National Parks | Russ Bishop Photography | Nature Photo Blog

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.

March 1, 2024March 1, 2024

Finding Balance

Finding balance. The notion of coming together to create symmetry spans the worlds of economics, mathematics, computing, and natural science. Systems that work together to form a more unified whole are greater than the sum of their parts. They are efficient and economical, and equally important on the human side they create a sense of harmony and well-being.

It is a natural human desire to find equilibrium in our lives, and for many the definition of success is living a balanced life. Landscape photography is a wonderful medium in this sense as it provides us with an outlet for creating visual harmony. What we express through our lens is an extension of our personality and our vision of the world around us.

Webster defines balance as “an aesthetically pleasing integration of elements” and, while the evolution of our photographic vision is an ongoing journey, learning to find balance in your compositions does become second nature with practice.

The juxtaposition of color and form within the frame is often the key, and learning to recognize and integrate them into your photography will translate into more dynamic and satisfying images that hopefully reflect that balance we all strive to find in life.

October 17, 2023October 17, 2023

Simplify, Simplify

Simplify, Simplify. Thoreau’s famous words apply as much to successful landscape photography as life itself. Often when we first approach a classic scene we’re inclined to capture as much of it as possible in hopes that nothing is left out.

Many times a wide-angle view is the best perspective for those grand vistas, but it needs to be carefully composed in order to guide the viewer’s eye through the frame. Problems arise when there is too much information and the image becomes cluttered and confusing. That’s the time to go long and distill the key elements down to their essence.

As with taking on too much in our lives and missing the forest for the trees, sometimes we need to simplify the scene to make it stronger. By carefully cropping out distracting elements and focusing on light and form we can create images with more visual impact that connect with our audience on a deeper level.