Betty Bishop at B & B Backroom Co-op Gallery
by Jan Cox
Betty Bishop is well known in the Lake Almanor area for her many and varied photographs of the area. From the Olsen barn in Chester, to local musicians, old buildings, doors and door knobs, hands at work, dogs, or her own beautiful flower garden, she loves to photograph it all.
She always has her cameras with her as she walks or drives through the Lake Almanor area. You never know when the right picture will present itself, Bishop tells me. Living in Chester across the street from the Olsen barn, she has many opportunities to capture it on film during various weather conditions or lighting.
Betty began photographing in 2000 when she bought her first Nikon N80 and now owns two. One always has black and white film and the other color. Using black and white film has allowed her to become much more aware of light, shadow, and composition in her photographs and in turn makes her a better color photographer.
She suggests that when purchasing a photograph, it should elicit some kind of emotional reaction in the viewer. The same goes for the photographer, taking a picture. She reminds us that the camera doesn’t see what a person sees. So it is necessary when taking a shot that one move around the subject to find the best angle, the best lighting, the best background.
Photography is a creative outlet for Bishop that lasts beyond the moment. To improve on her passion for photography, Betty spends time looking at photographs on the computer or in art shows. She belongs to Plumas Arts and Feather River Fine Arts Association; organizations that make art possible in the community and help expand the world of art opportunities.
You can find her photographs at B & B Backroom Co-op Gallery, Good Vibrations, and Blue Goose Gallery or in her own office at Builder’s Supply in Chester. In August you may catch her at the Lake Almanor Art Show on the Collin’s Pine lawn. In September and October, she will be exhibiting at the Plumas County Museum in Quincy.
