I haven’t lived in Oregon for a year yet, and haven’t really visited many places due to the pandemic, but I’ve seen a lot, just in an hour radius, of what they call “forest management”. It looks like strip mining to me. I’ve also seen erosion caused from this in lower parts of some forests making trees fall over and landslides. I’m standing in a similar clearing across from this clearing in the distance.
Specific Feedback Requested
I have 2 images, one with a little more sky and mainly showing the trees chopped down on the hill, the other is adding another clearing in the distance and trying to show part of the clearing that I’m in. Which is better, are neither good. Any other thoughts or feedback are appreciated.
Technical Details
Is this a composite: No
Nikon D3400
ISO 100
75mm
f/14
1/100
I like the first picture better in terms of overall composition. I think it gets your point across - the way the forest has been ravaged - much better than the second because there is less sky and the dead tree is grounded in the cleared, lifeless soil. The main problem with the first image, for me at least, is that you’ve situated the dead tree very nearly centre of the frame top to bottom. It looks like there is some sort of contrast or comparison between what is on the left and what is on the right, which I’m guessing was not your intention. The situation of the dead tree in the centre of the frame becomes the focal point of the picture but seems to distract from the main point you are trying to make.
I have to agree with @Kerry_Gordon’s comment about the straight tree. I don’t think it’s the best way to make your point. The remains of a fg stump that doesn’t block the view would have been better. Busted logs, torn up dirt, machine tracks are other ideas.
I live in Oregon as well. Usually these clearings are replanted with ponderosa saplings every 4 feet. Unfortunately the resulting woodlands never have the rich diversity of what’s removed. The understory of manzanita are all bulldozed as ‘collateral damage’. Interestingly enough open patches nowadays are more due to wildfires than clear cutting. It’s still a marvelous state though.
Hi Kerry, yes I see what you’re saying. This area isn’t really the most dramatic demonstration of this situation anyway. Thanks for your input and feedback!
Hi Igor, yes, those sound like better ideas, it was first what I was trying for but couldn’t get it with 70mm, I would probably need to use 35 or 55mm, to show it all.
So you live in Oregon too. The worst I’ve seen was when I was over on Mary’s Peak, there is clear cutting everywhere. And this one trail we went on a bunch of trees had fallen over and you could see the ones that were there had actually slid and were tilted sideways down the hill although still holding on! Above had been cleared.
I was wondering is all the moss all over the trees invasive? A lot of the trees don’t look too good. It almost seems like it’s a result of the mismanagement, maybe not.
I agree, Oregon is a beautiful state which makes me sad when I see stuff like this.
Welcome to Oregon, Vanessa!
I prefer the second photo, both because the tall snag is off-center, but also because it is not cut off at the top. If you are processing in Lightroom, you might a little DeHaze to add some contrast to the scene.
While there are plenty of clearcuts in the Cascades, they are even more common in the Coast Range mountains where the forests are a mix of BLM and private lands. In the Coast Range and on the western slopes of the Cascades replanting is usually Douglas fir, or a mix of species in better “managed” forests. The Ponderosa and manzanita that Igor mentions are largely on the east side of the Cascades.
The mosses and lichens on the trees are not invasive, and are more indicative of a healthy forest.
If you want to learn more about Oregon’s forests, I highly recommend the book “Natural History of Pacific Northwest Mountains” by Daniel Mathews.
Thanks! My thoughts exactly about the second one. Yeah, this is in the Coast Range. That’s where Mary’s Peak is too where there’s clear cutting all over. I used to live in the Adirondack Park near the Paul Smith’s College where they actually teach forestry and have a very purposeful way of ‘harvesting’ the trees. I’ve also read about moon harvesting trees, which I think is amazing and makes so much sense even from a business perspective, but it’s more of a long range perspective. Of course, in the consumer driven society we live in what’s truly ecological and even long range doesn’t go with big business.
That’s interesting about the moss, I’ll check out that book! That will be neat to read. I’ve visited Oregon before but this is my first time living here so it will be great to know what I’m looking at when I’m in the forest! Thanks for your feedback and information!
