National Parks | Russ Bishop Photography

March 4, 2025March 4, 2025

American Galapagos – Channel Islands National Park

The Channel Islands of California are a chain of eight islands located off the coast of Southern California in the Santa Barbara Channel. Five of the islands (San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Anacapa, and Santa Barbara) were designated Channel Islands National Park on March 5, 1980 as our 40th national park, and are co-managed by the National Park Service and the Nature Conservancy.

Often referred to as America’s Galapagos, the Channel Islands are home to over 2,000 plant and animal species and 145 of those are found nowhere else on earth! The island fox (shown here) is one example – a dwarf fox native to six of the eight Islands. Due to their geographic isolation these curious creatures have no immunity to disease brought in from the mainland, and as a result their population dwindled to near extinction in the 1990s. Fortunately they were federally protected as an endangered species in 2004, and efforts to rebuild fox populations and restore their ecosystems have been quite successful.

The archeological and cultural resources on the Channel Islands span a period of more than 12,000 years of human habitation. The Chumash Indians lived off the sea for thousands of years followed by Spanish and American cattle ranches that thrived in the nineteenth century. Over the years, archaeologists have unearthed an amazing timeline dating back to the Pleistocene, including the world’s most complete pygmy mammoth specimen discovered on Santa Rosa Island in 1994.

The Islands are also part of one of the richest marine biospheres of the world. The Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary protects the surrounding waters six nautical miles off Anacapa, Santa Cruz, San Miguel, Santa Rosa, and Santa Barbara islands, where a whole new world invites exploration above and below the surface.

October 17, 2024October 17, 2024

Beyond Technology – Creating Images with Heart

In today’s mobile world of social media and online everything we are exposed to more daily imagery than at any previous time in history. As a result, our visual sensitivity is developing at a rapid rate along with the need to mentally process these images in a timely manner.

Much the same way we have a hard time watching the dated animation from old sci-fi movies, it’s easy to become more critical of what we like (and Like on Facebook). And with all of the various processing techniques (HDR, focus stacking, exposure blending to name a few) it’s also easy to be lulled into sensory overload from this highly polished visual world. But whatever technology may hold for the future, one thing will never change and that’s the need to create an emotional response with our images.

A technically perfect image may have the wow factor of a Hollywood blockbuster, but perfection does not necessarily create heart – and that’s really what photography is all about. Regardless of the subject matter, lens used or processing applied, convey the mood and emotion in your images through lighting, weather or technique and your photography will always rise above the crowd.

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

April 22, 2024April 22, 2024

Earth Day and National Park Week

Celebrating Earth Day and National Park Week!

Fifty years ago the green movement was conceived and since then it has become a driving force in today’s world economy and social consciousness. We’ve come a long way since the early days of tie-dye and the novel concept of recycling. Fast forward to 2024 and LED light bulbs are the norm, electric cars are everywhere, and small countries like Iceland are run almost entirely on clean energy.

One of the driving forces in my photography is to show the natural world at its best and to remind us all why it’s important to preserve it. I also support organizations like The Nature Conservancy and The Wilderness Society, which do an excellent job of preserving natural spaces, working with landowners, and educating the public about the connection between health and conservation throughout the year.

This year National Park Week is April 20th-28th and Earth Day is Monday, April 22nd. Once again the National Park Service is partnering with the National Park Foundation and all entrance fees are waived on Saturday, April 20th. But even if you can’t travel It’s still a great time to enjoy America’s Best Idea at home with the kids or celebrate Earth Day in your backyard or at a natural space or preserve close to home.

Whether you connect with nature in your own town, explore and plan a visit to favorite park or simply change out those old light bulbs, take time to marvel at all the natural wonders of our tiny blue planet and make a commitment to help preserve it.