A Sense of Place

A Sense of Place. Silhouetted palms at sunrise, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California USA (Russ Bishop/Russ Bishop Photography)
Palms at sunrise, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California

Compelling landscape images stand on their own and connect the viewer with a sense of place or time. They can be displayed alone or in a series to tell a story, but they all have one thing in common. They make a statement about a location that defines its uniqueness.

The use of color or form in a composition can provoke an emotional response. Leading lines draw the viewer into the frame, creating tension that guides your audience towards the important elements you’re presenting. Shutter speed can illustrate the passing of time to create mood. These are all-powerful creative tools that when applied thoughtfully can result in strong imagery.

Another technique is the silhouette, which uses a graphic approach to convey an idea. Any object or scene that is backlit and appears dark against a lighter background will work, but the key is to find a subject with highly defined edges. A diffused yet colorful background like a sunrise or sunset often works best as it compliments the scene and reinforces the message.

Try adding this technique to your visual toolkit to create powerful images that stand on their own and strengthen your visual storytelling.

 

©Russ Bishop/All Rights Reserved

Canyon de Chelly National Monument

Evening light on White House Ruin, Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona
Evening light on White House Ruin, Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona

Canyon de Chelly National Monument in Arizona is one of the classic destinations in the American southwest. Rich in Native American culture and dramatic geology, it rivals the other more well-known parks in the region, yet it sees much fewer visitors.

Although it is managed by the National Park Service, this unique monument is located within the Navajo Indian Reservation, and many local families still live and farm within the canyon walls as their ancestors have done for nearly 5,000 years.

The Park encompasses two major canyons, Canyon de Chelly (pronounced ‘de-shay’), and Canyon del Muerto, both of which include many outstanding Anasazi cliff dwellings perched precariously along the canyon walls. And while there are many excellent viewpoints along the rim drive, nothing compares to a hike down into Canyon de Chelly to visit White House Ruin.

This dramatic ruin is an icon of the Colorado Plateau, and the only part of the inner canyon accessible without a Navajo guide. It is a wonderful photographic study in light and shadow as the afternoon light bathes the desert varnish of the imposing sandstone walls above.

Arizona is known as the Grand Canyon state and while that natural wonder is in a class by itself, the smaller scale and equally dramatic vistas make this special park well worth the detour when exploring the Four Corners area.

 

©Russ Bishop/All Rights Reserved

The Wilderness Act

"The Wilderness Act" ~ Autumn hues and fresh powder, John Muir Wilderness, California
“The Wilderness Act” ~ Autumn hues in the John Muir Wilderness, California

Fifty-seven years ago on September 3rd, 1964 President Lyndon Johnson signed the Wilderness Act into law preserving over 9 million acres of wilderness – a place where people could experience nature with minimal impact on the environment and wildlife. Since then Congress has added more than 100 million acres of wilderness area creating a natural legacy for future generations, and a sanctuary to recharge our creative and spiritual batteries apart from today’s fast-paced urban world.

The legislation established the National Wilderness Preservation System, which recognizes wilderness as “an area where the Earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.” Unlike the National Parks, there is no management plan for traffic flow, employee housing or curio shops because there is simply no need. It is truly wild – nature in all its unprocessed beauty.

In this sense the two compliment each other nicely. Where the National Parks serve to protect iconic landforms and historic sites that might otherwise be subject to erosion, vandalism or overuse, wilderness areas often lack the spectacular formations which draw the masses and are instantly recognizable, but provide instead a subtle beauty and remote quality that begs for exploration and contemplation.

Ansel Adams spent the better part of his life working to preserve wilderness through his photographs and tireless appeals to Congress, and his images continue to define the power that nature has in our lives. I feel fortunate to be able to share my own view of the natural world through photography, but more importantly I’m glad those who came before me had the foresight and courage to preserve these special places where we can find renewal and experience our planet in its original untouched form.

“In wilderness I sense the miracle of life, and behind it our scientific accomplishments fade to trivia.”  – Charles A. Lindbergh

 

©Russ Bishop/All Rights Reserved