Photography | Russ Bishop Photography | Nature Photo Blog

March 2, 2011November 6, 2015

Better Together

Jack Johnson’s well-known line sums it up nicely when it comes to many things and especially outdoor photography. It’s wonderful to visit and photograph beautiful locations, to have a permanent (or so we hope) record of our experience long after the trip is over, but an added plus is always being able to savor those moments with someone else.

A recent exchange online got me thinking about all the benefits of sharing your photographic adventures with a friend or partner. Beyond the obvious pleasure of simply enjoying a tropical sunset together or wandering down a forest trail and savoring the smell of wet pines after a storm, there’s another big perk – perspective. Having someone in your landscape images can often add a unique visual element that gives the viewer a sense of place, and with action shots the benefit of being able to give direction (although utmost care is needed here) can make for much more compelling imagery.

In this image, my wife Maureen and I are just starting off on a 16 mile journey down the Na Pali coast of Kauai. Shooting this close to the water is always risky business, but I managed to keep my equipment dry with the careful use of a dry bag while my partner helped line up the perfect shots. So the next time you’re heading out to shoot bring a friend, and don’t forget to let them get in on the action.

November 11, 2010September 10, 2018

The Road to Hana

The Road to Hana along Maui’s east shore is as much a spiritual journey as a travel destination. The endless sea of lush vegetation blending into the azure waters of the Pacific along this legendary highway is quintessential Hawaii. And it’s also a typical scenario for the outdoor photographer – it’s almost too much to take it all in. But that’s where less often becomes more.

Once the grand landscapes have been preserved, it’s time to replace the wide-angle lens with a telephoto or macro and take a closer look. Sweeping vistas captivate our attention and are the cornerstone of outdoor photography, but visual storytelling is about filling in the details that give a sense of place. Often times these elements are right at our feet, and the challenge is simply to not overlook them.

November 5, 2010November 10, 2015

The Oregon Trail

Travelling down the interstate across the heartland of America it’s hard to imagine what it was like 170 years ago when the pioneers first set out west for a better life. What can now be covered in a few days took months of hardship and danger dealing with the likes of broken wheels, disease, and native Americans who were often less than welcoming to this new unknown tribe. The Lexus of the day (actually more of an RV) was a Conestoga wagon, which was outfitted with everything needed to live and establish a new life at the end of the journey.

The Oregon Trail, which began in Independence, Missouri, had been improved so much by the 1840s that it quickly became one of the main overland commerce and migration routes on the North American continent, competing with the already prosperous Santa Fe Trail to the south. It spanned over half the continent covering nearly 2,000 miles west through territories and land that later became six states, and ended in the fertile Willamette Valley in Oregon.

This image of wagons under Eagle Rock in Scott’s Bluff National Monument, Nebraska was typical of the day. Scott’s Bluff was an important landmark along the route both as a navigational aid for the wagon trains and as a psychological milestone for the pioneers. After travelling across the seemingly endless prairie, it was the first visual indication that the Great Plains were starting to give way to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and a better life beyond.