From the other side this sycamore looks solid and nearly invincible. When walking around it you quickly discover there’s a gap at least 5 feet in length, exposing the inside of the tree.
Among The White Giants
On a bright, warm winter day I found myself in the company of white giants reaching for the deep blue sky. It was about 60 degrees fahrenheit but the naked sycamores and the hard light reminded me not to get used to the weather.
Pine At The Top Of The Hill
This pine stands alone near the top of a hill, in a meadow at Shenandoah National Park.
Red Bark
This tree stood along a trail I was hiking one morning. I thought the vivid, rusty bark contrasting with the greens of the moss and pines made this an interesting study of color and texture. The early morning shade provided the perfect soft, even light to produce the deeply saturated colors just as I remember seeing them.
Weekly Photo Challenge: The Golden Hour
It’s Lonely At The Top
This lonely tree grows on a rock outcropping in the Grand Canyon of The Yellowstone. I photographed it one cloudy morning but the result was even, flat lighting, leaving the photo without much of a sense of perspective. The next day I was lucky enough to return at just the right time. The cliff face and tree were bathed in the warm, direct morning sunlight but the opposing canyon wall and the foreground elements were still in shadow. As a result, the subject is literally highlighted.
Tri-Colored Pine Cone
I’m not much of a pine cone photographer (is there such a thing?) but the colors on this cone really caught my eye. It grew from the branch of a fallen tree that was clearly still very much alive.
Tree Fallen in Water
This tree once stood tall and provided shelter and possibly food to many of its forest companions. Seeing it laying, lifelessly in the water reminded me of the simple truth of mortality. Not in a morbid or depressing way, just as an immutable law of nature. Keeping that in mind, we should all live each moment to its fullest.
Magnolia Fruit
The magnolia fruit is always an early sign of fall. The bright, warm color and soft texture of the cone contrast sharply with the dark, cool, shiny leaves of the tree. This one was framed almost perfectly between two leaves.
Solitary Cypress
This cypress tree stands alone, out in the water. I shot this picture at sunrise from about 300 yards away. The fog drifted around the tree as the sun slowly swept it away. As the light and fog were continually changing, I kept shooting and ended up with this image, where most of the fog is between the tree and the shoreline, highlighting it’s isolation.
Ghost Tree
