Personally, this is one of my favorites from Zion. I can’t describe why, but it’s been more than a month and it still gives me a smile. Would like to hear your comments, feedback, and critiques on it.
D750, 110mm, f/8, 1/125, ISO 500
@adhikalie
@adhikalie
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Absolutely agree! It’s often hard to describe why something work visually and something else does not. In this case I think it’s the forms and design of this image. But its more than that here. The root makes an impression that goes beyond the fact that it’s ‘just a root’. It takes you on a mental journey due to it’s particular shape. That, at least, is how I see it. This is one of those ‘personal’ images that don’t seem on the surface to be that interesting. It’s an image that most people would not make.
I can see why - the shapes here are well isolated - the angle of the roots and the trunk. The spray of leaves provides a soft counterpoint to the gritty soil and rock. The plants on the bottom balance the leaves on the top. Maybe a tad darker in the midtones would add a little subtle contrast, but it doesn’t need much IMO. When I was in the U.P. this summer I took a similar image of a cedar tree on the cliff on Lake Superior. For me, seeing things like this reminds me that life hangs on no matter what. Resilience is built into everything because evolution doesn’t work without it. This is a great example of that. Thanks for sharing and being open to this kind of scene.
I really like this one too. Tough, resilient trees in the red rock. It tells a great story and looks really good while doing it.
I agree – a special image! Interesting design telling a story of resilience, maybe even cleverness, in finding a foothold. (Hmmm – not to demean it, but you might sell this for one of those posters you see in offices about all those qualities that are encouraged in the workforce. There is often some very good photography in those.)
@Igor_Doncov, @Kris_Smith, @Harley_Goldman, @Diane_Miller thank you everybody!
funnily, I have a friend that has made a similar remark (about my photographs in general). He said, “These are motivational poster photos.” And I am not quite sure how to respond to that.
I’d take it to mean it’s an image with a strong positive impact. Not a bad intention for most of our images.
To answer your question about being a motivational poster, to me, motivational posters usually tell a compelling and profound, obvious story and that is what this image does. It really shows the struggle to survive, and not only survive, but rise above that which might hold you down and blossom at the same time.
The angles that the root follows mimics the carving in the rock. Over time, you can see how the root and the tree had to adapt to survive. So many twists and turns and radical bends, you can really appreciate how this tree adapted and overcame. I agree with @Igor_Doncov, that most people would not have taken this image because most would have walked right by without noticing the story or the composition. I’m wondering if you walked by this many times in the past before seeing tis or if it popped right out to you?
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Thanks, @David_Haynes!
@Diane_Miller, @David_Haynes: Yeah, I think that’s the right way to look at that comment. At first, I thought it meant something along the line of the image being cliché or cheesy, even. But you have given me a new way of receiving that comment.
Thanks for asking this, David. When I first walked past it, I knew there is an image somewhere there. But it took me many tries (and a few years) to actually come back with this composition. One year the lighting was wrong and since this was quite low on the priority of things that I would like to shoot and I consistently, got to this spot at the wrong time. Another year, I just couldn’t figure out how to frame this right. I got lucky this year.
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