Challenge, trees in water, started with: "Three trees in spring pool" by Ed Bussa

[Edward Bussa]

Three trees in spring pool

I haven't shared any photos for a few weeks and so I decided to pick one and share!

Spring is in full swing here in Michigan and I decided to check out a park that I drive by on a regular basis but have never actually stopped to explore. As it turns out, it is a wonderful park with a windy creek and beautiful still, dark pools. This beauty does have a dark side, however, in the form of swarms of mosquitos.

Anyway, on with the show - Aman Park, Pentax K10D, ISO 800, F8, 1/45th:

Slightly desaturated in post-processing, no cropping. C & C requested! Thanks.

 

[Asher Kelman]

This area has obviously been flooded before as the tree in the center shows the fungus has eaten part of the trunk.

This subject might be great to look at as suggested be Angele Weil in her comments in how well the different photographs of trains supplemented one another and made need for words min mal.

For this picture I'd say that the trees are very powerful features. The reflection in the water is so well represented and striking that the need for the rest of the trees is made mute.

In the b,g, the trees at an angle shows the fight trees have to keep growing. In a way, this is about the cycles of nature timing each one of us and then claiming us one by one. This has enough detail and contrast in the foreground to print well. The background preparation for printing might be the area where further work might give the greatest payoff.

Let's have more comment and your own pictures of trees coming from the water!

Asher

 

[Asher Kelman]

No-ne travels where there are trees and water?

Asher

 

[Tom Robbins]

Edward, great topic and a wonderful photo! I suspect your hint of the "dark side" aspect probably weeds out a lot of the goats from the sheep. There's nothing quite like mosquitoes combined with heat and humidity to test a photographer's mettle. Or, perhaps more accurately, one's tolerance to Deet.

This is the Plum River in Illinois very near its confluence with the Mississippi River taken about a year ago. I liked the shadows in the water, but it has no other redeeming value.

 

[James Newman]

I was also out a week ago looking at trees and water...and mosquitos. This is from a cyprus swamp at the Mercer Arboretum and Park in Houston, TX. The Arboretum is a feast for the eyes right now with all of the Spring blooms and the park is a wonderful place as well. There is also a hickory bog right next to the swamp. The occasional heron or egret can be found here at this swamp but on this day there were just too many people. Too bad people don't scare away insects like they do birds. That is what happens on the weekends around here. I liked this image just because of the starkness of the stump against the water as well as its reflection. The water is actually brown, as you can tell right in front of the stump, but the green reflections were from all of the trees in the background that were in full sun. I think it gives a nice color to the image.

 

[Asher Kelman]

Edward, great topic and a wonderful photo! I suspect your hint of the "dark side" aspect probably weeds out a lot of the goats from the sheep. There's nothing quite like mosquitoes combined with heat and humidity to test a photographer's mettle. Or, perhaps more accurately, one's tolerance to Deet.

This is the Plum River in Illinois very near its confluence with the Mississippi River taken about a year ago. I liked the shadows in the water, but it has no other redeeming value.

Tom,

Some pictures cannot be judged easily on a screen. This may be one of them.

I played with this picture after you di'ssed it! I looked at correcting the black and white points, adding a curve and selctively opening up the light in the leaves on the right. Well it popped, the water is superbly glistening. However, it is no longer a place that is indestinct as yours is.

I actually feel that you need to relook at the picture and just go ahead and print it. This is something that may grow on you and has to be printed large to wrork. I believe it might well turn out to be satisfying. It brings the mood of the everglade swamps in Florida, except you have no 'gators.

Asher

 

[Asher Kelman]

I was also out a week ago looking at trees and water...and mosquitos. This is from a cyprus swamp at the Mercer Arboretum and Park in Houston, TX. The Arboretum is a feast for the eyes right now with all of the Spring blooms and the park is a wonderful place as well. There is also a hickory bog right next to the swamp. The occasional heron or egret can be found here at this swamp but on this day there were just too many people. The water is actually brown, as you can tell right in front of the stump, but the green reflections were from all of the trees in the background that were in full sun. I think it gives a nice color to the image.

I could raise hackles by pondering that this has some quality of abstraction and is seemingly rather painterly. However, I am wiser than to use these terms except that to me they do belong! Ha! I said it.

Asher

 

[Uwe Steinmueller]

Cosumnes River

Tree in the Cosumnes river.

Uwe

 

[Erik DeBill]

Does this meet the criteria?

This is the Frio River (or a near tributary) just outside Leakey, TX. The Cypress aren't strictly in the water - they're just growing right next to it.

 

[Asher Kelman]

Actually, Erik, the trees roots are flooded, and as far as he biology of the tree is concenred that counts.

Once the bark gets wet, then oak root and other fungi which are already there get going. This is what causes large areas of the tree diameter to simply be eaten away.

Uwe, you tree is majestic. Is that an Oak?

I know that fires cause the seeds to activate and sprout. I wonder what floods do to the life cycles in the flooded plains?

Asher

 

[Don Cohen]

Here's one that perhaps requires a little 'bending' of the rules - the trees are not physically in the water, but their reflection is

 

[Edward Bussa]

Actually, while going through these pictures I had someone looking over my shoulder. She really liked this picture and wanted to take some time looking at it!

So, I concur with Asher, this picture would seem to have more appeal than you may have thought...

 

[Uwe Steinmueller]

>Is that an Oak?

I think California Oak.

Uwe

 

[James Newman]

I went to a new park and nature center this morning and discovered more cyprus swamps so I thought I would add a couple of more to this thread. I really enjoy the reflected patterns that were created in the smooth water. It's hard in places to see what is reflection and what isn't and I believe that may be the reason I like it.