Scott Reynolds fine art photography

Behind the Scenes

  • Photographing BisonI captured both of these photographs at the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in the Flint Hills of Kansas on separate visits. The preserve is a window into what the great plains were once like, and hosts a herd of over 100 bison. I deliberately photograph them during snow storms as it helps me appreciate the way they handle environmental extremes and winter allows me to showcase their full coats before any shedding occurs in warmer weather. Hiking into the preserve and finding the herd roaming freely is always a bit surreal, as they are an intimidating presence to encounter. Time seems to slow down on shoot days as I follow their grazing patterns through the Windmill Pasture during snowfall.
  • The presence of bison on the preserve increases biodiversity due to their grazing and activity. Wallowing is the act of laying on its back and rolling to each side which helps defend against biting insects and can at times be seen as social behavior. This creates depressions that become mini-wetlands that nurture plants and small animals. Different bird species also find food at the bottom of wallows and shelter in the varied grass lengths left behind by trampling and grazing. Foraging naturally aerates the soil and disperses seeds due to their hooves and weight, allowing for native grasses and plants to thrive. The ripple effect of the bison’s impact is immense.Many native American tribes revered this animal as a spiritual being as it was a key part of their culture and spirit. The history is painful, but the bison is currently a modern conservation success story whose environmental benefits and impact are vital. The bison has carved out an important role in the discussion of land use in the American West and I hope to bring to you photographs that relay the inherent beauty and inspiring nature of these animals.
  • The trek into the Preserve builds anticipation for seeing the herd.
  • Frozen Tallgrass; If you're from the midwest, you know how an ice storm feels. It's hard to believe the bison can weather it all without shelter.
  • It's always a thrill to find the herd.
  • I often have to follow them for long periods of time to get to a more photogenic space. This requires some patience, but it is fascinating to observe their behavior.
  • The cold makes it challenging, but I can't complain, there's no shelter come nightfall for them.Per the National Park Service: {quote}How do bison stay warm in winter? Bison have excellent winter insulation: thick skin and underfur, long guard hairs, and layers of fat. A bison's hump also helps with winter excursions. Composed of muscle, supported by long vertebrae, the hump allows the bison to use its head as a snowplow, swinging side to side to sweep aside the snow.{quote}
  • They are built for it.
  • I am humbled by their hardiness and strength and feed off of their energy to persist in my shoot.
  • My fingers lose function off and on from cold temps and when the wind kicks up, everything becomes more challening.
  • Snow often blows sideways, then up.. into my rain covers.
  • <p> </p>
  • Heavy downfall can make things more dificult because I have to continue to keep a safe distance, and if it's snowing hard, it can be impossible to get any shots. I end up using very small windows of opportunity to get my portfolio images.
  • It's not ideal to have their attention, but I think they're mildly amused by my presence.
  • January 2020 - Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Kansas(after the snowfall subsided)
  • The freezing rain melted on my goggles.
  • This was taken seconds before one of the images shown at the beginning of this gallery. The Tallgrass Prairie is aptly named; the grass is so tall that it gets in the way of key focal points so often that I know a large percentage of my shots will be throw-aways.
  • Sometimes they take breaks, so I do too.
  • There are no short trips back to the truck, so it's necessary to have everything ready. Camera batteries, water, food and a backpacking camp stove are amongst the items I keep on hand.
  • It's always a humbling and invigorating experience spending the day with these animals..
  • I print to fine art papers such as cotton rag, deep matte and pearl.
  • I also print on brushed aluminum, which are printed directly to the surface with archival quality pigment inks and are cured with UV light. In this video - signing and mounting a metal print.
  • rural
    • midwest
    • barns
    • weather
  • pacific Northwest
  • landscape
    • colorado - rocky mountains
    • beaches & ocean
    • death valley
    • west and southwest
    • yosemite
  • wine country
    • napa valley winter
    • napa valley summer
    • santa ynez valley
  • city
    • new york
      • black & white
      • color
    • kansas city
    • san francisco
    • los angeles
    • chicago
    • more cities
  • america
    • trains
    • ghost towns
    • highways & towns
  • europe
    • greece
    • italy
    • slovenia
  • southeast asia
    • thailand
  • office installations
  • Private Galleries
  • schedule
  • exhibitions archive
  • about
  • legal ©
  • Behind the Scenes
  • art prints
  • prints - brushed aluminum
  • prints - paper

All images and content copyright Scott Reynolds 2017. Site design © 2010-2025 Neon Sky Creative Media