Russ Bishop | Russ Bishop Photography | Nature Photo Blog

April 4, 2014October 30, 2015

Visual Abstraction

Bare trees, Yosemite National Park, California USA

As landscape photographers the natural world provides us with an unlimited source of subject matter and inspiration. Much of the time we choose to let nature dictate the scene, creating “straight photography” as Ansel Adams referred to it, by selecting a lens and exposure that will faithfully record the natural beauty we see before us.

Unfortunately conditions in the wild are not always ideal and often we’re forced to adjust our approach to image making. Flat light, wind, or a recent fire can all derail our idea of the perfect landscape. But, as I’ve mentioned previously, this is where we need to think outside the box and go with the flow creatively. The pure images might have to wait for another day, but the glass is half full. A whole new world of visual storytelling is waiting to happen for those willing to give their tripod the day off and think of their camera as a brush and canvas.

The term abstraction (from the Latin abs, meaning away from and trahere, meaning to draw) is the process of taking away or removing elements from something in order to reduce it to a set of essential characteristics. Merriam Webster defines abstraction as “art unconcerned with the literal depiction of things from the visible world”. In short, we want to know that it’s a tree or a flower, but beyond that we’re free to roam aesthetically.

Abstract photography is becoming increasingly popular these days as a form of self-expression. By imparting mood and feeling, in many ways abstracts provide a stronger emotional bond between an image and its audience than a straight image. Much like seeing the world through a new lens, the idea here is to intentionally create art and not document reality. Motion blurs, pans, and zooms at a slower shutter speed are typical techniques for creating natural abstracts, but the possibilities are endless.

The next time mother nature is being uncooperative and the straight photography is leaving you uninspired, take a detour and have fun with this liberating technique. Your inner child will thank you, and all you have to remember is that there are no rules and you can’t make any mistakes.

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

March 28, 2014October 24, 2018

Spirit of the Southwest

Saguaro cactus at sunset, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona USA (© Russ Bishop/www.russbishop.com) — Saguaro cactus at sunset, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona

The American Southwest is known the world over for its unique environment and cultural significance. It’s plants and animals are exotic by any standard and, combined with thousands of years of Native American history, it has all the elements for truly great photography. Spring is one of the best times to visit when the temperatures are mild and vibrant wildflower displays and the occasional lightning storm provide a dramatic backdrop for stellar image making.

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument on the Mexican border in southern Arizona, is one of the least visited units of the National Park system. The unique namesake cactus (found only in this remote section of the United States) and the iconic saguaro dominate this other-worldly landscape where sunsets seem to last forever.

Further east on the outskirts of Tucson, Saguaro National Park is rich in native american history and desert flora. Two units separated by the city, the Tucson Mountain District to the west and the Rincon Mountain District to the east, provide two distinct environments. Signal Hill in the Tucson Mountain District includes hundreds of ancient petroglyphs surrounded by dense saguaro forests and wonderful views of the local mountains. The Rincon Mountain District to the east is a desert sky island home to cougars, bears, and the elusive coati.

Crossing the border into New Mexico, White Sands National Monument is another visual experience that is not to be missed. Set on the edge of the vast Tularosa Basin, it is one of the largest deposits of pure gypsum sand in the world. The shifting sands are an active dune field – constantly moving from west to east at a rate of thirty feet per year and creating wonderful patterns in the process. And as the sun goes down the shapes and forms of this ever-evolving landscape are illuminated by a special quality of light found nowhere else.

This is just a sampling of what the Southwest has to offer. But if you’re looking to leave the world behind and immerse yourself in spectacular scenery that will clear your senses and inspire your creativity, you don’t have to go to Iceland or Namibia – it’s all right here.

January 16, 2014March 9, 2018

Crater Lake National Park

Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States (the second deepest in North America) at nearly 2,000 feet and is the only national park in Oregon. It’s a caldera lake that was formed when the ancient volcano Mount Mazama collapsed over 7,000 years ago allowing rain and melting snow to accumulate in its cavity. Well known for its incredible crystal clear waters and deep blue hue, it is also one of the purest bodies of water in North America with a record clarity of 142 ft. The local Native American Klamath tribe has long considered it a spiritual place and it’s easy to see why.

Wintertime adds a new dimension to the landscape here when the predominant blues are contrast with a blanket of white. The average snowfall is over 500 inches a year although the lake rarely freezes (the last time was in 1949) allowing for a very unique photographic experience.