Travel | Russ Bishop Photography | Nature Photo Blog

February 9, 2016February 9, 2016

The Sky’s the Limit

Digital photography offers many benefits over the old days of film, but one area where the new technology falls short is the constant need for power. Manual film cameras like the classic Nikon FM and FE2 could be used with no battery at all, but today’s hi-tech devices are just fancy paperweights without a battery. I’m often asked how I manage this challenge when traveling in the wilderness and the answer is the sun!

In addition to bringing a good supply of fully charged lithium-ion batteries (which perform remarkably well in the cold) I have a solar panel made by Brunton that rolls up into a small tube and cranks out a powerful 14 watts. That’s enough juice to power a laptop or sat phone and will even charge batteries on overcast days. So with an unlimited source of power and several large capacity memory cards the sky really is the limit when shooting in the backcountry.

July 18, 2013October 30, 2015

Along the Waterpocket Fold

Morning light on volcanic boulders under The Castle, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah USA

Utah is a geologic wonderland and exploring its myriad canyons and plateaus is journey through time. With one of the highest concentrations of parks in the country from iconic Bryce, Zion and Arches to the seemingly endless expanse of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, one could spend their entire lifetime on the Colorado Plateau and still not see it all. Yet there are still grand vistas worthy of protection in this vast landscape making the prospect of seeing it and preserving it a lifelong pursuit.

One park that often gets overlooked is Capitol Reef. West of the Henry Mountains and east of the town of Torrey, it straddles the most prominent landform in the area – the Waterpocket Fold. This massive upheaval in the earth’s surface (a monocline in technical terms) is over 100 miles long and exposes some 70 million years of our planet’s evolution.

The town of Fruita along Highway 24 on the Fremont River corridor is rich in Mormon pioneer and Native American history. Surrounded by orchards under the towering sandstone cliffs, it’s a beautiful spot to spend a day or a week exploring the natural wonders of this special park.

Capitol Reef National Park contains nearly a quarter million acres in the slickrock country of central Utah. And with only one paved road bisecting it, it’s not hard to find your own space to photograph, hike, or simply contemplate the incredible light and form along the great expanse of the Waterpocket Fold.

April 19, 2013November 6, 2015

The Common Thread

I’ve been fascinated by history for as long as I can remember. So when I ran across the finish line at the Boston Marathon three years ago it only made sense to clean up, grab the cameras and head out to explore the wealth of history in our nation’s birth place. One of the first stops we made was Minute Man National Historic Park in Concord where, on the old North Bridge, the shot that was “heard around the world” was fired at the start of the Revolutionary War. I got a chill as I looked at the monument and realized that the date was April 19th, the same day I had just run 26 miles across the Massachusetts countryside and stood on that bridge.

While there’s little comparison between resisting an oppressive government and running a marathon, the spirit is the same. The desire to be our best and the resolution to make it happen are the necessary fiber. The tragic events of this year’s marathon have been heavy on my mind, but I find a certain irony in the fact that for the better part of its 117 year history, the race has always coincided with Patriot’s Day, a celebration of our country’s founding in the face of adversity.

The marathon itself, like any endurance sport, is a challenge that thousands of people, young and old, fast and slow, rise up to meet each year at races around the world. As anyone who runs will tell you, it’s not so much about the physical act, but the sense of accomplishment and collaborative spirit against the odds that fuels the desire. Thousands of volunteers make the race possible, thousands more come as spectators to support family members and strangers alike, and the feeling on the course is always one of encouragement – all of which makes it feel like a giant family reunion.

It is often said that history will teach us nothing, but I think that it has. It’s no coincidence that each time we’re faced with a tragedy, we see that same spirit that founded our country rise up to meet the challenge and squelch the forces that attempt to stifle our way of life. As a photographer, a runner, and an American, I’m grateful for that common thread called freedom that we all share, and which gives each and every one of us the opportunity to be our best by whatever avenue we choose.