This powerful image of a large bull bison was captured near Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park. The bison is an emblematic North American animal that roamed the continent millions of years before man. When fully grown, it is a massive beast that deserves our respect and recognition.

When I was researching bison, I quickly understood two things: first, that some rogue bulls carry a serious threat if their space is invaded, and second, that the adult face is both prehistoric and enormous. The bison is all about the face, and I sensed that any picture that didn’t recognize this would miss its goal. My instincts were that the image also needed to convey a sense of Yellowstone in the winter and this, combined with the need for proximity, all pointed to a ground-level, remote-control approach.

To work with remotes and a prime wide angle is very much my signature style, but it is easier with elephants in Amboseli than bison in Yellowstone. This is not an easy location—our guide suggested that 95 percent of Yellowstone is out of bounds in winter. I failed about 10 times with my camera positioning, and I tweaked my lens and camera combination constantly. But on the third day at about 2:00 p.m., it all came together. The trees and the sky are helpful additions, but what a face and back structure. I haven’t seen this sort of image of a big bison before.

I would like to thank Tom Murphy, one of America’s most acclaimed nature photographers, for assisting me on this assignment. We were both frustrated by the milder weather at the start of the week, but his knowledge and fireside tales of the area kept my spirits up.