Chrissy Shammas Photography

05/12/2026

I'm a few weeks behind (shocker) but still thinking about that incredible Opening Weekend in Yellowstone! I've been amused recently, thinking about how wildly different my weekends can look these days. Sometimes there's a beer in front of me, sometimes there's a bear.

Some weekends I'm still partying hard with my friends, rolling dice at the casino, tearing up a dance floor, racing down the ski slope. Some weekends I actually clean up nice, wear a dress, and put on makeup, just to cry it all off at loved ones' weddings. And some weekends I'm eating applesauce with my hands, following mountain lion tracks, and hanging out with wolves.

Many Saturday nights I'm out of breath from dancing. This particular Saturday night, I was out of breath from carrying my camera gear miles up and down the road, trying to keep up with Grizzly 970. The one and only constant is the smile on my face, which is just as big no matter what I'm doing! 😄Cheers to a hopefully great summer season y'all!

03/10/2026

Rise and shine! Yesterday, March 9th, Yellowstone biologists reported a grizzly bear active in the northern range, which means WE ARE SO BACK! 🐻🎉🥳 Although we did have a grizzly sighting back in January, it's likely that that individual returned to den after a short meander, as bears sometimes do. As we enter into spring however, it's safe to say that these grizzlies are officially up and at it!

Note: This is a photo of Jam from last spring, NOT the bear seen yesterday. I just thought her cute lil yawn was fit for the occasion. The bear seen yesterday was in a different area of the park, feeding on a bison carcass in the backcountry. They have not been identified.

01/23/2026

Every year I make a goals checklist for my wildlife photography and filming, but maybe it's more like a wish list. 💫

Since 2021 I've been writing "meet a new (to me) owl species" on there, and almost every year I've managed to check it off. This year I get to do that early!

I've had glimpses of Short Eared Owls before, but yesterday was my first time getting a real photo, and the last thing I expected 😂 I was running some errands and figured I'd bring my camera along, fortune favors the prepared I guess!

Excited to see who else I get to meet this year, do y'all have any specific species on your 2026 wishlists?

01/01/2026

2025: Peaceful days spent on foggy mountain tops surrounded by pika, showstopping sunrises in the northern range, and not one but two wolf encounters that sent my heart soaring. Looking back makes me feel so grateful for all of it.

Wishing all of y'all a very happy new year!! I can't wait to see what 2026 has in store for us! 🐾

10/20/2025

Just off the SD card, haven't had a chance to edit these yet but wanted to share them. I saw Obsidian (Grizzly 815) this morning, without her three subadult cubs. Guess she finally kicked them!

10/18/2025

This bull moose barreled through the sagebrush, hot on the trail of a lady moose. He stopped just long enough for me to snap this picture, before continuing his pursuits. Autumn is such an exciting time here in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, as all the animals cross off their to-do lists before winter!

10/17/2025

I love a good misty morning, made even better with the company of some waterfowl 🍁

10/06/2025

Not sure if rubbing your dewlap all over someone is the best way to woo them, but who am I to know what moose are into.

09/15/2025

Didn’t realize my pictures weren’t cross posting from instagram, my bad y’all!

Check out this little pika, carrying a piece of fireweed more than twice his size! Pika spend each summer collecting plant matter to dry and store for the winter. With snow already falling at high altitudes in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park, these little critters are putting the finishing touches on their pantries as we speak!

If you want to learn more about Pika, I recently made a very short film about them! https://youtu.be/ttJUmBDNblQ?si=yGRuR3uGOpGpg8CV

09/08/2025

https://youtu.be/ttJUmBDNblQ

Just published a short video on Pika, filmed this summer in the Beartooth Mountains just outside of Yellowstone. I'd love to hear what you thought of it, and what more you'd like to see on my channel! ❤️

High in the Rocky Mountains, lives one tough little tater. Take a minute to learn about the Pika, one of North America's most interesting, and adorable, anim...