What Is Grand Geyser And What Is Special About It?
Grand Geyser is located in the Upper Geyser Basin at Yellowstone National Park not far from the much more famous Old Faithful Geyser. Grand Geyser generally goes off every 6 to 7 hours but that can very over time. Grand Geyser is the tallest “predictable” geyser in the world. At the moment this is a title that may be debatable and may change at any time. Grand Geyser eruptions can be in the 200 foot range. Up until a few years ago, Grand Geyser confidently held the title of the tallest predictable geyser in the world. Then one day in the spring of 2018 Steamboat Geyser came back to life and erupted for the first time in three years. Steamboat Geyser is located in the Norris Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park. It is larger, noisier and has bigger eruptions. Whether or not it is “predictable” is debatable but it has been erupting more frequently if not “regularly” or in a predictable manner.
For simplicity sake, we’ll just say that Grand Geyser is one of the top-two largest predictable geysers in the world. If you are willing to sit around and wait for up to 3 hours (often less) to see it erupt then you will get to witness an incredible show than can last around 10 minutes. If you want to see Steamboat Geyser erupt you might have to sit there for a few weeks.
What Is It Like To Travel To Yellowstone And And Photograph A Grand Geyser Eruption?
Like all US National Parks over the last few years, the crowds have increased dramatically and everything has become must more crowded. If you plan to go to Yellowstone, the cost of hotel lodging is sky high and almost all campgrounds now require reservations. It’s not as relaxing as it was just a few years ago.
Assuming you have the travel and lodging all taken care of, actually getting to Grand Geyser to watch and photograph an eruption is usually fairly easy. From any Yellowstone entrance or lodging within the park just set your GPS to go to the Upper Geyser Basin or Old Faithful, whatever it may recognize and park somewhere over there by the Old Faithful Visitor Center. There are a few parking lots there and you would be able to find a parking space. From there, head over to the visitor center, pick up a map or ask the rangers when the next scheduled eruption is and how to get there. Grand Geyser is probably about a mile hike along pretty flat paved or wooden boardwalk walkways.
Once you get to the geyser there are wooden benches to sit and wait and chances are you’ll need to wait somewhere between a few minutes (if you are really lucky) and 3 hours if the predictions are off.
What Does It Take To Get A Wall Art Quality Photo Of Grand Geyser Erupting In Yellowstone?
When it comes to photographing geysers in Yellowstone, the most important thing to look at is the weather. Since geysers shoot out hot water and water is pretty much the same color as clouds (white), you’ll want a fairly clear day to get good geyser photos. Photos of Grand Geyser and most any geyser look a lot better then there is some contrast. That contrast is best when skies are blue and the sun is shining.
When the sun is shining toward the geyser you are photographing (i.e. the sun is at your back) the water from the erupting geyser will often glisten in the sun and further stand out from the skies or trees in the background.
Set the camera to shoot with a fast shutter speed in order to capture some of the detail of the water drops when you shoot photos of geysers. Just like any other photo, framing of the landscape a can be important. At Yellowstone, sometimes there will be bison, elk or deer in the geyser areas. If you can safely photograph Grand Geyser or other geysers and include wildlife that can make for an a really awesome shot!
What Is The Best Gear For Photographing A Grand Geyser Eruption At Yellowstone?
When photographing a Grand Geyser eruption at Yellowstone most any camera will do. A cel phone should be able to get nice shots but for larger wall art print quality photos a DSLR or mirrorless camera with a lens that goes between 18mm and up to around 100mm should be adequate. Geysers are thermal features often with dangerous thermal crust areas around them. Rather than use your feet to zoom in or out you’ll want a camera lens to do that for you since you’re ability to walk around a specific geyser may be limited. This is the case at Grand Geyser.
When you photograph Grand Geyser eruptions, I’d suggest NOT using tripod, at least not for still photos. You never know how high the eruptions will be. Even though Grand Geyser can reach heights of around 200 feet that is not always the case. Since you’ll be shooting with fast shutter speeds the ability to easily move the camera and walk around on the boardwalk for different perspectives is ideal. Skip the tripod and save that for waterfalls and other landscapes.
If you are taking video then you might want a tripod for more stable video footage.
What Is The Story Behind This Yellowstone Grand Geyser Wall Art Photo Print?
The first trip to Yellowstone was way back in 2010. A two month road trip to Snowbird for spring skiing let to Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort and then a string of national parks as it turned into an 8-month road trip. During the first trip to Yellowstone, I had a basic camera and was just taking snapshots for a blog that no longer exists.
Over the years I’ve probably spent about a year total in the Great Yellowstone Area and become much more interested in photography. Grand Geyser eruptions are always must sees during any trip to Yellowstone. After lots of geyser gazing and many trips to the various geyser basins at Yellowstone I started to hone in on what conditions made the best conditions for wall art quality photos of Grand Geyser and others.
I always carry a tripod with me and started out photographing geysers using tripod but quickly learned that didn’t yield very good results. It didn’t provide enough flexibility. It became apparent that the weather and especially the cloud cover make a huge difference in how the photos turn out. I’ve probably watched Grand Geyser erupt 100 or more times and the best shots are late afternoon with light cloud cover with the sun shining on the geyser as it erupts. The late afternoon sun casts a nice glow on the landscape and make the water droplets in the geyser eruption glisten in the sun. A circular polarizer can help bring the skies to life and make the beautiful blues deeper.
In What Formats Yellowstone Grand Geyser Eruption Wall Art Print Available?
This particular Grand Geyser eruption print is available in lots of different configurations. Prints on matte canvas and paper make for great wall art under most any lighting conditions. For areas with less light or diffused lighting something with a metallic or shiny surface may be more desirable. Metal prints, acrylic, metallic paper and glossy canvas can make stunning wall art in lower light areas. These finishes tend to be a bit reflective and bright lights will reflect in them. The print is also available on wood which might not look so good.
This image looks great on shower curtains and Sherpa fleece blankets. Those make great home decor items and the Sherpa Fleece blanks are just awesome. Don’t bother withe regular fleece blankets.
If you’d prefer to show off the image while out and about, canvas tote bags make great substitutes for the plastic grocery bags that are being phased out everywhere. A phone case for you new iPhone or Samsung can be an awesome way to show off your love for Yellowstone geysers too!
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