This is from Feb 9th of this year on the central Oregon coast. It was windy and cold. The winter storms and high surf create conditions where at low tide occasionally you can fined the remains of an ancient coastal forest. These remains are buried in the sand most of the year, and thus deprived of oxygen. Consequently, they never deteriorate like other forest materials. These trunks and roots are estimated to be between 2000 - 4000 years old. They are not quite petrified, but certainly they have stood the test of time.
The subject matter is quite interesting to me. They are unique, at least in my mind, so I wanted them to have a unique, even stark, treatment. Most often I shoot with a monochromatic rendering in mind. This subject seemed quite well suited to this. In fact, the subject is really quite drab as a color rendering in the overcast late afternoon light. I wanted the image to be impactful. Anything that has been around for a few millenia deserves deference, and maybe “special treatment.”
Wow! Stunning!
I love the Oregon coast, having gone there many times as a kid. I’m used to seeing timber’s everywhere, but usually as driftwood. Thanks for this natural history lesson.
This image is stark and beautiful. I love the deep blacks and bright whites, making for a pristine look. And, the twisted shapes of those trees are exquisite. I’m interested in the 374 second exposure. What determined this exposure time? Did you use a filter too?
Anyway, I really really like this image!!!
Glad you like it, Mark. This is a bit more than a six minute exposure with a 13 stop ND filter. It smooths the water and reflections, plus creates that white outline around the timbers. (There was a good deal of winter wind the was rippling all the water.)
You wanted “impactful” and achieved it, especially in B/W. Must have been at least a -1.0 tide. This is a real stunner and fits the challenge perfectly.
Absolutely arresting and otherworldly. The shapes and textures are so intriguing and I thank you for freezing for those many seconds. Curious if you have a landscape oriented version of this…inquiring minds want to know.
Mark, this is spectacular. The dark trees surrounded by the pools of brightness and the way they angle through the frame are quite compelling. They are set off well by the mix of bright and dark in the sky.
Hi Kristen, Thanks for your kind words. I did a couple horizontals. In fact, my first exposures were horizontals, but it didn’t work. Not as well, any way. The long perspective a “vanishing point” in the upper right corner gave the image more depth and impact. Then, I also felt that the pointy diagonal of the timbers was nicely echoed by the point of land in the upper right of the frame. I imagine this could have been made to work as a landscape, but apparently not by me. (Oh, looks like ur a cheese head. I grew up in Minnesota - a long time ago, so we both know that this isn’t REALLY cold.)
This is beyond incredible – the shapes are so well bought out by the tonalities!!! You achieved a wonderful mood with the long exposure and I love the way you framed the scene! The clouds were the perfect gift.
I wonder about the tiny detail along the left edge – a rough area of sand? It pulls my eye a bit from a clean sweep up along the trees. But cropping it out would mess up the composition. The only option would be cloning (perhaps at low opacity) but that would spoil the perfection of the scene if it is otherwise pure, so ignore my very minor nit.
Hello Diane,
Thanks for your feedback. I too took notice of the rough edge at the left of the frame wher e the water and sand meet. Initially I thought that this made the image “more real,” but now I have to wonder if cloning it out might not be the way to go. I will have to try a version like this to see how it looks. Again, I thank you for your kind words.
I really love this image, dramatic B&W is so beautiful and seems to suit this subject. The contrast of blacks and whites and the subtle tones on the timbers themselves make me want to just keep looking
If you’re willing to share, I would like to learn more about how you processed the image. E.g., was it primarily basic adjustments or also using the B&W color mix?
“…just keep looking.” That might be the best response any photographer could have to an image. Thank you. The processing is all standard, mostly in LR. Though I don’t specifically recall, there likely were curves and levels adjustment layers also applied in PS. There was no use of the B&W color mix.
There is a sense of timelessness, and mystery, which these trees truly represent. One feels connected to a time way before our own. They have an animated quality and yet they are still. Very nice work.
