Dispatches from the Field

Science is critical to stewardship of our public lands. This video series covers current scientific stories in Grand Teton National Park, building both an understanding of the scientific concepts and an emotional connection to the park and its resources.

Dark Skies

People may not always associate dark skies with national parks. But these protected places are some of the best places to view the night sky. This video shows Grand Teton National Park at night, in a way that few visitors get to see it, and encourages visitors to curb light pollution in their own communities. I shot all the night photography in the park, in June 2017. It was released on the park’s social media in 2018, where it currently has over 60,000 views.

The Berry Fire

The Berry Fire was the largest fire in Grand Teton National Park history. It burned over 22,000 acres in 2016, closing the main highway between the Tetons and Yellowstone for five days (incidentally, during the National Park Service centennial celebration). I revisited the burned area a year later with park fire staff, exploring the lush regrowth. This episode underscores the importance of fire to a healthy forest, as well as the challenges of managing fire in a highly visited national park. It was released on the park's Facebook page in 2018, where it currently has over 80,000 views.

Middle Teton Glacier Survey

This pilot episode was shot in 2016, on the park's annual survey to assess the status of its shrinking glaciers. I hiked to Middle Teton Glacier, at 11,000 feet, with the team of scientists and climbing rangers, conducting interviews and filming the survey process over three days. It was released on the park's Facebook page in 2017, where it was viewed over 90,000 times in three days.

Teton Moment: Total Solar Eclipse

Grand Teton National Park experienced a total solar eclipse on August 21, 2017. That weekend drew the most visitors in park history, with people watching throughout the park—including from the summit of the Grand Teton. Some of my favorite parts of the day were seeing a sunset around the entire horizon, feeling the temperature drop during totality, and sharing the experience with visitors from around the world. The short video was released on the park Facebook page on New Years Day 2018, receiving over 70,000 views.