Before my first visit to Yellowstone in 1995, I had read a great deal about the most unforgettable of all national parks, located in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. I had often imagined watching and being able to photograph a herd of huge bison grazing peacefully on the wide-open grassland of Hayden Valley. Thinking of the powerful and massive animals that at one time had wandered the prairies by the missions brought Yellowstone to life for me as a place of majestic wonders.
During my brief first stay, I had an opportunity to witness and record the splendor of Yellowstone, which is unmatched anywhere else in the world. But I realized that to explore the park fully, I would need time. So I set aside 1997 to learn about Yellowstone as best I could-from spring through fall and over one deep, unrelenting winter. That year now behind me, I have yet to get Yellowstone out of my system. I have returned several times since, and each time, I come away knowing that there is still much more to see -- that I have merely scratched the surface of this complex geological universe. Yellowstone has many faces, and the richness of the landscape keeps luring me back.
As I am drawn here again and again, I have learned to accept the limitations of my quest. Nature photography can never be more than capturing a "snapshot" of an entire picture. The timeless and majestic grandeur of Yellowstone carries with it a mystique and elusiveness that simply cannot be reduced to any single photographic moment. In truth, no matter how many photographers and writers venture to Yellowstone, the full story of the park-with its enduring geological monuments, canyons, geysers, lakes, plants and animals-will never be completely disclosed.
I this book I hope that I've been able to communicate some of my fascination for Yellowstone and that my pictures will become a source of inspiration and will contribute to the ongoing celebration of one of world's most spectacular regions.
Norbert Rosing
Old Faithful Snow Lodge
January 1998
Norbert Rosing lives in Germany, but since 1988, he has been a frequent visitor to the coastal region of Hudson Bay near Churchill, Manitoba. As well as photographing polar bears and the Arctic, he is a dedicated photographer of African wildlife, old-growth forests and the national parks of eastern Germany. He has received numerous awards for his work and is a frequent contributor to magazines and books, including The World of Polar Bears (Firefly Books 1996).
