I was going through my image files the other day and came across a photograph I had made, on film – some time ago – that I always liked. It was early in the year – around February, when I was teaching a class in Pt. Reyes National Seashore. I had just given my students an assignment to go find a small area and create 36 different pictures within that area. While I had the ‘break’, I went out on to the porch of the lodge. From there, you looked across the meadow at this stand of alder trees that lined a creek. At that time of year, the catkins were just popping on the branches, which gave the whole scene a warmth. I liked that you could still see the structure of the trees, something you can never really see once the leaves are on the trees.
Writer Barry Lopez talks about seeing the bones of the earth in winter and that’s how I look at trees – you can see their ‘bones’ when the leaves are not present. The soft light of the misty day presented a wonderful opportunity to capture all the detail I saw with my eye. I used a 300mm lens to visually compress the space between them, and an aperture that would render the trees and branches sharp. Seeing this picture again reminded me of just how much I love the shapes of trees, the texture of their bark, the seasonal effects on them. That’s why I continue to look for and photograph trees of all types, shapes and in all locations of the world. They simply fascinate me.
Thanks for visiting and as always, your comments are appreciated!
I want this in my wall, 160″ by 240″!!! This really resonates for me. I think I’m responding to the quick sketch look of the trees and the grey colors creating a “nature in progress” feel. Like the first stages of a painting. I’ve thought of spring like that but have never seen it photographed this way. Wonderful!!!
Thank you Kalani! you have a wall that big? lol. I would agree, the picture shows the stages of spring – the muted colors of spring just emerging, and it does have the first stages of a painting look and feel. I agree. Maybe next spring, you’ll see it differently now. 🙂 thanks for your comments.
Lovely Brenda! Freeman would approve…
I love trees! I’ve always thought a coffee table book on the grand oaks we have here on the SF Peninsula would make a fabulous project, yet when I try to capture lone trees on brown hills, I always seem to fall short ~ any tips for capturing the feeling in tree images?
hi Greg – I know what you mean – they are not easy subjects to express in an image. There’s no formula of course, each tree subject and each situation is so different. I try generally to look at each tree and assess what it’s strongest features are – in the case of our oaks, for me, it’s the stretching limbs reaching out and upward – so one image for me would be closer-in and taking a low viewpoint looking up. For the ‘lone tree on a golden hillside’ I try to find the balance of the size of the tree agains the space of the hills to suggest the ‘lone tree’. If I’m including sky, I have to consider that space, too. The question really becomes ‘what are you trying to say about that particular tree?’ When you can answer that, you’re halfway there to making a stronger image!
Great suggestions, Brenda! Thank you so much – I feel a exercise for the coming week – Especially the idea of ‘…what am I trying to say…’ Thanks again!
You are most welcome, Greg.