Russ Bishop Photography | Nature Photo Blog

January 14, 2011March 30, 2018

Horsetail Fall

Every February something special happens in Yosemite Valley if the conditions are right. At some point during the month the setting sun aligns perfectly with the canyon walls to the west for several evenings creating a longer than usual glow on the granite walls. And if the winter snowpack is substantial and the temperature warms enough to start the spring runoff, a wonderful cascade forms on the southeast side of El Capitan aptly named Horsetail Fall.

Of course all of this along with the rest of Yosemite’s splendor would be enough to satisfy anyone visiting the valley this time of year. But in addition (as if mother nature is trying to outdo herself) for only a few minutes each evening the alignment of the sun also illuminates the falls from behind creating a brief firefall that is truly amazing. When I made this image, the sky had been rather drab all day and as the magic time approached it looked as if nothing would happen. Then suddenly the clouds parted to the west, the falls began to glow and I had only moments to make a couple of exposures before the light was gone.

November 11, 2010September 10, 2018

The Road to Hana

The Road to Hana along Maui’s east shore is as much a spiritual journey as a travel destination. The endless sea of lush vegetation blending into the azure waters of the Pacific along this legendary highway is quintessential Hawaii. And it’s also a typical scenario for the outdoor photographer – it’s almost too much to take it all in. But that’s where less often becomes more.

Once the grand landscapes have been preserved, it’s time to replace the wide-angle lens with a telephoto or macro and take a closer look. Sweeping vistas captivate our attention and are the cornerstone of outdoor photography, but visual storytelling is about filling in the details that give a sense of place. Often times these elements are right at our feet, and the challenge is simply to not overlook them.

November 5, 2010November 10, 2015

The Oregon Trail

Travelling down the interstate across the heartland of America it’s hard to imagine what it was like 170 years ago when the pioneers first set out west for a better life. What can now be covered in a few days took months of hardship and danger dealing with the likes of broken wheels, disease, and native Americans who were often less than welcoming to this new unknown tribe. The Lexus of the day (actually more of an RV) was a Conestoga wagon, which was outfitted with everything needed to live and establish a new life at the end of the journey.

The Oregon Trail, which began in Independence, Missouri, had been improved so much by the 1840s that it quickly became one of the main overland commerce and migration routes on the North American continent, competing with the already prosperous Santa Fe Trail to the south. It spanned over half the continent covering nearly 2,000 miles west through territories and land that later became six states, and ended in the fertile Willamette Valley in Oregon.

This image of wagons under Eagle Rock in Scott’s Bluff National Monument, Nebraska was typical of the day. Scott’s Bluff was an important landmark along the route both as a navigational aid for the wagon trains and as a psychological milestone for the pioneers. After travelling across the seemingly endless prairie, it was the first visual indication that the Great Plains were starting to give way to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and a better life beyond.