Russ | Russ Bishop Photography | Nature Photo Blog

November 23, 2022December 13, 2022

Cinque Terre – Jewel of the Ligurian Sea

Hanging cliff-side along the Italian Riviera, the sleepy hamlets of Cinque Terre are a traveler’s paradise. Set aside as Italy’s first national park in 1999, these five quaint fishing villages (Italian for “Five Lands”) dot a magical strip of coastline accessible only by boat, train or foot.

Riomaggiore, Manarola, Vernazza and Monterosso are all right on the water, while Corniglia sits atop a promontory surrounded by vineyards high above the Ligurian Sea. The only way to reach the latter is via the Lardarina, an intimidating 377-step brick stairway, or the park service shuttle bus from the train station. Cars were banned in all of the villages years ago, which has helped retain the old world feel that has existed here for centuries.

Walking is very popular in the region especially on the main coastal paths where centuries-old terraces cling to the rugged cliffs above the sea. The Sentiero Azzurro (or Blue Path) is the primary trail that connects the five villages and offers sweeping views of the coastline. Harbors filled with colorful fishing boats and trattorias serving local seafood specialties and Liguria’s famous pesto are the reward at the end of the journey.

Frequent trains link all five villages, and you can purchase an all day pass that also includes a hiking pass at the tourist information offices located in each town. A more expensive, but equally scenic option are the boats that travel along the coast several times throughout the day.

The towns of Cinque Terre date from the early medieval period, and the area was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997. Though no longer the undiscovered find it once was, Cinque Terre’s charm and classic Italian hospitality still retain the feel of old Italy and make this a prime stop on any European adventure.

November 22, 2022November 22, 2022

Light and Fast – Tips for Dynamic Adventure Photography

Light and Fast – Tips for Dynamic Adventure Photography. As with many outdoor photographers, the late Galen Rowell was a big influence in my life and early in my career I adopted his mantra of “light and fast” when photographing in the wilderness. His advice still works as well in today’s digital world as it did in the days of film, and I’m sure he would have embraced the realm of pixels and megabytes.

When shooting adventure images, either on the trail or the side of a mountain, I still use the same techniques I did 25 years ago when my camera of choice was a lightweight Nikon FM2 loaded with Velvia and matched with my favorite 24mm f2.8 lens. Although the F3 was my workhorse when shooting fine art landscapes back then (just as my D850 is today), these bodies are overkill for action shots when weight and efficiency are prime considerations in getting the shot.

Today my D7200 has replaced my FM2 with its perfect balance of weight and function (even the batteries are the same as my D850!). And my tiny Nikkor 16mm f2.8 is the ideal complement to that body, with its DX crop revealing an image almost identical to my favorite 24mm. Both of these lenses are extremely sharp even handheld, and offer amazing depth of field for those in-your-face action shots. Most importantly, this setup is so small and light I don’t even know it’s there when skiing, trekking or climbing.

It’s been said many times that vision is more important than gear when making captivating images, and this is especially true when you leave the pavement. Using the available light and following the action is paramount when the conditions are rapidly changing, and the last thing you want is for your equipment to slow you down just when the images are starting to materialize.

Another often overlooked element is physical conditioning. As a photographer you might not be making all the hard moves that you’re trying to document in your subjects, but you often need to travel lightly and move quickly over rough terrain just to keep up – all while staying one step ahead of the oxygen-depleted air at higher altitudes!

Adventure photography is a fast paced form of visual storytelling that should leave your audience feeling like they are part of the action. But as any seasoned wilderness traveler will tell you, the key to success is to stay fit, pack smart, and travel light. Remember Galen’s rule and make sure your equipment is as transparent as possible. It’ll allow you to live in the moment – and that’s where the great images are found.

October 25, 2022October 25, 2022

Pecos National Historic Park

Nestled in the lower slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains 25 miles southeast of Santa Fe, Pecos National Historic Park encompasses the remains of one of the largest and most influential Native American pueblos in the region. Long before Coronado and Spanish influence arrived in 1540, this pueblo village was the major confluence of trade between the people of the Rio Grande Valley and the hunting tribes of the buffalo plains.

The rich mixture of history and culture at Pecos also includes the Santa Fe Trail and the Civil War Battle ground at Glorieta Pass, where the Confederacy’s last hopes of taking the goldfields of Colorado and California vanished. Today the park is far enough from the interstate and the bustle of Santa Fe that the only sound is the wind whispering through its adobe walls like spirits from the past.

It’s easy to forget that for centuries this was a major crossroads of North America and with over 12, 000 years of history preserved, it really is one of the hidden gems of the National Park System.