Techniques | Russ Bishop Photography | Nature Photo Blog

September 28, 2010November 6, 2015

Quinault Rain Forest

The Quinault Rain Forest in Washington’s Olympic National Park is a lush and vibrant setting with limitless possibilities for photography. Along with the Queets and Hoh, it is one of the largest temperate rain forests in the lower 48 and receives an amazing 12 to 14 feet (yes feet!) of precipitation each year. The abundance of plants and trees including Sitka spruce, western hemlock, and Bigleaf maples is a feast for the eyes and the moss-draped branches create a jungle-like feeling in this primeval forest.

The challenge of course is to keep your photo gear dry and a portable umbrella and camera rain hood like those made by Kata are invaluable for shooting when it’s wet. Fortunately, the skies are often cloudy which creates nice even lighting, eliminates the harsh shadows and really makes the colors glow. And if the scene includes water, the longer exposures often required in the forest will create a silky look that only adds to the dreamlike quality of this special place. The only problem I’ve encountered when shooting rain forests is that when you leave your eyes have a hard time adjusting to the lack of green in the rest of the world!

September 9, 2010November 6, 2015

Sierra Nevada Splendor

Autumn is one of my favorite times of year. The crisp air and shorter days stimulate the senses, and the light takes on a magical quality. Throughout the country the deciduous trees from aspen to maple are a visual reminder that summer has passed and that winter is not far off. And for the photographer, this transition is literally a golden opportunity to capture the landscape in its finest hour.

When many people think of fall color the hardwood forests of the eastern United States immediately come to mind, but the aspen groves of the western states and the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California in particular can rival even the sugar maples of Vermont. Photographing aspens is often best on overcast days when the light is soft and harsh shadows are minimized or late in the day when the sky is clear and the warm back-light makes them glow from within. This image was made along Rush Creek near June Lake just moments before the sun dropped behind the Sierra peaks.

July 16, 2010October 18, 2016

Lightning Strikes Twice

Contrary to popular belief lightning can strike the same place twice as shown in this timed exposure in the Ajo Mountains of Arizona. Although there are devices available for capturing lightning images, I find that composing a shot and then making a timed exposure of one to three minutes in sync with the rhythm of the strikes works just as well.

This image was made with a 300mm lens at a distance of about ten miles. While heading back from a day of shooting at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, I noticed the storm in the distance just after sunset and was surprised by the consistency of the strikes on the ridge. Shooting lightning can be dangerous (a tripod makes a good lightning rod!), but the conditions were perfect on this evening with clear skies above me and the long lens bringing the drama safely into view. The challenging part was actually framing the image in complete darkness using only the light from the strikes to compose. After opening the shutter, I watched and waited as mother nature created her elaborate light painting.