Ronan, what parks are you planing on visiting this summer? Perhaps some of us can fill you in on great places to stop and see. Also, if you plan on camping in Yellowstone this summer you better get a reservation. And, Mesa Verde NP only has one hotel in the park (no air conditioners either), plus it is a good 45 minute drive to any real store. At mesa verde you really need a tripod to get shots across the mesa to the cliff dwellings and, you have to sign up in advance to get on one of the guided tours into the dwellings. Remember to check on getting in for free by showing your passport. Bob

Well I'm not quite sure to do this project yet (yo ho, budget, are you here ?)
But if possible, I'd like to go before the tourism rush, maybe during the spring... Do you think that May is a good month to do so (crowds, weather) or what is the latest moment before it becomes too populated? Thanks!

may is an awesome time to be in the desert (mesa verde, arches national park, grand canyon, etc.). it gets hot during the day by june. for high-altitude mountain footage, optimum time is july, when the wildflowers are blooming, and the thaw creates the nicest river/creek/stream footage. it all depends on what you're seeking from the colorado/arizona/utah area, mountain or desert.

Thank you Meryem,
I've got to complete my last summer movie (Grand Canyon, Bryce, Mesa verde, Arches) so I'm looking for something different now. As you said, Rocky Mountains could be a great idea, with Yosemite and Yellowstone too... Do you think these areas' weather is fine in May ?

may is still ski/snowshoeing season in the rockies. if you're looking for snowscapes, it's a great time. you might want to wait until july if you want springtime in the high country. many of the best access points--wilderness areas, rocky mountain national park roads, etc.--aren't even officially open until late june-early july, depending on the snowpack. i don't know how this applies to yosemite and yellowstone. someone more local to those regions might want to weigh in.

Consider a movie about the fresh water springs in Florida. Shoot some footage of manatees and crocs.

May in Yellowstone
 

The end of May still has snow in the high country, yet the animals have started to have their young. Last May I was fortunate enough to find a coyote den in Yellowstone right along the road. Obtained some awesome footage of the young pups nursing and fighting over a piece of elk .... a short quicktime video of them is on my website.

Also got footage of bears and a cougar at Tower Falls ... but have yet to prep them for the web.

Most of the park roads will be open in late May, but not all of the services in the park will be available until June

Many thanks for these information. So I've got to think about June now, and if I go to the Rockies, it have to be at the end of the trip. I could arrive in San Francisco and take off from Denver...

Dave, the coyote puppies are very cute, congratulations!
What kind of camecorder and lenses have you got ? How long did you wait until you could approach them close enough ?
You also take pictures of a grizzli mama with her babies, this should have been dangerous isn't ?

If you shoot and plan to broadcast footage from a National Park or
any other location you should acquire a signed release form from
the proper authority. If you do not and you sign paper (for say
PBS) stating that you have acquired all the proper release forms
(which you must do before they will air anything)
you could find yourself in trouble as you will have 'indemnified'
PBS from being sued. That means whomever will sue YOU.

Closer to home
 

Bonjour Ronan

I was working in the Les Cevennes last year with and without a tripod with no thought to the consequences. What is the legislation in France - I am going again this year. Is it to do with commissioned work only.

Rod Compton
England

The coyotes were done with a Nikon 82mm field scope with their camera attachment running to a Canon ZR75MC. I never approached them, the scope brought them up and close. I now have an XL2 to play with...

As for the grizz photo's ... I was downwind with a Canon 20D using the 100-400 Image stabilizing lens. Effective focal length was 640mm and the distance was approximately 1/8 mile. The truck was running and I was standing next to the open door, just in case.

Hey Jacques, I would have no doubt that yours is very sound general advice. But as a practical matter, unless one is taking pictures of celebrity tourists or perhaps an ill-tempered park ranger, who's going to sue you for pictures of the great outdoors?

After all, irate grizzly bears and rutting bull moose rarely avail themselves of judicial process, being a bit more direct in their settlement of claims.
;-)

Sorry, very weak humor...it's been a tough week for the Wranglers and I'm still very impatiently awaiting the opportunity to sample my Friday evening frosty beverage.

Good morning Rodney,

Herre you'll find the Park's regulations :
http://www.bsi.fr/pnc/English/english.htm

I think that you shouldn't have any problem if you stay on the trails, ar every few people with a light material (DV cam or so).
In France it's in the cities that you may have problem if you use a tripod, even a very small one.
For exemple, many years I shoot a short film in the garden in front of Notre Dame de Paris and I needed the autorizations of the clergy, of the City of Paris and of the Parks and Garden Administration! And that was only for a creaw of 6 person on a Super 8 movie!

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!
 

Well, if they hassle you just say, "Bite me!"

Then run like hell... :-p

Also consider a National Parks Pass
 

Ronan,

You might consider as well getting a National Parks Pass which will let you into any national park in the nation. There is also a Golden Eagle Pass sticker which, for an additional fee, can be obtained and affixed to the NPP and will allow free access to any site managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the US Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management.

I have a Golden Eagle pass obtained through my home state of Washington. I can enter any national park, any site managed by the agencies mentioned above, as well as any state parks in Washington and Oregon without paying an access fee for a year.

Really handy! Be sure to check out the National Parks website for more info.