Winter Red Pines
Some of the photographs I have always admired are clusters of trees that appear to be in harmony with each other. Forests in general are quite chaotic environments – and to find a composition of a group of trees that just seem to radiate some type of natural order to them is quite challenging for me. It is a type of photograph I have attempted many times. Typically in reflection upon them during editing – they end up in the trashcan.
I have tried to pinpoint what it is that I like about these images and how I can incorporate those likes into compositional adjustments in the field. Identifying those key characteristics isn’t always obvious. Fundamentally I think it is in breaking down a rather complex scene into simple graphical elements. This learning by dissection can help anyone in moving their photography in a direction they desire.
So I have formulated some of these key elements that are appealing to me, and tried to bring some of them together in this image.
- Avoid strong intersecting lines. They seem to create too much tension. Generally it seems small branches are OK, but large trunks, not. I ended up with a few here, but I think they are fairly subtle. This is one of the main issues in the woods around my house that I struggle with. There are fallen trees and strong lines going every which way.
- Soft light. Of course the light needs to be generally soft without significant bright spots or dark areas that will create excessive areas of contrast. Of course, this applies to most landscape photographs. I toned down one of the trunks in this image because it seemed significantly brighter than the others.
- Avoid non-essential elements. In this case, I didn’t find the area at the base of the trees to contribute much to the overall image. It would have also added more distractions to deal with.
- Simplicity. For as much that is going on in a “forest scene” – I like most when despite all of that, the image is still quite simple in its communication, with subtle details to create interest. This image was made in winter time, so there is some snow on the branches to establish the season. I hoped for a bit more snow, but I’ll take what is there for now.
I probably didn’t accomplish all of these things with complete satisfaction in this shot, but it is close. I think the most anyone can gain from such analysis is you end up teaching yourself a lot about what it is that you like, and how to adjust for it in the field.
I also agree it is not easy to photograph images of “clusters of trees that appear to be in harmony with each other.” I feel the same while living near Rocky Mountain National Park for many years. I’ve made many attempts at those clusters of aspens, prominent in the Rocky Mountains. I like your 4 suggested elements and have nothing to add. I do feel that many times we are just not able to capture on our film or sensors the feelings we experience when in nature. But as a photographer we keep trying. Hope you had a wonderful holiday season!
Ahhh – those clusters of Aspens are many of the images that I was referring to.
I agree Monte, more often than not, the copy just doesn’t do the original justice. Thanks for stopping by, and happy holidays to you.
Thanks for sharing your thought process on this – always fascinating to see how someone breaks down the components in their work. I would agree with all of your 4 points and with the fact that these shots are difficult. Their complexity usually gets in the way. Some “tricks” people use to get around that are shooting in fog (which hides some of the extraneous stuff) or panning to smooth out unwanted details.
This one works pretty well, I’d say! I like the balance you achieved between the colors in the trunks and the foliage, with some nice horizontal small branches for accent points.
Thanks Bob. Perhaps at times it can be overly analytical, but I have found this is a good way for me to learn. One thing I want to avoid is turning it into some type of formula. I just use them as general guiding principles.
I agree on fog – it is the great simplifier!
Very nice Mark and I think you did well in capturing it. I especially like the soft warm light in this shot and I too find this type of scene very appealing.
I hope you had a great Christmas and that the coming New Year is especially good to you!
Thanks Earl. I hope you did/do also.
This is not an easy type of image to capture. I think you pulled this one off quite nicely, with enough compromise of the key elements to keep it real.
Thanks Christopher. Sometimes I am able to see these comps, other times not. Like you said – not easy to capture.
Really lovely, Mark – subtle but very rich – I think your notes on composition are spot on.
Happy Holidays!
– Jack
Thanks Jack. Happy Holidays to you also. I like your description of this shot.