Cultural | Russ Bishop Photography | Nature Photo Blog

Saguaro cactus at sunset, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona USA (© Russ Bishop/www.russbishop.com) — Saguaro cactus at sunset, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona

The American Southwest is known the world over for its unique environment and cultural significance. It’s plants and animals are exotic by any standard and, combined with thousands of years of Native American history, it has all the elements for truly great photography. Spring is one of the best times to visit when the temperatures are mild and vibrant wildflower displays and the occasional lightning storm provide a dramatic backdrop for stellar image making.

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument on the Mexican border in southern Arizona, is one of the least visited units of the National Park system. The unique namesake cactus (found only in this remote section of the United States) and the iconic saguaro dominate this other-worldly landscape where sunsets seem to last forever.

Further east on the outskirts of Tucson, Saguaro National Park is rich in native american history and desert flora. Two units separated by the city, the Tucson Mountain District to the west and the Rincon Mountain District to the east, provide two distinct environments. Signal Hill in the Tucson Mountain District includes hundreds of ancient petroglyphs surrounded by dense saguaro forests and wonderful views of the local mountains. The Rincon Mountain District to the east is a desert sky island home to cougars, bears, and the elusive coati.

Crossing the border into New Mexico, White Sands National Monument is another visual experience that is not to be missed. Set on the edge of the vast Tularosa Basin, it is one of the largest deposits of pure gypsum sand in the world. The shifting sands are an active dune field – constantly moving from west to east at a rate of thirty feet per year and creating wonderful patterns in the process. And as the sun goes down the shapes and forms of this ever-evolving landscape are illuminated by a special quality of light found nowhere else.

This is just a sampling of what the Southwest has to offer. But if you’re looking to leave the world behind and immerse yourself in spectacular scenery that will clear your senses and inspire your creativity, you don’t have to go to Iceland or Namibia – it’s all right here.

Louvre Palace and Pyramid at night, Louvre Museum, Paris, France

Paris is known the world over as The City of Light and rightfully so. When the sun goes down on La Ville-Lumière, the classic monuments and cobblestone boulevards of this vibrant city take on an entirely new appearance.

Many may not realize that its name first referred to its fame as a centre of education and ideas during the Age of Enlightenment, and later to its early adoption of street lighting. During the second half of the 19th century Emperor Napoleon III transformed Paris into a modern city, tearing down entire sections dating back to the Middle Ages, and opening large avenues which let light into the former mediaeval city.

The Louvre Museum is a showpiece not only of some of the world’s finest art, but of Paris after dark. With more than 8 million visitors each year it is the world’s most visited museum, and houses nearly 35,000 objects from prehistory to the 21st century.

Built in the 12th century, the Louvre has been transformed through the ages from a fortress, to a royal palace, an artist’s residence, and finally to its present role as a bastion of the art world. It’s modern glass pyramid, created in 1989 by architect I. M. Pei, is a fascinating design that bridges the gap from the old world to the new. And the golden glow from its reflecting pools is enough to make the Mona Lisa smile.

Category: Cultural

Spirit of the Southwest

The Louvre Museum