Abstract | Russ Bishop Photography

February 28, 2023February 28, 2023

Go With The Flow

Previsualization is an often used term in landscape photography – the process of researching a location, determining perspective through lens selection and framing, and forming a solid image in your mind’s eye before ever arriving at a scene or tripping the shutter. Ansel Adams referred to it often as “the ability to anticipate a finished image before making the exposure”, and it was a favorite expression of other luminaries such as Minor White and Edward Weston.

There is a lot to be said for this approach and it’s certainly the route I take whenever possible. If all goes according to plan, you do your homework, arrive at the predetermined location, setup the shot, then wait for the ideal light and the image falls into place. This technique works quite well much of the time (assuming you’ve done that homework), but there are those moments when mother nature simply won’t cooperate. The golden light has been replaced with drab overcast, the wind is determined to keep every leaf or flower in motion, or the road has been closed by an avalanche and you can’t even get to the desired location. Fear not, it’s happened to everyone.

This is the time to give in and go with the flow. There are still great images to be made, but now you need to throw out those mental notes and let that right brain have a little fun. When the flowers and leaves are blowing make abstracts. If the light is anything but exciting, avoid the sky and look for the soft even lighting illuminating the ground cover. And even if that avalanche has closed the road, this is the perfect time to take a detour and explore someplace you’ve never seen before.

So the next time that great image you’ve envisioned isn’t working out as planned, try an alternate approach and go with the flow. You might find your masterpiece was there all along just waiting to be discovered.

April 4, 2014October 30, 2015

Visual Abstraction

Bare trees, Yosemite National Park, California USA

As landscape photographers the natural world provides us with an unlimited source of subject matter and inspiration. Much of the time we choose to let nature dictate the scene, creating “straight photography” as Ansel Adams referred to it, by selecting a lens and exposure that will faithfully record the natural beauty we see before us.

Unfortunately conditions in the wild are not always ideal and often we’re forced to adjust our approach to image making. Flat light, wind, or a recent fire can all derail our idea of the perfect landscape. But, as I’ve mentioned previously, this is where we need to think outside the box and go with the flow creatively. The pure images might have to wait for another day, but the glass is half full. A whole new world of visual storytelling is waiting to happen for those willing to give their tripod the day off and think of their camera as a brush and canvas.

The term abstraction (from the Latin abs, meaning away from and trahere, meaning to draw) is the process of taking away or removing elements from something in order to reduce it to a set of essential characteristics. Merriam Webster defines abstraction as “art unconcerned with the literal depiction of things from the visible world”. In short, we want to know that it’s a tree or a flower, but beyond that we’re free to roam aesthetically.

Abstract photography is becoming increasingly popular these days as a form of self-expression. By imparting mood and feeling, in many ways abstracts provide a stronger emotional bond between an image and its audience than a straight image. Much like seeing the world through a new lens, the idea here is to intentionally create art and not document reality. Motion blurs, pans, and zooms at a slower shutter speed are typical techniques for creating natural abstracts, but the possibilities are endless.

The next time mother nature is being uncooperative and the straight photography is leaving you uninspired, take a detour and have fun with this liberating technique. Your inner child will thank you, and all you have to remember is that there are no rules and you can’t make any mistakes.

“Don’t shoot what it looks like. Shoot what it feels like.” -David Alan Harvey

April 16, 2013November 6, 2015

Monet’s Garden

Tulips in Claude Monet’s garden, Giverny, France

Spring has arrived and with it our favorite blooms from around the world are emerging from hillsides, in meadows, farms and gardens. From dogwood in the Sierra Nevada to cherry blossoms in Washington and Tokyo, the sweet scent of the season fills our senses, while the profusion of color fills our memory cards with a visual feast.

Perhaps one of the most famous displays in the world is in the small quiet village of Giverny France, not far from the bustling sidewalks of Paris. It was here that Claude Monet spent the final years of his life and designed the magical garden that inspired many of his most famous paintings.

Today, thanks to the Claude Monet Foundation, the gardens adjacent to his home are much as they were a hundred years ago with an amazing variety of plants and flowers. It’s easy to get lost in the endless sea of color while imagining Monet, who was also an excellent gardener, lovingly tending to his muse.

I found the tulips particularly captivating with their vibrant form and patterns. In my own interpretation here, I couldn’t resist applying a bit of impressionism as I felt the master’s presence guiding my lens.