A recent post by @Kerry_Gordon featuring trees in a forest fire burn area inspired me to go back resurrect this shot from 2017. This image was taken at the east end of St. Marys Lake in Glacier NP Montana. This burn area was at the top of a ridge above the lake, and was along the Going to the Sun Road. I was drawn to the story of rejuvenation, with the Fireweed blooming amid the scarred trees. I also liked that this burn area was on the top of a ridge, thus I was able to also include a glimpse of the emerald water in the lake below. I loved the contrast between the blackened trees (which almost look like a B&W image), and the vibrant color of the flowers and the glacial lake. Even in a place of destruction there can still be beauty. Mother Nature endures…
Great image Ed. Beautiful carpet of wildflowers and the BG water and hillside color is fantastic. And love the blackened trees. I also like it with the fallen tree removed, but don’t know your feelings on amount of cloning JMHO.
Wonderful magenta vs green
Made me wonder what it would look like with motion blur …
A few words of explanation … I have taken shots of shaggy lodgepole and fireweed and felt the need to be rid of the branches and concentrate on the colors and vertical shapes, so I went with ICM and was reasonably happy. In this image the lake behind adds a dimension and color beyond any of my captures.
Boy, does this ever look familiar. All that fireweed injecting colour into a forest that is burned black. And black and purple are so complimentary. This is a great scene that uses the blackened trunks to create pattern. I would be tempted, however, to push the vibrance in the grass and fireweed while at the same time really bringing down the brightness. I would like to see a darker field, especially below but also behind, against which the dead white branches could stand out a little more.
I missed this one somehow, Ed. I am glad you resurrected this as it is a lovely image that records the resilience of nature so well. The colorful fireweed compliments the turquoise color of St Marys Lake and contrasts beautifully with the blackened tree trunks. The details in the larger version are especially nice. I could see cloning some wildflowers; if you were so inclined; into that one section of bare ground in the middle of the frame, but that is more of a personal preference rather than a nit because this is fantastic as is.
