with only two total that i liked, it was a successful night.

i learned even more about making star pictures, and i also determined a few spots for the next trip.  i’m excited about october…

all images © andrew r. slaton | photographer 2011