Locations
Yellowstone
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You can't visit Yellowstone Park without taking a photograph of a buffalo. Yet their dark coat makes them a very difficult subject. Forget back lighting, you'll end up with a silhouette. Front lighting is better but the light meter on the camera will more than likely over-expose the buffalo's coat. Reducing the exposure 2 stops will produce a properly exposed buffalo but will blow out the back ground.
The best solution is to photograph the buffalo in early morning or late afternoon. The frost on the back and the orange hue imparted by the sun are a dead giveaway that this photograph was taken in early morning.
There are some outstanding photographs of buffalo with icicles hanging from their fur and every gorge mark from past fights in full detail. After attempting to photograph buffalo, you can really appreciate some of the other outstanding images.