Winter reveals nature at its most honest—stripped down to movement, behavior, and instinct. As photographers, our role isn’t to alter that story but to witness it with care. By understanding seasonal behavior, respecting thin margins, and showing up with patience, we create images that honor wildlife and let the wild remain wild.

Getting back to the trip at hand, I had been invited last year to be part of a week-long group trip in January to Yellowstone. Things being