Geology | Russ Bishop Photography

May 24, 2021May 24, 2021

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone in Wyoming’s Yellowstone National Park is one of the great wonders of the world. Though not as famous, as large, or as old as Arizona’s grand fissure, what it lacks in size and scope, it makes up for in color and curiosity.

As with much of this hyperactive park, the canyon below the Lower Yellowstone Falls was once the site of a geyser basin. During the last ice age large ice dams formed near the mouth of Yellowstone Lake. Then, when they melted, a huge volume of water was released downstream causing massive flash floods and catastrophic erosion that carved through the soft rhyolite lava flows and created the present-day canyon.

It’s unique colors are also a result of hydrothermal alteration and exposure to the elements. Most of the yellow coloring is the result of iron present in the rock rather than sulfur as most people assume. The exposed rocks are oxidizing and essentially the canyon is slowly rusting.

The Yellowstone River begins on the slopes of Younts Peak, south of the park, and travels more than 600 miles to North Dakota where it empties into the Missouri River. It is the longest undammed river in the continental United States, and it’s evolution continues to shape this beautiful canyon.

August 29, 2018April 12, 2022

Pele’s Realm

Lava flow entering the ocean at dawn, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii

For more than a quarter century the lava on Hawaii’s Big Island has continued to flow from the Pu’u O’o vent on the flanks of Kilauea down into the Pacific Ocean. A mesmerizing river of molten earth that is equally beautiful and terrifying as it slowly devours everything in it’s path, while adding acres to Hawaii’s newest Island.

Since ancient times Pele, the Goddess of Fire, has been a central figure of Hawaiian lore. “She-Who-Shapes-The-Sacred-Land” is often recounted in ancient Hawaiian chants, and today is the most visible of the Hawaiian deities.

In 1990 I witnessed the slow destruction of the nearby village of Kalapana and watched in amazement as the locals rolled the historic painted church down the road to safety, while the palms on the famous Kaimu black sand beach went up in flames. Pele is known to be a passionate goddess, yet volatile and capricious as evidenced by her destruction of the modern Wahaula visitor center while completely avoiding an ancient heiau in her path.

I’ve been back many times over the years to pay homage to Pele, and I’m always in awe of her powerful hand in shaping these Islands. Will Rogers once said, “buy real estate, they don’t make it any more”. But clearly he had never been to this part of the world!

March 4, 2015March 13, 2018

Antelope Canyon Magic

Delicate slickrock formations in upper Antelope Canyon, Arizona

Antelope Canyon on the Navajo Indian Reservation in Arizona is arguably one of the finest slot canyons in the American southwest, and certainly one of the most photographed. Although beautiful to witness with the naked eye, these jewels of the desert really shine when a long exposure reveals the light and color our eyes can’t perceive – the subtle shades and hues of the sunlight as it plays off the wind and water sculpted sandstone.

Unlike most landscape photography, which benefits from the warm light of dawn or dusk, slot canyons are best photographed midday when the greatest amount of light penetrates the steep and narrow canyon walls. A tripod is mandatory for sharp images with the long exposures necessary to capture the light in these dimly lit passages. And once your eyes have adjusted, the challenge is to create meaningful compositions that lead the eye into the frame and showcase the myriad textures that surround you.

This image was made with a wide 24mm lens and a 30 second exposure – no filter or artificial lighting was used!