An Artist in Yellowstone
by Aaron Kampfe
When photographer Kevin Noble ventures into Yellowstone National Park and the surrounding regions, he sets an intention. Like a sketch artist or painter, he has some pre-conceived concepts of where he will land, but remains open to the infinite possibilities. What animals he will encounter can never be predicted, but how he reacts when he sees them can be practiced. He has techniques. His quest is a creative trek where the end results, like any artistic pursuit, can have both intended and unintended results.
During his walkabouts in the wildlands of the world’s first national park, Noble scouts for a stage where nature’s drama is in play. He can only be present and make himself available for a possible scene; he can never build the set or script the outcome.
Before moving to another location, Noble will assess the current situation, weigh the options, calculate the opportunity costs, and decide whether to remain at that spot to get a good shot or risk relocating to capture an epic shot that creates a piece of art.
Noble may take thousands of shots in the search for the one. When the moment strikes, Noble must be ready to act. If he gets one gallery shot a month, he is ecstatic.
Noble says, “My art strives to accomplish two things. The first thing it needs to do is capture beauty in a minimalistic way. My method or style is to clear the visual noise and clutter to have a strong, singular focus, something that is both beautiful and iconic. The second thing my art needs to do is to tell a story that evokes emotion. A piece of art, whether it’s a painting, sculpture, or photograph, needs to have a connection with the viewer.”
The images Noble captures are transformed into stunning pieces of art. Everything about the end product is exceptional, from the oak frames that are handmade in Bozeman, to the paper and printing by experts in Los Angeles who specialize in fine art black and white printing.
Scout. Set. Snare. Savor. Share.
Back in Black
Scouting the wild. | The forage.
In mid-April, Yellowstone opens its roads to private vehicles but the traffic is generally light, as it is a full month before the larger influx of tourists. During this time, on nearly vacant roads, Noble drove into the park before the sun rose
Setting the scene. | The focus.
After he turned left on the loop at Madison Junction, he sighted three wolves who were jogging away from him. While some wolves are skittish around humans, others, like these three, were unconcerned. He followed them in his van until one sat down next to a man-made walkway near the geysers.
Snaring the moment. | The shot.
The wolf looked at Noble and Noble got five good shots in a few seconds.
Savoring the fruits. | The appreciation.
With a black wolf on a dark background, the gradations of gray give the photo texture, ambiance, and mystery. The walkway, a symbol of man’s intrusion into the wild, has a soft focus while the wolf and the grounds immediately surrounding it are the focus.
Sharing the mystery. | The subject released.
After being hunted down and completely eliminated during the early 1900s, the wolf has returned and taken back its rightful place in Yellowstone. The re-introduction began more than 25 years ago, and by most measures, has been a success. For now, and the foreseeable future, the wolves are back home in Yellowstone.
Winter Wolf
Scouting the wild. | The forage.
Near Pebble Creek and Barronette Mountain, Noble hears a pack of wolves howl and the cries echo through the Lamar Valley. He stops to listen. He spots a lone wolf who responds with a long howl that sends a shiver up Noble’s spine as he tries to stay calm. Then, silence.
Setting the scene. | The focus.
Noble holds his breath in an attempt to stay still and waits for the scene to unfold. The silence lasts for a long ten seconds before the lone wolf’s howl is finally answered by another one originating from somewhere deep in the woods to the south. In the lull between the howls, Noble strains to listen for others in the distance, knowing a wolf’s howl can travel as far as eight miles in the valley. A few minutes pass and he can now hear other members of the pack joining in with a chorus of howls.
Snaring the moment. | The shot.
He stands alone knee-deep in the snow. At around 1,000 yards, Noble gets the shot. Moments later the gray wolf continues on his path, leaving Noble to the stillness of a cold winter morning in Yellowstone.
Savoring the fruits. | The appreciation.
Noble’s reverence for minimalism led him to compose an image that is heavily influenced by negative space.
Sharing the mystery. | The subject released.
A lone wolf in the vastness of a snow-covered landscape pushes the viewer to consider the life of a wolf in Yellowstone.
Grandeur & Grace
King of Yellowstone
Scouting the wild. | The forage.
In April, Noble had been camping in the Mammoth Hot Springs area. The park was still snow-filled but not visitor-filled. The only road open to vehicle traffic was the northern route to Cooke City, which he drove, scouring the landscape for wildlife.
Setting the scene. | The focus.
Coming back from Cooke City, east of the buffalo ranch, he encountered these two bison. With no other people in the vicinity, Noble took his default position, which is lying down on his stomach.
Snaring the moment. | The shot.
As the bison approached, he took about 50 shots and the last frame was the one that he used.
Savoring the fruits. | The appreciation.
Much is epic about Yellowstone—the flora, fauna, geothermal features, hydrology, and topography. This photo captures the might of an iconic beast in the context of the grandeur of the landscape. With the mountains in soft focus, the viewers’ attention gravitates to the closest bison that encapsulates all of what is grand and epic about Yellowstone.
Sharing the mystery. | The subject released.
Nothing says Yellowstone like a mighty bison marching down the middle of the road. With his power and perseverance, he is the essence of the great American West.
Up, Up & Away
Scouting the wild. | The forage.
On a morning with overcast skies and nearly white-out visibility, Noble drove north of the town of Jackson.
Setting the scene. | The focus.
Spotting a dozen swans in the National Elk Refuge, he pulled the vehicle over, reached for his camera, and positioned his lens.
Snaring the moment. | The shot.
Within several minutes, the swans were gone. Like that, they were up, up, and away, but he had captured one bird just as it was taking flight.
Savoring the fruits. | The appreciation.
Noble says, “Blue skies and ‘beautiful’ weather isn’t necessarily the best for photography. In this photo the snow is indistinguishable from the white skies, making a perfect blank canvas to capture this swan in motion.”
Sharing the mystery. | The subject released.
The negative space frames the subject right as it’s taking flight. Its faint shadow is the only connection to the ground. What remains is grace.
Balance & Harmony
Steppen Wolf
Scouting the wild. | The forage.
While in the Lamar Valley, Noble and his wife Kimbie got word about an elk carcass in the river, a scenario where wolves likely would be present. The Nobles headed in that direction.
Setting the scene. | The focus.
Noble says, “Many photographers seek out wolves feeding on carcasses. Although the scene is gory and bloody, it’s not a macabre interest. It’s capturing the balance in nature when the predator feeds on its prey. My interests are different; I seek out an artistic expression of nature and human’s relationship to it.”
Snaring the moment. | The shot.
In the vicinity of the Lamar River, Noble was hiking, hoping to see wolves either coming or going. He suddenly encountered this wolf as it came over a hill. After seeing each other, both headed in different directions. Noble had just enough time to snap some shots.
Savoring the fruits. | The appreciation.
With the clutter removed, the wolf’s intention is revealed, a carnivore on the prowl for sustenance. This animal is neither good nor evil, just suspended in a moment of its natural existence.
Sharing the mystery. | The subject released.
In the novel Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse, the protagonist suffers a spiritual crisis when his innate, natural self is at odds with the expectations of society. Wolves too can be at odds with human civilization and points of view. In this photo, the wolf is at one with nature, in his own element, and oblivious to the influence of man.
Love Birds
Scouting the wild. | The forage.
On the same excursion north of Jackson as when Up, Up & Away was taken, this swan couple was mingling with each other, near their bevy of about a dozen swans.
Setting the scene. | The focus.
As it often is with photographing any wildlife, spotting the subject is part luck and acquiring a meritorious shot is part patience. Noble knew that he may have just seconds to shoot before the birds flew away or he may have had hours.
Snaring the moment. | The shot.
Noble remained present and in the moment. His patience and focus paid off when he captured these two love birds.
Savoring the fruits. | The appreciation.
These swans composed on a white background evoke feelings of purity, innocence, and harmony.
Sharing the mystery. | The subject released.
The simplicity of Love Birds elicits feelings of love, passion, and union… emotions experienced not just in the human realm.
Blend to Gray
Hard Knocks
Scouting the wild. | The forage.
Near a turnout in the Lamar Valley, Noble spotted this Big Horn ram.
Setting the scene. | The focus.
Once out of the vehicle, Noble started to photograph with the subject that was only 30 to 40 feet away.
Snaring the moment. | The shot.
Positioned on a ledge on a corner above Noble, the ram looked directly at the photographer. With the ram centered in the frame, the shot was taken.
Savoring the fruits. | The appreciation.
The scars on its horns chronicle the animal’s battles throughout its existence and its hard knocks during its life.
Sharing the mystery. | The subject released.
The ram fills the frame with its headshot. Its horns tell the story of strength and endurance. Its gaze challenges and humbles the viewer.
New Hope
Scouting the wild. | The forage.
On a June morning, Noble spotted a bull elk bedded down in tall grass.
Setting the scene. | The focus.
With his head facing toward the warm spring sun, the animal raised its neck to absorb some rays and survey the meadow.
Snaring the moment. | The shot.
At the height of the grass, Noble took 150 shots as its head and rack moved up, down, and around.
Savoring the fruits. | The appreciation.
On a large canvas, details are visible including the velvet on his antlers and gnats flying around his head.
Sharing the mystery. | The subject released.
Antlers are shed and regrown every year. Each spring tells a new story of that particular animal and each spring brings new hope.
“My search for meaning brought me to Yellowstone, a place that has been a refuge and source of healing since I was a kid. I found not just beauty, but something mystical and spiritual. At first it was just me and my healing, but soon it turned into sharing that experience… and that beauty…with others.”
–Kevin Noble
Noble grew up in Philadelphia and fell in love with the American West as a young kid while on vacation with his family. While in high school, his father moved to California, but would still take him to the Yellowstone region to camp, hike, and fly fish, a highlight of their year. Noble says, “Montana and Wyoming are intoxicating. Mountains. Fresh air. Open space. Wildlife. As a kid from the East Coast, Yellowstone was a spiritual experience… as it still is today for me.”
Noble’s career led him to Texas where he founded a technology company. During the summers, he’d bring his wife, Kimbie, and their kids, Ashley and Tanner, to the northern Rockies to escape the heat of the south.
Five years ago, the Noble family suffered an unthinkable loss. Their son Tanner passed away from an unknown heart condition while biking with his friends at Big Sky Resort. That turned everything upside-down for this family. Noble says, “My search for meaning brought me to Yellowstone, a place that has been a refuge and source of healing since I was a kid. I found not just beauty, but something mystical and spiritual. At first it was just me and my healing, but soon it turned into sharing that experience… and that beauty… with others.”
Now full-time residents of Montana, Noble and his wife split their time between their “barn” in Big Sky and an historic home in downtown Bozeman. They have come back to a place so dear to their hearts.
The fluidity of the artistic process, like the fluidity of life, can be viewed through many lenses. For Noble, his camera is an instrument that is by his side as he scouts, sets, snares, savors, and shares—all in the pursuit to stir emotions in himself and others.
