Moose Peterson

Despite having made his name from photographing the natural heritage of his home state of sunny California, Moose Peterson also gets a thrill out of shooting old warbirds, as Keith Wilson finds out…

With a name like Moose, it’s not surprising to hear Moose Peterson’s first love was wildlife photography. But when I’m speaking down the phone to him in California, it’s a famous landscape view in Yosemite National Park that he’s framing in the early morning light. “Right now, I’m at a place called Tunnel View,” he says. “We’re watching the dawn mist coming in over the valley and looking at some cool clouds.” It is just a few weeks since devastating wildfires swept across the state, leaving more than 80 people dead and hundreds more homeless, while burning out thousands of acres of prime forest. However, the sight over Tunnel View appears unscathed…

How much of the famous landscape of Yosemite’s Tunnel View has been affected by the wildfires?

It all depends… we were here last week and the smoke from the fires was in the valley. About 45 days ago, the Ferguson fire, which was right outside the park, literally closed the valley because it was a hazard to your health with the smoke that was in here. Today, it’s clear as a bell and gorgeous. A week ago we got rain at lower elevations and snow here, and that took care of it all.

What kit are you planning to be using for today’s shoot?

Today’s kit is the Nikon Z7 with the Z 24-70mm, then I have a Nikon Z6 attached to my 180-400mm.

Does that mean you’ve taken to the new mirrorless system, then?