ericrussellphotography.com/portfolio/california/
I feel like the power of art is in the artist’s ability to make somebody feel something different. It’s been our experience that the most powerful shifts happen when we get outside ourselves by traveling beyond the limitations of our regular lives and environments and if it’s our desire as artists is to translate experiences into evoking visual assets that inspire people to feel something different then we ourselves need to do be doing and feeling something…different. Believing that life is all about experiences and connections, this last year we decided to turn a couple projects in Lake Tahoe area into an extended travel assignment throughout the region. So armed with a small gear pack including a pretty amazing new motion control device by Syrp, whatever necessities that we could fit in our small wagon, our Airbnb account, and of course the french press, we made our first official venture as nomads into the amazing landscapes of Northern California.
How interesting how we often think we have to travel thousands of miles to experience the most beautiful corners of the world. But let me go on record to say that even with the experience of growing up in Utah, and having a pretty good collection of stamps in the passport, I’m not sure if I’ve ever experienced a richer or more delicious landscape then that of Northern California, and I don’t think it could have been better said than this:
“There is science, logic, reason; there is thought verified by experience. And then there is California.”
- EDWARD ABBY, AMERICAN WRITER (1927-89)
As we’ve worked on travel assignments over the past decade, we’ve learned that oftentimes real exploration, genuine curiosity combined with a lot of pause and appreciation can often produce better results than even the best researched and planned production schedule can. This experience reminded us why shooting from the perspective of a traveler rather than just photographers whose create an exhaustive shot list from a google search allow us to create imagery that is more meaningful and unique. Interestingly as we disciplined ourselves to NOT be consumed with the camera…but to to savor, indulge, and revel in the experiences we were having, THIS is when the meaningful shots came. THIS is where we begin to really see the subtleties of light, discern between the nuances of the landscape and begin to gain valuable insights into other environments and cultures. THIS is when the frames seemed to compose themselves and we could just feel our way through the technicalities of the shot as we should. Ultimately, as we allowed ourselves to be travelers and seek genuine experiences in a new world, THIS is when when the shutter clicked meaningfully and when we begin to truly appreciate the meaning of Rumi’s words: “Let the beauty of what you love be what you do”.
Below is a small sampling of the still and moving pictures we were able to capture which we hope will give you a glimpse into the amazing landscapes of California which we fell in love with and cannot wait to return to.
Cast:Eric Russell
Tags:California, landscape, seascape, timelapse, location, vignette, mountains, travel, lake tahoe, sonoma, pacific coast highway, beach, vineyard, san francisco, yosemite, napa, tourism and lifestyle
