Kyle Moon: Spring Wildlife Photography Workshop

2027 Workshops:

Workshop #1: May 23, 2027 – May 28, 2027

Workshop #2: May 30, 2027 – June 4, 2027

About Me

I am a professional nature & wildlife photographer based out of Gardiner, Montana. I’ve worked conservation jobs ranging from Florida to Guyana, to Alaska and Montana. I’ve traveled the world on many outdoor adventures, honing my photography skills along the way. As a wildlife and nature photographer I’m often asked what my favorite animal or location is. I can’t say that I have a preference, I do know that I love exploring new places and immersing myself with my subjects. I think what’s most important is the experiences you create when you get behind the camera.

What People May Not Know About Me

Growing up in a house full of extroverts in Orlando, my natural demeanor is very loud and outgoing. I love nothing more than having a few drinks with friends and family reminiscing old times. Coming from the city I didn’t even know what backpacking was until I was in college! When I began to get serious about nature photography I found a new, vastly different side of myself that thrives in peace and solitude with an intense commitment to protecting the wild spaces previously unknown to me. My blue collar upbringing and values shape my approach to environmental ethics and I’m forever grateful to my parents for that.

My Photographic Journey

I inadvertently got hooked on nature photography when I took an avian biology class in college. At first, I was using my camera as a tool for identification, but I would occasionally score a photograph that was gratifying. Once I was comfortable identifying birds, I strived to compose better photographs and develop my photographic eye.

Now, there are many reasons why I grab my camera and go, but my motivation is led by impact and my insatiable appetite for the outdoors. I have a large network of followers that have expressed vicarious appreciation for the subjects I capture in my viewfinder. Receiving this feedback has shifted my approach as a photographer to also capture images that raise awareness of conservation issues. Since grasping this concept I have volunteered my time with local non-profits and contributed my work to various environmental agencies to shed light on protecting what I love most—Nature.

Whether I’m going out for a specific shot-in-mind or going out to explore, with my camera in hand I feel liberated from the “real world” and am humbled by the natural world around me. This keeps me coming back every chance I get!

Included in workshop:

• Local, professional photographer/naturalist Kyle Moon
• Round trip transportation to/from Bozeman, MT
• (4) full days (8-10 hours) exploring and photographing Yellowstone’s spring awakening including the Northern Range, Lamar and Hayden Valleys, the Gardiner basin, and other areas based on group interests. Exact start and end times each day will vary based on wildlife activity, weather, group interests, and other unpredictable factors. Plan on a mix of 5:00am-2:00pm and 12:00pm-9:00pm.
• Hands-on learning and discussion with your instructor
• Plenty of space for your camera gear and extra clothing *Please see drop down menu titled “Recommended Clothing/Outwear”*
• (1) Night lodging in Bozeman, MT (arrival day) A free airport shuttle can be scheduled upon landing in Bozeman
• (4) Nights lodging in Gardiner, MT
• (1) Group dinner at a local cafe and gallery
• Continental breakfast (hard boiled eggs, mini-scone, yogurt & fruit parfait) on early shoot days
• Deli-style lunches/dinners (vegetarian, gluten-free, and/or vegan available upon request) *Lunch on early start days or boxed “dinner” on evening shoots
• Hot drinks (coffee, tea, hot cocoa)
• Healthy and hearty snacks (various protein/granola bars, mixed nuts, hummus, crackers, snack cheese, fruit, veggies, etc.)
• Fruit juice, sparkling water, and fresh water
• Park Entrance Fee(s)

NOT included in workshop price:

• Transportation to get to/from Gardiner, MT, before and after package dates
• Most dinners
• Gratuity for workshop instructor
• Camera equipment/gear

Itinerary:

Sunday (Day 1): Arrive in Bozeman, MT. and check into the Best Western GranTree at your leisure (3:00pm is check-in). Free airport shuttle available. Dinner is on your own (there is a restaurant on site)

Day 2: Kyle will pick the group up in Bozeman, Mt at 10:00am and transfer the group into the Northern Range of Yellowstone for an afternoon/evening shoot. You will check into your lodging after your return at the end of the day. *A deli-style lunch will be provided in the field. Dinner is on your own in Gardiner, MT.

Days 3-*5: Your instructor will pick you up each day at a time to be determined (to take advantage of either first light or last light) to venture out in search of wildlife in the Northern Range, the Lamar Valley, Hayden Valley, Yellowstone Lake, or the thermal basins (based on wildlife activities and group interests). These days focus on photographing wildlife—especially babies—such as bison, bears, coyotes, elk, moose, pronghorn, and birds, and the transitioning spring landscape still dotted with snow-capped peaks.  Each day begins before the sun rises, increasing the possibility for magnificent landscape shots highlighting the start of a new day. Breakfast, lunch, snacks, and a variety of hot beverages will be enjoyed in the field throughout the day. Each afternoon you’ll return to your lodge between 1:30-3:00 p.m. Dinners on evening shoots will be boxed deli-style sandwiches or similar. *Day 5 includes a sit-down dinner with the group at a loca cafe and gallery*

*Day 6: Kyle will pick you up at 5:00am for one last early morning shoot. You’ll return to the lodge for checkout by 9:00am. A continental breakfast is included this day. Immediately after checkout, you will be transferred to the Bozeman Airport (or a hotel of your choosing in Bozeman if staying an additional night). **Please do NOT book departing flights prior to 1:00pm as it is a one hour and forty-five drive from Gardiner, MT to the airport in Bozeman, MT.

*Please be packed and ready depart before leaving in the morning. 

A deposit in the amount of 30% is required at time of booking in order to secure your reservation. The balance due will be charged to the card on file 60 days prior to your tour start date. If you would like to change your form of payment prior to the final payment, it is your responsibility to notify Yellowstone Wild in advance. A receipt will be emailed upon payment of deposit and again when the balance has been collected.

Should you need to cancel your tour with us more than 61 days prior to your tour departure date, your deposit is fully refundable minus a *$300.00/person service fee. 

*If you booked online, the fees charged by the third-party booking system are also non-refundable.

Should you need to cancel your tour  within 60 days of your tour departure date, your payment is non-refundable.

Should your tour need to be canceled due to factors beyond our control, including (but not limited to) extreme weather conditions, wildfire, natural disaster, park closure, airline cancellations, war, government shutdown, pandemic, or an “Act of God” we are unable to offer a cash refund.

As a small business, we are rarely able to make exceptions.  Due to winter travel involving additional challenges related to flights, roads, and severe weather, we highly encourage you purchase third party trip insurance to protect your investment.

We reserve the right to cancel the trip if the minimum enrollment of 3 guests has not been met 31 days prior to the trip start date. A full refund of your Yellowstone Wild package price is given if this occurs. Yellowstone Wild is not liable for reimbursement of travel-related expenses such as airfare, car rentals, or other incidentals.

We strongly recommend you purchase third-party travel insurance that will protect your investment in case of unforeseen cancellations, changes to your travel plans, natural or human caused disasters, or other unpredictable events. (For suggested travel insurance companies, see [Forbes Advisor].

What our Workshop Leaders Recommend:

Photography Gear:
While we are happy to accept all levels of photographers, there are a few things you should know about gear as you plan your trip.

Wild animals in Yellowstone tend to either be right next to the road or a mile away from it. While you don’t need professional photography equipment in Yellowstone to get an award-winning image, at least one telephoto lens reaching 600mm is ideal for wildlife subjects.

Recommended Gear:

Batteries/Charger – Enough battery power to shoot the entire day (recommend 3 batteries per camera body).
Media – Enough memory to shoot the entire day/week (recommend at least 64 GB per camera body).
Cleaning – Lens cloths, air blower, lens solution.
Filters – Clear UV, Polarizer
Tools – Allen wrenches and/or a Leatherman-type tool

Required Equipment:
At least one quality camera body (DSLR or mirrorless recommended) with lenses of your choice.
At a minimum, we recommend one telephoto lens (maximum focal length of 400, 600, or 800 mm is ideal) for safely photographing wildlife, as well as one wider lens (examples: 16-35mm, 14-24mm, 24-70mm, etc.) for photographing landscapes.

Recommended Lenses:

• Canon/Sony/Nikon 500mm or 600mm f/4
• Canon/Sony/Nikon 400mm f/2.8
• Canon/Sony/Nikon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6
• Canon 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1
• Canon 200-800mm F6.3-9
• Nikon 600mm f/6.3
• Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6
• Nikon 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3
• Sony 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3
• Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3
• Sigma 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3

Renting lenses is also an option at the following sites:
www.borrowlenses.com
www.bozemancamera.com

Plan on enjoying all four seasons on any given day in Yellowstone and pack accordingly. See the list below for recommendations from our long-time naturalist staff:

Here are our suggestions and what our guides wear/bring on Spring tours:

• Long underwear. Starting with your base layers, synthetic or wool long underwear tops and bottoms are critical to your comfort (we can find places to shed this layer later in the day if necessary). Please stay away from cotton, which can hold moisture and drastically chill the body, whereas wool and synthetics wick moisture and can even insulate while wet.
• A windproof and water repellent insulated jacket is your most important protection from the biting Wyoming winds. Gore-Tex or something similar is highly advised as the best moisture/wind barrier and goose down insulation is the best insulation.
• Gloves or mittens.
• Warm hat that covers your ears. We lose tremendous body heat from our heads. Protect your ears from the chilly wind with a wool or fleece hat.
• Warm wool or synthetic socks are key to keeping those toes from hampering your good time.  Be sure you have plenty of wiggle room inside your boots.  If your socks are too thick and fit too tightly in your boots, you will actually reduce blood flow to your feet, resulting in cold toes, regardless of how warm your socks are.
• Cool, quick-dry hiking pants and shirts, t-shirts, and/or shorts (for warmer afternoons)
• Closed toed, waterproof hiking boots/shoes
• With high elevation sun, many of us burn easily, especially when we are distracted by something like watching wolves for extended periods of time.
• Even if you are not a serious photographer, a camera is nice to have on tour.
• A day pack is very handy for personal items: hand and toe warmers, water bottle, sunglasses, camera, and of course for all the extra layers you will want.

Weather

Yellowstone National Park is a very large place divided by mountain ranges, deep valleys and a massive lake. The weather within the 2.2 million acres can vary widely, so checking the weather in the park can be a difficult task. We recommend checking several different NOAA weather stations around the park, and working an average of those if you’re planning to travel around the entirety of the park.

• Gardiner MT
• Tower Junction, WY
• Cooke City, WY

Can you expect to see all the wildlife you hope for?

It is important to remember that the wild animals we seek to observe are exactly that, WILD free-ranging animals that can roam across all of Yellowstone’s vast and rugged 2.2 million acres. The probability of locating and observing them is greatly elevated due to your guide’s intimate personal familiarity with the landscape and the animals themselves. We do not guarantee any wildlife sightings on our tours; however, we will guarantee that your guide will use their knowledge, skills, and network of other guides, wildlife watchers and photographers to do everything we can to find you the animals you’d like to see. We are in the park nearly every day searching for and watching wildlife, and that consistent experience pays off in finding the animals you’ve traveled to see.

Yellowstone National Park is a reminder that everything is connected and that its landscapes thrive through balance, diversity, and coexistence – as do all of us.

When the world feels divided, we turn to this wild place for lessons in how to move forward together.

At Yellowstone Wild, we promise to lead by example. We will choose curiosity over judgment, compassion over indifference, and connection over division — both on and off the clock.

We welcome our guests into an environment of shared discovery guided by kindness and curiosity. On our tours, we honor the backgrounds, beliefs, and cultures each guest brings, while holding firm to the expectation of respect for one another and to this place we all care for.

We believe our tours, though limited in time, have the power to establish common ground, form connections, and share experiences that bring us closer together as humans. 

Ethics, Regulations & Responsibility

Yellowstone Wild operates as a licensed Commercial Use Permit holder under the National Park Service (NPS). This means we are required to follow—and strictly enforce—all NPS rules and regulations. Beyond that, as lifelong advocates for wildlife and wild places, we uphold our own ethical wildlife-viewing and resource protection standards.

Our goal is to provide exceptional viewing and photography opportunities without negatively impacting wildlife or the natural fluctuations of ecological processes. That balance is only possible when animals are allowed to move, feed, rest, and hunt without interference, and our geologic features are allowed to function without human tampering.

While on tour with Yellowstone Wild, the following National Park Service regulations apply and are non-negotiable (subject to federal law enforcement). Please note this list is not all-inclusive. You can visit the Yellowstone National Park NPS website for a comprehensive list of all regulations:

• Maintain at least 25 yards from all wildlife
• Maintain at least 100 yards from wolves, bears, and cougars (mountain lions)
• Never approach, follow, or remain near wildlife—including birds—if your presence alters their behavior
• Vehicles must be completely pulled off the road when stopping to view wildlife or load/unload passengers
• Feeding wildlife is illegal
• In thermal areas, travel is restricted to boardwalks and designated trails only
• Throwing anything (including snow or natural objects) is prohibited and may result in fines and/or tour termination

Why These Rules Matter

Wild animals live demanding lives. The ethical responsibility of visiting Yellowstone is to ensure our presence does not add stress, risk, or hardship to theirs. Your guide is trained to read animal behavior, and if an animal shows signs of disturbance, we must increase our distance immediately.

Failure to follow a guide’s instructions—especially regarding wildlife proximity—may result in the immediate termination of your tour, at the guide’s discretion.

Special care must be taken around animals feeding on or resting near carcasses. Approaching these areas can displace animals from critical food sources and may put people at serious risk. Carcasses are often defended by predators and scavenged by multiple species, including grizzly bears. Approaching such areas is strictly prohibited.

Finally, we share this park with other visitors, researchers, and permanent employees. Quiet, respectful behavior ensures the best possible experience for everyone and helps preserve the integrity of wildlife observations and continued preservation of our sensitive thermal features, waterways, and all pristine areas.

At Yellowstone Wild, ethical behavior is an expectation. Meeting these expectations is the foundation of meaningful, safe, and responsible wildlife and wilderness experiences.