Nathanielwise's USA Scenic Landscapes

The USA’s natural beauty is a symphony of color, captured in pinks, purples, and golden hues. Our guide through this vivid journey? @nathanielwise, who showcases landscapes that feel surreal.

Where the Unreal Meets the Wild

This reel is an intimate collection of moments recorded by Nathaniel Wise, moments that evoke the beauty of nature. The landscapes he captures are iconic, including mountains, forests, and bodies of water. Each scene is breathtaking, with a bison crossing a snowy road, mountain views and dramatic cliff faces illuminated by golden light, serene lakes reflecting a pink sky, and misty forests. The shots are framed to allow viewers to imagine themselves standing in the same spot as Nathaniel, experiencing the same awe. In this journey, the natural world is a canvas, and the artist is the sun. The color palette is nature’s way of painting the day. All of this builds a sequence of moments “when life felt unreal”, as the on-screen text described it. Nathaniel Wise, is not trying to take you on a photo safari. It’s a glimpse into a specific type of travel: the journey where the destination is only half the point, and the experience is the rest.

Experiential Travel, in a Post-Pandemic World

In the post-pandemic world, travel is experiencing a renewed surge of interest. But the experience of travel has shifted — people aren’t just going to see iconic sites any more, they’re going to see iconic sites and have experiences that inspire and transform them. Travel experiences like Nathaniel Wise’s allow people to actually feel the magic of a place, which aligns with an increasing desire for experiential travel, moments and memories that transcend the ordinary.

The Geology of the Golden Cliffs

There is a singular and mysterious scene in the reel, a Cliff Face that viewer can almost climb for themselves. The cliff features vibrant colors, and the viewer can almost understand how erosion works, bringing inland seas and deserts as well as molten rock to life. The dramatic cliff face is a byproduct of the regional geology, formed through the natural uplift of the earth's crust, erosion, and weathering. The landscape has changed over time, with various forces shaping its appearance. It’s the kind of scenery that, were it a play, would have a stage direction that read “(brings a tear to the eye)”. Viewers can almost feel the ground beneath their feet, as the light changes. The landscape is dominated by large boulders, stone towers, and intricate rock formations formed through erosion over millions of years. This geological marvel is just one of the many examples of how the natural world transforms into dramatic formations.

What Lies Beneath — and Above

To elevate the videography, Nathaniel Wise uses the landscape to create visual tension. The vivid pink and purple skies are a particular feature of the stunning mountain views and serene lakes. The sky in these moments is a visual statement that amplifies the images. The final frame is a misty forest scene, a quieter moment that still evokes awe. The mist itself, is a meteorological phenomenon that occurs when warm, moist air meets a cooler surface, creating a visual tableau of the landscape.

The Soundtrack

Nathaniel Wise’s scene-building does not begin and end with the visuals. The reel is set to M83’s “Solitude,” a song that complements the serene beauty of the landscapes. The music contributes to the overall atmosphere of the reel, enhancing the emotional impact of the visuals.

The Recording Process

Nathaniel Wise shared some of the specific locations and landscapes he recorded.

• Antelope Island, Utah: a vibrant pink and purple sky. Nathaniel Wise’s camera captures the bison crossing a snowy road at sunset, a moment full of wonder and a reminder of the grandeur of nature.
• Yosemite National Park, California: cliffs and mountains illuminated by golden light
• Trillium Lake, Oregon: serene lake reflecting a pink sky
• Yosemite National Park, California the dramatic cliff face illuminated by golden light, a misty forest scene, and a vivid purple sky.

Strategic Timing

Nathaniel Wise’s journey is planned around the timing of what’s visible in the landscape’s color for the best scenes. The light, and the timing of travel moments is all-important. He’s made a career out of bridging time and space and we are lucky to have this glimpse. We see how the light affects the surrounding environment in every scene, from the golden hues of the cliff face to the vibrant pink and purple sky. As a viewer, we are looking at a moment through his lens.

A Road Trippers Guide

Many dream of a road trip featuring the locations that Nathaniel Wise highlights. But unless you have a guidebook or a tour service, it can be tricky to plan. Nathaniel Wise created a guide because it’s a specific type of travel.

• Plan Ahead: Identify the key locations that Nathaniel Wise captures and locate them on a map. This will allow you to plan your journey in an organized manner.
• Purchase a Good Camera: Nathaniel Wise captures moments in stunning detail. Invest in a good camera that will help you do the same.
• The journey is not just the destination: Don’t just book your trip, book and plan your journeying, because the journey is more than half the point. The journey shows us how the landscape changes as we travel, and the best places to stop, rest, and refresh. Nathaniel Wise’s journey highlights the beauty of different locations and provides a sense of the wanderlust that travelers experience.
• • The best time to travel: Nathaniel Wise’s itinerary is sensitive to the time of day and the seasons. It’s often the best part of the journey.