You are here

Photography in the Parks

Photography In The National Parks: Capturing Sunrise At Glacier National Park

Contributing photographer Rebecca Latson understands many Traveler readers are curious as to which spots Rebecca finds perfect for photographing sunrise in a specific national park, how to get to those locations, and what kind of camera settings she applies. So, this month’s photo column is all about where and how to capture the sunrise at Glacier National Park in Montana.

Photography In The National Parks: Cave Photography

Low-light interior photography takes a little effort at the best of times, and this is with a tripod. Cave shots captured during one of the tours offered at a cave-centric park unit are trickier, because tripods, bipods, and monopods are prohibited. How do you achieve great cave shots without using a tripod during a tour of a cave unit in the National Park System?

Photography In The National Parks: To Tripod, Or Not To Tripod

Traveler contributing photographer Rebecca Latson was always told to use a tripod for really sharp landscape shots, as well as providing stability for heavy telephoto lenses capturing wildlife portraits. After years of camerawork and tens of thousands of images, however, Rebecca believes you don’t always need a tripod.

Photography In The National Parks: Photographing History At Fort Spokane

There is so much more to a unit of the National Park System than just the landscape or wildlife. There is history, too, and that history often includes beautiful landscapes and cool wildlife. How you frame those photos will either capture your viewing audience’s attention or cause them to nod politely at each photo without spending much time really looking at them.

Photography In The National Parks: Two Cave Parks Above And Below

There are several park units within the National Park System that either feature caves, or at least have an explorable cavern or two within their federal confines, including Wind Cave National Park and Jewel Cave National Monument, both in South Dakota. These two parks offer great photo ops both above and below the ground, but cave shots can be a little tricky.

Photography In The National Parks: Badlands In April

One could be forgiven for thinking this is a national park you can see in an hour or so then move on along to the next big thing, because you can see so much from the road. To really get a feel for Badlands, however, you should spend at least a couple of days, if not more. This is especially true if you are a photographer loaded with cameras and gear.

Photography In The National Parks: What’s In My Camera Bag Redux

How many of you have changed your mindset about one or more aspects of photography, cameras, lenses, camera packs, or travel over the years? Contributing photographer Rebecca Latson didn’t realize just how much some of her own photographic views have changed until rereading an interview written 11 years ago between herself and Traveler editor Kurt Repanshek.

Photography In The National Parks: Great Sand Dunes In Winter

Picture-perfect Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in Colorado is filled with contradictions and superlatives: North America’s tallest sand dunes surrounded on three sides by the broad, windswept San Luis Valley, with a backside snuggled against the rugged, snowcapped Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Winter is a great time to visit with your camera.

Photography In The National Parks: Always Be A National Parks Traveler

Contributing photographer and writer Rebecca Latson has spent the past 11 years with the National Parks Traveler, writing about tips and techniques for getting the best national park photos – no matter what camera you use. In her final article for the Traveler before it goes dark on December 31, 2023, Rebecca recaps some of those tips and techniques.

INN Member

The easiest way to explore RV-friendly National Park campgrounds.

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

Here’s the definitive guide to National Park System campgrounds where RVers can park their rigs.

Our app is packed with RVing- specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 national parks.

You’ll also find stories about RVing in the parks, tips helpful if you’ve just recently become an RVer, and useful planning suggestions.

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

FREE for iPhones and Android phones.