California | Russ Bishop Photography | Nature Photo Blog

July 21, 2025July 21, 2025

Visual Opportunity Is Closer Than You Think

It’s been said that you don’t need to circle the globe to find wonderful subjects to photograph. And while shooting close to home may not sound as exciting as travelling to far off exotic destinations, a little research and an open mind can reveal grand landscapes and intimate details right in your own backyard.

I’m fortunate to live in Southern California where icons like Death Valley and Joshua Tree National Parks are within a day’s drive, yet I’ve discovered many less frequented local spots that can be just as rewarding for photography. Los Padres National Forest is one such place that includes a large portion of California’s coastal mountains from Ojai to Monterey. Nearly half of the forest is designated wilderness that ranges from semi-desert in the interior areas to redwood forests on the coast, providing a wealth of photographic potential.

So the next time you’re scouting photo locations or just searching for a quiet place to call your own don’t forget the state parks, national forests, and other public lands nearby. You won’t experience the crowds or expense that come with the bigger parks and international travel, and you might just be surprised by the quality images and visual opportunities that can be found close to home.

April 21, 2025April 21, 2025

Chasing Waterfalls

Chasing Waterfalls. There’s something about flowing water that soothes the soul and sparks the imagination. Mesmerizing ripples on a lake, the fluid dynamics of an eddy as it dances over rocks in a stream, or the powerful force of a cascading waterfall. It’s poetry in motion – nature’s visual elixir.

Preserving these moments of natural movement on film or sensor is a tireless indulgence for the outdoor photographer. Varying shutter speeds and focal lengths can create dramatic landscapes or freeze intimate moments of light and form. And most impressive is the fact that no two images will ever be the same!

Learning to read the flow of the water becomes intuitive with experience and helps solidify the visual appeal of each frame. Waterfalls in particular are constantly changing their course as the wind shifts, and timing your exposure for the best flow can greatly reduce editing time when reviewing dozens of images.

As with all nature photography, time spent thoughtfully viewing a scene and carefully framing your composition is paramount. It will ensure that when the decisive moments arrive you’re able to capture the dancing waters at peak performance.

March 22, 2024March 25, 2024

World Water Day

March 22nd is World Water Day – a time to celebrate the spring season and our most precious natural resource. It’s easy to take for granted when we’ve had a wet winter and a bottle or tap is always within arms reach, but we share the planet with nearly 1 billion people who don’t have access to safe clean drinking water or sanitation. That’s a hard fact to swallow when you consider that most of the earth’s surface is water.

The United Nations first began the celebration back in 1993 and it’s grown significantly over the years as a platform for education and public support. Each year, one of the many UN agencies involved in water issues spearheads a campaign to promote and coordinate international activities. The theme of World Water Day 2024 is ‘Water for Peace’, and focuses on fostering harmony, generating prosperity and building resilience to shared challenges.

On the world front, there are many ways to help those less fortunate than ourselves, and at home simple conservation can have a profound effect. I’m proud to be involved with Photographers for Good and the Plus One Collection, which has use its resources to support The Samburu Project building wells in Kenya. I can think of no greater reward than inspiring others to enjoy the beauty of nature, while helping to provide life’s most basic necessity to those in need.

Here in the west this years winter storms have helped to offset years of drought, but whatever the conditions at home we should always remember that water is a precious commodity essential for life. So enjoy that drink and spread the word throughout the year (and don’t forget to turn off the tap).