How do you approach composition when photographing trees?

[Thomas Bertilsson]

What the heck - may as well add a tree/forest photo of my own.

Hope it survives the manipulations necessary to squeeze in on to the page - it looks a lot better as a print or, best yet, a projected transparency.

That's wonderful, Matt. Luminous.

 

[Vaughn]

Thanks, Thomas. One of these days I'll re-copy the print and re-post a decent image of it. The reproduction ended up with much too much contrast -- in the original the only area without shadow detail is right under the root wad, and the highlight values are much more controlled.

 

[DREW WILEY]

Nothing the web is capable of conveying can do justice to your actual carbon prints, Vaughn. It's like trying to listen to a symphony with one's
head buried in the sand.

 

[VaryaV]

Thanks, Thomas. One of these days I'll re-copy the print and re-post a decent image of it. The reproduction ended up with much too much contrast -- in the original the only area without shadow detail is right under the root wad, and the highlight values are much more controlled.

What? I totally disagree with you Vaughn. The way you presented the image show just how bloody 'hot and arid' the desert is. Especially Death Valley. I think it's perfect as is. I think if you had more shadow detail it would lose that sense of aridity. I could be wrong but the feeling it conveys is perfect to me. Love that tone.


I think breaking down the galleries would be a great idea. I wonder where I would post my stuff... the sandbox gallery?

 

[StoneNYC]

For me it's all about capturing the spirit of a place. If there are trees in it, I still focus on the place they are in, because that's important in how the tree developed into what it is.
The woods and trees are magical to me, so I try to capture that wonder, always interested in the light that surround them. Like Vaughn, I think the light makes the photograph come alive.

We had a discussion long ago about TMY-2 and Rodinal, and I took your advice with agitation (part of it) and have now incorporated it into my normal technique, for that I thank you. That tree image has also grown on me significantly, the second one, it took me a long time to appreciate it for some reason, and now it understand, it's awesome.

That's all I got.

 

[StoneNYC]

What the heck - may as well add a tree/forest photo of my own.

Hope it survives the manipulations necessary to squeeze in on to the page - it looks a lot better as a print or, best yet, a projected transparency.

Nice job!

 

[Vaughn]

What? I totally disagree with you Vaughn. The way you presented the image show just how bloody 'hot and arid' the desert is. Especially Death Valley. I think it's perfect as is. I think if you had more shadow detail it would lose that sense of aridity. I could be wrong but the feeling it conveys is perfect to me. Love that tone....

Actually, I think Thomas was talking about image of the nude on the fallen redwood ( a 7x19 silver gelatin print from a 4x5 neg). The desert palm image is pretty close to the original -- just lost a little highlight detail in the foreground in the reproduction -- thanks for the comment on the desert image, though!

 

[VaryaV]

Speaking of GREAT news! My Curry Leaf trees survived the cold blast. I can't believe it. Everything else bit the dust. I wrapped those babies up in blankets and as many sheets as I could find over bamboo poles. They're native to India and don't like temps under 55(F). About 5' tall now and tap root would kill the tree if I dug them out. I am so happy. They are part of my food forest I use for cooking. I snapped a few pics of them in D100/Pyro-HD. I'll print them over the weekend and show them. I have been protecting them, the leaves are so heavily-scented you get a wonderful aroma every time you brush by them... of course they are planted right along the path to the d/r. Unfortunately almost everything else died. It got down to 12 & 18 (F) for 3 consecutive days with no snow cover to protect them.

 

[VaryaV]

Actually, I think Thomas was talking about image of the nude on the fallen redwood. The desert palm image is pretty close to the original -- just lost a little highlight detail in the foreground in the reproduction -- thanks for the comment on the desert image, though!

Well, it wouldn't be the first time I made a dork of myself.

 

[MattKing]

Thanks all.

I have lots of shots of trees - my wife sometimes accuses me of being unable to shoot anything that doesn't have a rock or a tree in it.

But I must say that this thread makes me think of Tolkein and the elves.

 

[VaryaV]

But I must say that this thread makes me think of Tolkein and the elves.

You know, I was thinking that very thought myself!! Tom Bombadil and his maiden lady Goldberry.

 

[Vaughn]

Well, it wouldn't be the first time I made a dork of myself.

No worries...It was not obvious.

Sometimes one finds an image with-in an image. After taking the one of my boys (159mm lens on 8x10), I noticed the redwood off in the light in the far back left. I used a 19" lens for it (4x10). I was set-up about 15 to 20 feet above the ground on some fallen redwoods. Both are platinum prints.

 

[VaryaV]

Magical. Words can not describe the beauty but my eyes of joy do...

 

[Vaughn]

You know, I was thinking that very thought myself!! Tom Bombadil and his maiden lady Goldberry.

And Ents! Many things 'wrong' with the LotR movies. 1) No Tom Bombadil and his maiden lady Goldberry and 2) the Ents got trashed and turned into comic characters that had be tricked by hobbits to act!

And I have to toss in another image -- Three Boys, Three Snags, Prairie Creek Pedwoods State Park, 8x10 carbon print

 

[StoneNYC]

And Ents! Many things 'wrong' with the LotR movies. 1) No Tom Bombadil and his maiden lady Goldberry and 2) the Ents got trashed and turned into comic characters that had be tricked by hobbits to act!

And I have to toss in another image -- Three Boys, Three Snags, Prairie Creek Pedwoods State Park, 8x10 carbon print

Wow, incredible! And I can only find 2 boys... Where's Waldo?

 

[kintatsu]

For me, it has to do with the feeling of the scene or area. Trees are part of the scenes I shoot most, so how they feel in the scene determines a lot.

 

[Vaughn]

Wow, incredible! And I can only find 2 boys... Where's Waldo?

Hunkered down between the two boys in white. It was a two-minute exposure...the boys are good at holding still!

On a Mac, one can click on the image, click on it again (brings it to a new window, and to its best quality level), then enlarge it many times (Command-+) and find Bryce easily. Don't know how to enlarge the screen on a PC.

 

[StoneNYC]

Hunkered down between the two boys in white. It was a two-minute exposure...the boys are good at holding still!

On a Mac, one can click on the image, click on it again (brings it to a new window, and to its best quality level), then enlarge it many times (Command-+) and find Bryce easily. Don't know how to enlarge the screen on a PC.

Ahhh haha, I'm on a iPhone.... Hahaha

But I have a Mac at home

 

[VaryaV]

And Ents! Many things 'wrong' with the LotR movies. 1) No Tom Bombadil and his maiden lady Goldberry and 2) the Ents got trashed and turned into comic characters that had be tricked by hobbits to act!

And I have to toss in another image -- Three Boys, Three Snags, Prairie Creek Pedwoods State Park, 8x10 carbon print

Yes, I was VERY upset there was NO Bombadil. He was the MOST important character in the whole series for me... the ring had NO power over him. How they could have left that out was shocking. The Ents are the wise-old caretakers of the forests. To make a mockery of them was blasphemy! grrrr! Anyway I grew up with the books and read them cover to cover and how many sets were just destroyed... should have gone with the hardcovers. So I was really picky about the film....


I love that pic, Vaughn, really puts humans in perspective to those humble giants...("puny, defenseless bipeds," as Tom Baker said.) I can see the 3rd one Stone but on an iPhone it's probably too small for you, he is swallowed up by the shear size of the 'Ent' snag being in dark clothes but you can make the head out.

All these trees and forests are wonderful!

 

[Toffle]

I don't know how I've missed this thread. There are some stunning images here. I am humbled by the awesome talent these photographs represent.

Seeing as we seem to be speaking of Hobbits here, as Samwise would say, there's tress and then there's trees. In isolation a tree becomes a monument, a testament, an Ent. In a tight-knit forest a challenge is to find the light that allows the subject to distinguish itself from its neighbours. The old expression can get turned on its head - you can't see the tree for the forest. As I said, I am humbled; I don't think there is a single tree in my gallery that could stand next to the amazing work here.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[Bill Burk]

I'm a bit behind developing so my shots from last weekend are still latent images... hopefully I'll get them developed and printed before the MSA is finished 'cause I used a cheap camera for some...

Toffle, your DeLaurier Trail Marsh 3 fits in well, your poetic approach shows. Trees are not an exclusive club. So many of us love them for deep reasons.

Some of my fascination with trees comes from my childhood. I used to climb trees and make treehouses, chase snakes out to the thinnest branches, fall down into beds of soft nettle. I'd walk barefoot under Live Oaks, climb up to check out galls and ants.

Ralph,

You don't have to change your approach, I am a hunter, I rarely "make" photographs. But I understand the difference and we need both kinds. Instead of making Bonsai, you can go out and get the trees and bring them indoors...

 

[NedL]

I've enjoyed reading this thread very much!

 

[Steve Smith]

Here is one of mine which won first prize in a competition. The prize... to climb a tree!



http://www.goodleaf.co.uk/


Steve.

 

[StoneNYC]

I'm a bit behind developing so my shots from last weekend are still latent images... hopefully I'll get them developed and printed before the MSA is finished 'cause I used a cheap camera for some...

Toffle, your DeLaurier Trail Marsh 3 fits in well, your poetic approach shows. Trees are not an exclusive club. So many of us love them for deep reasons.

Some of my fascination with trees comes from my childhood. I used to climb trees and make treehouses, chase snakes out to the thinnest branches, fall down into beds of soft nettle. I'd walk barefoot under Live Oaks, climb up to check out galls and ants.

Ralph,

You don't have to change your approach, I am a hunter, I rarely "make" photographs. But I understand the difference and we need both kinds. Instead of making Bonsai, you can go out and get the trees and bring them indoors...

View attachment 80042

That lens bokeh is beautiful.

 

[Bill Burk]

It's the lens from my dad's Spotmatic II (but on a Spotmatic F) - the golden colored SMCT 50mm f/1.4 - wide open - I needed the highest shutter speed I could get, I think 1/30 and a deep breath.