“2024 Through My Lens: A Gallery of 11 Must-See Moments!”

Box elder tree and the trail around Fort Spokane’s parade grounds, Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area / Rebecca Latson

Happy New Year, Travelers!

For the first photo article of 2025, I’m carrying on a tradition started back in 2015 (can you believe it’s been 10 years?), highlighting my 11 favorite shots taken in 2024. You may wonder why I selected 11 images instead of the customary 10 listed in previous years. It’s because I had an abundance to choose from, given that 2024 was an eventful travel year for me. I explored Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in Colorado, Mount Rainier National Park, and Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area in Washington State, Badlands National Park, Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, and Minuteman Missile National Historic Site in South Dakota, as well as Yellowstone National Park spanning Wyoming/Montana/Idaho.

Choosing 11 images from the thousands I captured was quite a task. Regardless, here for your enjoyment, listed in no particular order, are my selections from 2024. You’ll find my choices, the reasons for selecting them, and the narratives behind each photograph (there’s always a story associated with every captured image), along with location and techniques/settings used.

Tree And Trail Around Fort Spokane, Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area (Washington State)

Being a history enthusiast, I took a trip to Fort Spokane one early summer day, positioned at the southeastern edge of this national recreation area. Box elder trees flourish within this fort’s boundaries, especially around the parade grounds. The box elder depicted in this picture was particularly enchanting, showcasing all its trunks. Historically, box elder was cultivated around Fort Spokane, but its inhabitants often tried to encourage the trees to develop from a single trunk instead of multiple. This endeavor didn’t always succeed.

However, I was fond of the composition. The entire picture was aesthetically pleasing, with the trail guiding the viewer from the foreground to the tree (middle ground) and then toward the background.

This photograph was taken handheld during a ranger-guided tour of the fort’s grounds. The bright, sunny day and the camera settings (ISO 400, f-13, shutter speed 1/100) resulted in a clear image without any camera shake.

Sunrise At Burns Basin Overlook, Badlands National Park (South Dakota)

Sunrise at Burns Basin Overlook, Badlands National Park / Rebecca Latson

As a morning person, I find sunrise photography significantly easier. I had arrived at Badlands the day prior and traveled the loop road for a bit of location scouting. The park map helped in determining spots for sunrise and sunset views. Burns Basin Overlook turned out to be ideal for both.

Arriving well before sunrise, I positioned myself behind the tripod, with my hands tucked in my pockets to ward off the brisk wind (it’s perpetually windy in this national park) and listened to the remote calls of a coyote pack. Eventually, the sun began to rise slowly above the horizon, initially kissing the tips of the Badlands formations with golden light before ultimately flooding the entire vista with radiant brilliance.

Utilizing a tripod permitted the use of a slower shutter speed (1/40) with a much smaller aperture (f-9) and a lower ISO (160) to diminish noise (graininess) in the image.

For your information, I predominantly use a tripod, though there are instances when I feel you don’t really need to.

Sunset Alpenglow And A Full Moon At Panorama Point, Badlands National Park (South Dakota)

Sunset alpenglow and a full moon at Panorama Point, Badlands National Park / Rebecca Latson

I first entered the park around noon, when its harsh lighting eliminated all shadows and depth. I captured a few images, navigated the road for additional reconnaissance, checked into my Cedar Pass Lodge cabin, and then ventured back out to experiment with some sunset compositions. I drove all the way back toward the park’s Pinnacles Entrance to photograph at Pinnacles Overlook. Unhappy with the outcomes, I paused at Ancient Hunters Overlook, but then realized I was fatigued after spending six hours driving from Billings, Montana to Badlands that day. On my way back to my cabin, I spotted the full moon. Acting on impulse, I stopped at Panorama Point. The sunset alpenglow lingered over these vivid Badlands formations while the full moon hung against a deep blue sky.

I employed a tripod for this image, with settings of ISO 160, f-13 aperture, and a 6-second shutter speed. Just to clarify: the f-13 was an “oops” moment, yet it worked out well. My intention was to capture that fading alpenglow while keeping everything else dark and avoiding overexposure of the moonlight.

Note: The aperture refers to the opening between the lens and camera sensor. Measured in f-stops, your lens typically features a ring displaying these f-stop numbers. Smaller apertures correspond to higher f-stop numbers, whereas larger apertures reflect lower f-stop numbers. Thus, an aperture of f-16 indicates a very small opening that allows minimal light, while f-1.8 signifies a large opening that permits the maximum amount of light for that lens. Larger apertures are generally preferred for starry night photographs.

Resting Bison Face (RBF), Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)

Resting bison face, Wind Cave National Park / Rebecca Latson

Without a doubt, bison are my preferred terrestrial mammal, and this national park exhibits these shaggy giants. I documented more photos of bison at Wind Cave than at Badlands or even Yellowstone National Park. And by documented, I mean utilizing a 200-600mm lens I borrowed for a small fraction of the acquisition cost.

You can observe the bison’s hide, showcasing its various layers and fur textures, alongside every nuance of its face, including the tiny flies buzzing nearby. Telephoto lenses and telephoto configurations are remarkable tools, enabling you to get near without inducing stress to the wildlife.

To capture wildlife action imagery, a high ISO, brisk shutter speed, and a quick camera are essential. Well, perhaps a “quick” camera isn’t strictly necessary, but it’s beneficial. What do I mean by a “quick” camera? A fast camera is one that boasts a high fps (frames per second) rate. This can vary from 20 fps to over 30 fps when employing the “burst technique.” What is that? The burst technique involves holding your finger (or wireless/corded shutter release) down on the camera shutter button for numerous consecutive “clicks.” Among all those shots, there will be at least one clear, sharp image of that wildlife.

Advice: the higher you set your ISO, the quicker you can set your shutter speed. This bison was resting, so my ISO was merely 400. Shutter speed was 1/250 and aperture was f-11 (it was extremely sunny that day).

Pronghorn, Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)

Pronghorn, Wind Cave National Park / Rebecca Latson

While traveling from the Wind Cave visitor center back to the park entrance, I caught sight out of the corner of my eye of a fuzzy rear end poking up from a depression beside the road. My initial thought was that this furry rear could belong to a disoriented or stray dog, since pets must always be leashed above ground in this national park.

Returning to the location, I jumped out to find a pronghorn quietly grazing within the depression. Seizing this unexpected meeting (all because I was concerned it could be a lost or abandoned dog), I retrieved my tripod and telephoto lens for some close-up shots.

Pronghorn interesting fact: Frequently referred to as pronghorn antelope, they are not actual antelope.

According to the National Park Service:

Pronghorns are native to North America and nowhere else in the world. They have roamed the plains and deserts unchanged for over a million years. Some refer to them as antelope due to their resemblance to African antelope, though the two are not closely related. They are the sole surviving member of their family, Antilocapridae. The pronghorn’s nearest living relatives are the giraffe and okapi.

“Jump-Yip,” Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)

Jump-yip, Wind Cave National Park / Rebecca Latson

As you can see by now, I captured the most wildlife images at this national park. Black-tailed prairie dogs are charming and entertaining to observe. Among other behaviors, they exhibit an intriguing action referred to as “jump-yip.” After studying these small rodents related to the squirrel family, scientists concluded that this jump-yip “weee-ooo” behavior resembles “the wave” you might see during sports events. However, these prairie dogs are serious – the primary purpose of jump-yipping is for one prairie dog to evaluate the alertness and responsiveness of their companions. If others are quite alert, it implies they will replicate the original jump-yip sequence, indicating it’s safe to continue foraging because the others are keeping watch, so to speak. On the contrary, if the others don’t participate in “the wave,” the jump-yipper must proceed with more caution.

I stayed in my vehicle in the parking lot adjacent to a prairie dog “town,” observing these little critters as they went about their activities. My telephoto lens was protruding out the open window. It required several consecutive shots, as this jump-yip behavior is entirely unpredictable. You must keep a watch on the prairie dog that initiated the jump-yip to see if he/she would do it again, then be swift with the shutter button.

For this capture, my ISO was 1000, f-6.3, shutter speed 1/400. Under any other circumstances, a high ISO could lead to the entire composition being overexposed. However, a fast shutter speed combined with a modest aperture lessens that overexposure, thereby allowing for a clear shot of wildlife action.

Just After Sunrise At West Thumb Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park (WY/MT/ID)

Just after sunrise at West Thumb Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park / Rebecca Latson

I’ve visited Yellowstone three times, yet on each trip, I never considered visiting West Thumb. It became my goal to make that happen during this 2024 summer adventure, but upon my arrival that afternoon, not a single parking space was available. This turned out to be fortunate for me. Had I explored this geyser basin on that day, I might have missed returning the next morning, which would have been a significant loss.

The following day, I arrived shortly after sunrise and had the entire area to myself for a while. The angle of that striking golden sunlight on the hydrothermal features generated fascinating shadows and highlighted the steam rising from the hot springs.

I handheld the camera for this picture. That globe of sunlight was so brilliant and dazzling, I realized I needed to modify my settings to prevent overexposing the sun excessively. ISO was 160, aperture f-8, and shutter speed 1/100. When your apertures and shutter speeds reach comparable values, it’s a good indicator you’ll capture at least one image without camera shake blur when handholding and utilizing the burst technique.

Lingering Aurora, Mount Rainier National Park (Washington State)

Lingering aurora light, Mount Rainier National Park / Rebecca Latson

Having browsed through Facebook updates from photographers capturing Aurora Borealis images in parks farther south than one might expect for the Northern Lights, it never crossed my mind that I might be able to capture faint pink aurora ripples during my mid-August hike at Mount Rainier. I was merely attempting an early-morning, starry sky shot. Imagine my surprise when I noticed the aurora in the image duringediting.

Here’s the aspect regarding capturing images of auroras so far south: our vision doesn’t adjust well in poor lighting and may fail to detect subtle aurora illumination. Cameras can sense that illumination, but a prolonged shutter speed and a fully opened aperture are necessary for the camera to gather the available light. Elevated ISOs can also aid, yet there’s a chance of producing a highly grainy (noisy) photograph. For this picture – utilizing a tripod – I chose a lower ISO of 250, a fully opened aperture of f-1.8, and an 8-second shutter speed. Low-light captures like this necessitate a tripod, as setting a slow shutter speed combined with an expansive aperture and higher ISO will almost definitely result in camera blur when handholding. For me, remaining completely still for even a few seconds is challenging, let alone 8 seconds.

Morning Blue Hour Over “The Mountain,” Mount Rainier National Park (Washington State)

Morning blue hour over “The Mountain,” Mount Rainier National Park / Rebecca Latson

My ambition for the day was to trek the Fremont Mountain trail. You can reach the trailhead through various routes, including the path I selected along the Sourdough Ridge trail leading to Frozen Lake. Pausing to adjust my backpack, I observed this stunning vista of “The Mountain” and set down the tripod to seize a blue hour image. Blue hour (which lasts approximately 15-20 minutes) is that fleeting period before sunrise or after sunset, when the landscape and sky are drenched in shades of blue, purple, mauve, and pink.

As the camera was mounted on a tripod, I employed an aperture of f-9, ISO 160, and a shutter speed of ¼ second. The smaller aperture and ISO indicated I would experience a reduced chance of noise in the photograph. The somewhat slower shutter speed brightened things up slightly. The sun was just beginning to rise, first illuminating Mount Rainier, but the blue hour hues lingered long enough for this capture.

Sunrise At The Sunrise Area, Mount Rainier National Park (Washington State)

Sunrise at the Sunrise Area, Mount Rainier National Park / Rebecca Latson

I stayed at the same location after blue hour to photograph the sunrise. For blue hour and sunset/sunrise photography, patience is essential. You might believe you’ve captured everything you can in a composition, yet lingering a bit longer, or arriving at a location slightly earlier, might enable you to shoot a series of breathtaking images in addition to the sunrise or sunset.

The same ISO and aperture were utilized as in the previous photo, with a marginally quicker shutter speed (1/10 second).

Winter Sunlight And Shadows Over The Dunes, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve (Colorado)

Winter sunlight and shadows over the dunes, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve / Rebecca Latson

Certainly, you’ve viewed numerous website photographs of a sunrise or sunset over these tallest dunes in North America, accompanied by the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the background. I have an abundance of those images. However, have you ever truly contemplated the vastness and scale of these sand dunes, entirely on their own? I positioned myself across the ½-mile-wide (0.8 km) expanse of snow-covered Medano Creek landscape with my camera and a 24-105mm lens mounted on a tripod. I intentionally focused in on the dunes, incorporating those two figures you see in the lower left segment of the frame. Those individuals, along with all the tiny footprints and a few sled tracks on the sun-and-shadow-dappled monumental dunes, effectively emphasize the dunes’ size and proportions. Sometimes, including humans or man-made items is necessary to create that context and reference for your audience.

It was an extraordinarily bright day in February, and I aimed to avoid overexposing the snow or the sky. I adjusted the ISO to 160, aperture to f-10, and shutter speed to 1/360 to reduce the overall brilliance.

There you have it: my 11 favorite images from 2024. Always remember, photography is a personal art, whether it be street, sports, or national park photography. What one person deems a gem, another may view as a squander of valuable memory space. Ultimately, what truly counts is whether you appreciate the photos you take with your own camera.

I have travel intentions for this year. Whether they will materialize remains uncertain, but organizing a national park trip is half the enjoyment, wouldn’t you agree?

What about you? Any national park travel aspirations for 2025?