Conversing with nature: neither driving snow, frost-bitten cameras, nor hungry wolves could deter cinematographer Shane Moore from braving the "holiday" elements at America's most famous national park.

• Author: Kaufman, Fred
• Position: Interview

I sat down for a conversation with Shane Moore, the principal cinematographer on "Christmas in Yellowstone," to discuss the making of this special. Moore has been a nature and wildlife filmmaker for three decades, and previously collaborated with "Nature" on "The Good, the Bad and the Grizzly" and "A Mystery in Alaska." He also is a native of Jackson, Wyo., and his deep familiarity with the local environment and expertise as a filmmaker were crucial in capturing the spellbinding natural history moments of "Christmas in Yellowstone."

Q: You live in Jackson Hole. Does your proximity to Yellowstone take away from the excitement of shooting there?

A: No, I wouldn't say that. I have a real passion for the place, and Yellowstone is particularly stunning in the winter. That's my favorite time; it's just so magical, and it's really the best time to see a lot of the wildlife. The wolves, for example, are quite visible in the wintertime.

Q: You captured so many different animals in the film. Which one was the most difficult?

A: The wolves were difficult. We could see them nearly every day, but often the distances were very great and we really had to be careful not to disturb them in what they [were] doing. Often, it's just a real waiting game with the wolves. Some of the other animals were not so easy either, like the foxes. We really wanted to catch the foxes mousing. That's always very hit-or-miss. It just takes a lot of time in the field to see that kind of behavior.

Q: Can you explain what "mousing" is?

A: It's incredible. The foxes can walk around on that snow; it's firm enough to support their weight. Yet, they leap five feet up in the air and come down on their nose and have to break through that hard crust to get at the mice down below. It just seems like a remarkable way to earn a living!

Q: How much does luck factor into wildlife filmmaking--in terms of spotting the animals to begin with, and then capturing fascinating behavior?

A: It's a combination of the right opportunity and being prepared. My formula has always been that, if you spend a lot of time in the field, you will see magical things. It's hard to predict what they might be. We knew we wanted to film wolves, and we dreamed about actually filming a hunt, and so those sorts of things do take time and luck--and obviously, a lot goes into knowing where to be and when to be there.

Q: How much time did you spend filming in Yellowstone?

A: I spent about 100 days in the field myself, and...