By now, it’s time to head back to tow for a break. Today, we plan to explore some of the photography galleries in Jackson and have some lunch. Along the way, we discover some wildlife right at the edge of town. The town of Jackson is bordered by the National Elk Refuge and a huge wetland on the refuge backs up to a city park. In the park, various puddle ducks swim in the shallows while Canada Geese tend to their broods of goslings. The baby geese aren’t more than a day or two old and their precocious nature attracts the photographers in our group to them. For an hour or better, we photograph the geese and their babies and come away with some memorable images.

After dinner, we once again search for wildlife in the park and watch the sun go down over the mountains.

Day 5
Originally, we’d planned to watch the sun come up over the Oxbow Bend of the Snake River but because of the stark nature of the trees this time of year, it wasn’t an exciting location. So we head into the park to look for bears that, so far, have eluded us.

Within seconds, three cars speed past us and we surmise that someone’s seen a bear up ahead. We continue through the interior park road when we run upon a traffic jam: that’s usually a tell-tale sign of some sort of noteworthy activity.

The crowds are once again correct.

We find a parking space and pile out of the vehicle just in time to see a mother grizzly bear and her cub working her way through the sage. The scene is exhilarating and we end up in the perfect spot to watch them walk past.

Excited for the bear sighting, we use that adrenaline to fuel us in the long drive from Jackson to Gardiner. The south entrance to Yellowstone is now open so we make the drive up through the heart of the park, around Lake Yellowstone, and stop at LeHardy’s Rapids on the Yellowstone River. Here, you may see cutthroat trout swimming upstream and jumping the rapids or see the American Dipper foraging for bugs on the rocks. This time, however, we see a brace of Harlequin ducks feeding and preening on the rocks. Although it seems like an inhospitable place for birds, these migrants from Alaska are right at home in the rough water.

When we get to Gardiner we check into the hotel and head back out for an evening shoot. Traversing into part of Yellowstone’s Northern range we find elk high on the ridges while bison are the rule for the lower areas.

Raised in rural Texas, Russell is the product of a modest, blue-collar upbringing, a stalwart work ethic, and a family who put no bounds on his imagination and creativity. When Russell was a junior in high school, he wrote a research paper for his end-of-year English project. The research paper (which he still has today), titled simply Wildlife Photography, earned him an "A" for the project. Still, more importantly, the mini-tome served as a manifesto of sorts that would define his life's work.

When he was 19, he had his first photographs and article published in a magazine. When he was 20, he earned his first magazine cover. By his own admission, the work now appears marginal and sophomoric. It was the spark, however, that ignited the fire to keep him going and perfect his creative craft.

Upon leaving a career in teaching, Russell continued his life's work by capturing the people and places outside of city limits in innovative and authentic ways. In the ensuing years, he continued to build on his experience and churn out content for clients through magazine pieces, advertising campaigns, television projects, and numerous books. In addition, he also worked with a small West Texas town to help them develop a marketing strategy and put together development deals that would bring jobs and prosperity to that little corner of rural Texas. 

Russell came to Backcountry Journeys in the fall of 2017 as a guest. He met owners Russ and Crystal Nordstrand as they were the leaders for the Katmai Bears trip. A few months later, Russ asked Russell if he wanted to guide trips. Since then, Russell has led nearly 500 guests on adventures worldwide. 

Russell says he feels like he's come full circle by combining his love of photography with his teaching ability.

In the media, Russell's been called a rural renaissance man, recognized as one of the top photographers in Texas, and praised by editors, art directors, and audiences alike for his ability to connect people and places through his written, spoken, and photographic stories. He's had nearly a million words published, authored six books, has had thousands of images grace the pages of magazines and advertisements all over the world (including about 600 magazine covers), is an in-demand speaker, has photographed some of the most prominent people in our country, and is the owner of two businesses. Still, he insists that his most significant accomplishments fall under the heading of father, husband, brother, son, and friend. 

When he's not in the field teaching or doing projects for one of his clients, Russell is found on his beloved Hackberry Farm driving his tractor and doing tasks that benefit the land and her denizens therein. He now lives a mile from the small stock farm on which he was raised. Black dirt and creek water are a powerful poultice. 

His parents are still proud of him

You can see Russell’s work and portfolio on his webpage at www.russellgraves.com