4 Reasons Eastern Sierra is the Best Place to Photograph

First-time visitors are almost always awestruck by the grandeur of this landscape. It has a way of turning everyone into an artist. Cameras and smartphones are everywhere, often aimed skyward at the majestic peaks of the Sierra Nevada. It’s no surprise, then, that this stunning region is arguably the best place to photograph—not just in California, but perhaps in the entire U.S.

Photography is a passion for many in the Eastern Sierra

For those who live here or visit regularly photography is often a daily activity. Sometimes it’s just a momentary opportunity to snap a quick image. Other times it’s a commitment to time and place to capture a specific scene.

Seasons Present Options

>Sunrise and sunset are favorite times of day to photograph the changing colors on the mountain ridges, in a sky of clouds, and in reflective pools and alpine lakes. Winter offers stunning snow capped peaks, spring brings a pastel bloom of wildflowers, summer is green and leafy, and fall delivers a riotous tumble of color alongside creeks and down ravines. These seasonal changes present many variations in the natural light and a range of different colors in the flora.

But wait there’s more …

“Really!” I hear you exclaim.

Besides the frequently photographed landscape scenes here, there are people, places, animals and things that provide inexhaustible and fascinating subject matter.

People

Of the many things that folks do out here, most and perhaps all of these lend themselves to photography. Rock climbers on the boulders in Buttermilk Country are strong and athletic and create wonderful figure studies in contrast to the stark rock. Cyclists and runners give movement and speed to images and paraglider pilots capture the human desire for flight. The elegance of fly-fishing is sublime and the delight on a child’s face when s/he catches a big one is a moment of pure unadulterated joy.

Annual events bring people from all walks of life to Bishop to celebrate music, culture and competition. The Millpond Music festival in September is a lively weekend filled with music and unabashed dancing. The California High School State Rodeo finals and Mule Days are highly competitive events in which women, men, girls and boys pit their talents in a variety of equestrian disciplines against each other. The result is a tremendous display of human and animal skills.

Also in September the Bishop Paiute Tribe holds an annual Pow Wow and parade during the California Native American Day Celebration. It is a colorful and joyous event to honor and observe deep-rooted cultures and traditions.

There are festivals and parades, running and cycling races, climbing events, fishing contests, and holiday festivities. These are always enjoyed by all and captured by most for posterity, but an accomplished photographer will create art worthy of framing.

Places

Naturally this landscape is the quintessential place where inspiration is everywhere one looks, but certain places offer just a little something else for the photographer with a designer’s eye.

The Town

Bishop’s Main Street has a charming, old-fashioned look—a time capsule, you might say—that harks back to a forgotten era.  The original old buildings and storefront facades are reminiscent of the frontier heritage on which this town was built. A favorite time of mine is dusk when the fading light is soft and the streetlights shine like jewels.

Waterways

The waterways around Bishop, while unassuming and seemingly insignificant, are a vital resource of the area. This land has long been a battleground on which conflict has raged (in the courts and on paper) for the rights and access to water. Reservoirs and canals, ponds and wells are carefully designed to store, transport and share this life giving resource. These manmade structures are geometric juxtapositions in this overwhelmingly natural environment that afford excellent studies in composition and contradiction.

One such body of water is Crowley Lake, where a unique set of circumstances has revealed an extraordinary natural wonder. Known as the Crowley Columns, these fascinating formations were hidden underground for millions of years. Over time, the lake’s powerful waves carved into the softer rock, gradually exposing the pillars. Now, with lake levels receding due to recent drought, these towering columns stand prominently above the shoreline—one of the Eastern Sierra’s most intriguing natural oddities.

Access requires a high clearance 4×4 vehicle to a nearby beach, or a good hike or bike ride along the dirt tracks of the overlooking ridge with a scramble down the sloping hillside. It can of course be accessed by boat. Tread lightly and take only photographs!

Animals

Wild and domesticated creatures are in abundance in the fields and forests around Bishop. You just need to know when and where to look. This is a dog’s paradise and at just about any time of day along any canal and footpath you’ll find a dog and it’s owner out enjoying the great outdoors. Horses, cattle, mules, donkeys, goats and chickens feed and frolic (do chickens frolic?) in pastures and barnyards.

Season Migrations

In late fall the mule deer descend from the mountains to feed on the tender shoots of the bitterbrush and sagebrush that is abundant in Buttermilk country. As they do so do the mountain lions, and travelers are cautioned not to let children wander off too far alone. Sightings of these big cats, which biologists call Puma concolor – literally ‘cat of one color’, are rare and no attack has ever been recorded in the region.

Twilight heralds the emergence of the crepuscular and nocturnal fauna. Coyote calls can be heard from miles away and packs will begin their evening work of looking for a meal. Bobcat and ring-tailed cats, both residents of The Great Basin desert, are a rare sighting, but skunks and racoon are often seen frequenting the outskirts of developed areas. Marmots, jackrabbits and the kangaroo mouse make their lives here and populations grow and decline with changes in climate and ecological balance.

Birds are numerous

If you’re new to birding, start with Bishop’s “Give The Gift Of Birding” to get an introduction to the activity. Then check out Bishop’s Birding page—a helpful resource for identifying commonly seen species and the best spots to find them.

For bird identification on the go, the Sibley eGuide to Birds app is an excellent reference. It’s the digital version of the acclaimed guidebook and includes over 6,600 images, every word of text, 800 range maps, and the songs and calls of nearly every species—all right in your pocket. I’ve found it invaluable in this big backyard we call home.

Be Bear Aware

This topic would not be complete without the mention of bears! The black bear population in California has increased in the last 25 years and is now conservatively estimated at between 25,000 and 30,000. While bear populations are less dense in the extensive Sierra Nevada region (from Plumas county to Kern county) these mountains do provide habitat for 40% of the statewide black bear population.

Black bears are largely docile animals and feed principally on nuts, berries and insects in summer. They are omnivorous and opportunistic and will consume anything that seems edible. Reports have indicated that they will catch and eat young fawn. They become easily habituated to human presence and are attracted to garbage, pet food, and can sniff out trail food from a good distance away.

The U.S. Forest Service and two large National Parks administer over two-thirds of the bear habitat within this region. Be sure to get the necessary permits and bear canisters when hiking and camping in the region.

Things

Relics of the past pepper this landscape with unusual clusters of weathered debris and dilapidated old structures. The patina that time has produced on the many bits of rusted steel and old wood at these abandoned mines, all but forgotten barns, and old grain silos is an opportunity for exquisite close ups. These old structures also offer beautiful studies in contrast with bright beams of sunlight penetrating through cracks into darkened interiors.

Big Night Skies

The one ‘thing’ that has captured the human imagination from time immemorial is The Milky Way. The night sky has been a source of wonder for eons and out here it is still incredibly wonderful to behold. The clear air and lack of light pollution surrounding Bishop make way for unimpeded visibility of the stars.

Still not convinced?

Check out travel writers Katherine and Romeo Belarmino’s experience capturing our night skies in their article, “Night Photography: Beautiful Bishop After Dark.”

On a night when the Moon is new a canopy of bright stars sparkles in the night sky like a never-ending display of brilliant fireworks. The ribbon of The Milky Way is as obvious here today as it was when Galileo first focused his rudimentary telescope at this phenomenon in 1610 and discovered that it was made up of stars. To dive deeper into the mysteries of the universe, be sure to visit the Owens Valley Radio Observatory—a gateway to exploring the galaxy beyond our planet.

In so many parts of the world where this spectacle can no longer be seen there are countless children and adults too who have never set eyes on it. This is something that all people should witness and contemplate. It is our history and our future.

Full moon nights are truly magical—especially in winter, when snow-capped mountains reflect the soft glow of moonlight. Local outdoor and adventure groups often host full moon hikes, bike rides, and cross-country ski or snowshoe tours throughout the year. These events are a great way to enjoy the landscape in good company and capture incredible action shots in breathtaking settings.

Prefer to go solo? Bishop’s “Night Sky in the Eastern Sierra” page has everything you need—from top spots for stargazing to helpful resources for planning your own nighttime adventure.

When and Where

There are more opportunities for photography than can be listed here. Every season has something to offer and as so many Bishop and Eastern Sierra residents say, “There is a lifetime of exploration here.”

Pop in to the Bishop and US Forest Service visitor centers, go to the galleries and the Inyo Council for the Arts, talk to the staff and docents at local museums and events offices, chat with customer service folks at local stores, and by all means just stop and ask a local resident.

We are crazy in love with our town and its surroundings and will tell you stories about it and give you directions to all manner of wonderful things to see and photograph. We just ask that you please respect the privacy of individuals and private property, keep our public lands clean and undisturbed, and please, please never feed wild animals.

We’d love it if you shared your photographs to our Facebook page too!