France | Russ Bishop Photography | Nature Photo Blog

April 16, 2013November 6, 2015

Monet’s Garden

Tulips in Claude Monet’s garden, Giverny, France

Spring has arrived and with it our favorite blooms from around the world are emerging from hillsides, in meadows, farms and gardens. From dogwood in the Sierra Nevada to cherry blossoms in Washington and Tokyo, the sweet scent of the season fills our senses, while the profusion of color fills our memory cards with a visual feast.

Perhaps one of the most famous displays in the world is in the small quiet village of Giverny France, not far from the bustling sidewalks of Paris. It was here that Claude Monet spent the final years of his life and designed the magical garden that inspired many of his most famous paintings.

Today, thanks to the Claude Monet Foundation, the gardens adjacent to his home are much as they were a hundred years ago with an amazing variety of plants and flowers. It’s easy to get lost in the endless sea of color while imagining Monet, who was also an excellent gardener, lovingly tending to his muse.

I found the tulips particularly captivating with their vibrant form and patterns. In my own interpretation here, I couldn’t resist applying a bit of impressionism as I felt the master’s presence guiding my lens.

February 6, 2012November 6, 2015

Notre Dame – The Lady of Paris

Notre Dame de Paris (French for “Our Lady of Paris”) is widely considered one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in France and all of Europe. The classic lines of this magnificent cathedral rise gracefully above the Seine River and are as recognizable as the Eiffel Tower, and in terms of visitation it is even more popular than Paris’ other icon.

Situated on the eastern half of the Île de la Cité in the fourth arrondissement of Paris it is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese, and its treasury houses a reliquary with the purported Crown of Thorns worn by Jesus Christ before his crucifixion. And as the geographical center of Paris, a marker by the main entrance represents “point zero” from which all distances in France are measured.

June 2, 2011November 6, 2015

City of Light

Known universally as the City of Light or La Ville-Lumière, Paris is the quintessential European city and a photographic delicacy. The crowds and chaos of the big city were a dramatic change from my usual subject matter, but the lure of its grand architecture bathed in golden light was constant visual treat.