Russ Bishop Photography | Nature Photo Blog

November 20, 2013July 17, 2018

Boulder Mountain Solitude

Bare aspens at twilight on Boulder Mountain, Dixie National Forest, Utah

Boulder Mountain in south central Utah is one of those special places that doesn’t get the attention it deserves – and that’s a good thing. Covering half of the Aquarius Plateau in Wayne and Garfield counties, it includes 50,000 acres of rolling forest and high meadows surrounded by beautiful stands of aspen. At over 11,000 feet it’s also the highest timbered plateau in North America, and encompasses a good portion of Dixie National Forest, the largest preserve in the state.

Scenic Byway 12 is the main artery in the area and traverses the eastern side of the mountain from the town of Torrey through Boulder and on to Escalante. Rising to the west of Capitol Reef National Park, Boulder Mountain is the prominent landform along this beautiful stretch of highway as you travel south to Bryce Canyon and Zion.

With so many outstanding natural features and world-famous parks in the area, it’s easy to see how this spot gets overlooked, but therein lies it’s beauty. It’s a wonderful place to explore and experience the solitude that’s often hard to find in the more popular destinations of this amazing state.

November 4, 2013October 30, 2015

Conflict of Interest

Fresh snow on fall aspens and pines, Inyo National Forest, Sierra Nevada Mountains, California USA
©Russ Bishop / All Rights Reserved ~ Click image for larger view

It’s that time of year again when Mother Nature is a bit conflicted. Autumn and her spectacular colors haven’t quite left the scene, but winter is starting to make serious inroads. They say there’s nothing like visual tension to create compelling images and this, my favorite time of year, is a prime example.

The beauty of scenes like this is what inspires us to make photographs, but on a deeper level I think we also sympathise with the underlying struggle. That emotional connection in turn creates a deeper bond with the subject and the resulting images take on a life of their own.

I feel very fortunate to be able to witness and share such beauty, but it is always my hope that my images stir an emotional response as well. Our natural world is in a state of flux as our environment is seen more and more for its monetary value and less for its spiritual rewards. The seasonal conflict illustrated here is a natural occurrence, but it mimics a larger challenge that as nature photographers we have the power to bring into focus.

October 11, 2013October 30, 2015

Magic in the Sky

Hot air balloons rising in dawn light at the International Balloon Fiesta, Albuquerque, New Mexico USA

There are plenty of good reasons to head to New Mexico this time of year. The fall color in the canyons of the Sangre de Christo Mountains is spectacular, and the light along the high road to Taos has a special quality found nowhere else. But equally mesmerizing are the skies over Albuquerque where hundreds of hot air balloons rise in unison in the dawn light.

This week marks the 42nd annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta – an event that everyone should experience at least once in their life. The mass ascension is a kaleidoscope of color as pilots from all over the world guide their giant orbs upward into the air currents known as the Albuquerque Box. What might seem like a helpless craft floating at the whim of the wind can actually be steered in any direction by skilled pilots who raise or lower the balloon to catch the right currents.

Whether you take a ride for a bird’s-eye view or simply wander amid the controlled chaos of preparation on the ground, this is a spectacle you won’t soon forget. Oh, and don’t forget the camera!