Russ | Russ Bishop Photography | Nature Photo Blog

August 24, 2023August 24, 2023

America’s Best Idea

America’s Best Idea. August 25th is the 107th birthday of the National Park Service. Established in 1916 by President Woodrow Wilson, the Park Service was created to “conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein…for the enjoyment of future generations.”

Its humble beginnings started with just thirty-five parks administered under the Department of the Interior. Today the National Park System encompasses over 400 units that include parks, monuments, and historic sites. Ken Burns’ recent film The National Parks: America’s Best Idea rekindled the connection many feel with the parks, and is a wonderful tribute to the history and originality that first made them possible.

The National Park Foundation is the official charity of America’s national parks and a great resource for staying in the loop about local events and activities. It’s also a great first stop for researching a park or to put the finishing touches on planning your next big adventure. So #findyourpark and celebrate America’s Best Idea.

August 4, 2023August 4, 2023

The Art of Seeing

The Art of Seeing. The digital age has opened up a whole new world of creative possibilities for the landscape photographer. From HDR (High Dynamic Range) and stitched panoramas to focus stacking and exposure blending a myriad of options exist. And filters have always been invaluable in controlling and shaping the light just as much in the digital realm as in the days of film.

Yet with all of the tools available it’s easy to lose creative focus in an attempt to include a popular technique or push a filter to its limits. As with the constant temptation to buy the latest camera or software it’s important to remember that the gear or the technique isn’t what makes an image shine, but the vision. That’s the essence of creative photography and yet so often misplaced amid the vast array of today’s technical possibilities.

No matter what the future may bring our most important tool as outdoor photographers will always be our mind’s eye. The equipment in our bag or on our desktop is just a means of helping the viewer connect with what we felt emotionally when we preserved that moment in time.

July 20, 2023July 20, 2023

Kids in Nature

Kids in Nature. I have mixed feelings as I write this post. The image is a favorite location in the Sierras and a fond memory of a special trip with my kids to the wilderness. But it also holds a deeper meaning, a realization that future generations may not see the value in protecting such areas especially if they have little opportunity to experience them at an early age and ultimately appreciate and preserve them.

Many children today are losing the basic understanding that nature exists even in their own backyards and neighborhoods, which further disconnects them from their knowledge and appreciation of the natural world. It’s important to realize that enjoying a city park can be just as valuable as visiting a wilderness area in terms of instilling a life-long connection with nature.

Richard Louv, in his book Last Child in the Woods, explores research linking the absence of nature in children’s lives to rising rates of obesity, attention disorders, and depression. His findings point to an overload of electronic media combined with an understandable concern for safety from parents unwilling to just let their kids roam free.

Fortunately Ken Burns popular series America’s Best Idea spurred new interest in our national parks, bringing families together in the outdoors and reversing a trend in recent years referred to as “nature deficit disorder”.

I am a member of several conservation organizations whose common goal is to preserve the natural world and to remind us of the less obvious ways that nature enhances our lives. It can improve our physical health and mental outlook, and most importantly it nurtures our souls. “In wildness is the preservation of the world” – today Thoreau’s words are as meaningful as ever and if embraced by the next generation will ring true long into the future.