Artist’s statement
I feel the American bison symbolizes the American West more than any other animal. Often in early morning at Yellowstone I would find these lone bulls with the night’s frost in their hair. Usually I would go looking for them, but this one came to me.
I worked as a tour guide that summer and learned how the few bison of a hundred years ago have grown to the large, healthy herds of today. They literally came back from the edge of extinction. The final image evolved as I added mist, cloud, and texture to this bull to illustrate that fact.
How I got the shot
I was loading my pickup for a day of exploring. A neighbor drove up and said a bison was coming. I looked the wrong way and he shouted, “no, no, behind you!” There he was coming straight down the roadway towards me. I grabbed my camera and got about 5 or 6 shots. A composite was the only way to go because of a cluttered background (fire hydrant and RV’s).
What I used
My equipment was a Canon 6D with a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 lens. My settings were ISO 500, 260mm at f/5.6, and 1/500 second. The shot was handheld.
Out of the Mist of Time: American Bison Re-emerging from Near Extinction, Non-Traditional Capture (Smartphone), Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, 2022 Showcase Judges’ Choice, Altered Reality © Sylvia A. Hosie
About me
I am a fine art photographer based on the Oregon Coast. My focus is nature, travel, and equine photography. A major theme in my images is the history and legacy of the Old West. I sell my images at two coastal galleries, my website, and art shows around Oregon. At this stage of my life I am working part-time.
What most people don’t know about me is that my eyes do not focus together: one low and one high. Only by bringing the camera viewfinder to my eye does the world become sharper.
NANPA and me
This is my first year as a NANPA member, although I have received NANPA emails for a number of years and always looked forward to the Weekly Wow.
Learn more
Website: sylviahosiephotography.com
