Tree Theme?

the thing is this:

if your intention was to take a picture of a tree, then the image would show that. if your intention was to show it was snowing, then that came clear.and so on. i can see this is a tree, but its not that interesting. its orange, but it has no story.

while you can't do this now, visiting a farm and shooting autumn there - getting the tree with a horse, or a cow or barn would tell the story. it's autumn in the country. if this is for a contest, it has to grab the attention better. a large knarly tree is often more interesting then skinny ones.

finding the story is hard. telling the story is hard... if you want to show us the leaf then do that. wake up early in the morning, when the light is low and you can see through the leaf. an open landscape in the background, mist rising off the field, maybe a long fence leading away. the main focus is the leaf, the rest has a soft bokeh, and people will understand the meaning of the image. you have to take many pictures and be very observant. you should look through the theme and find images you like and ask why you like them. then try to mimic the results.


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

One of the most important factors in any photograph is the light. Light can take an uninteresting subject matter and make it interesting and beautiful. Conversely, poor lighting will ruin an otherwise good photograph. I think light and composition might be two areas for you to really work on.

The quality of the image is really, really lacking. I don't know what you are using but $250 these days could get you a decent older model micro 4/3 camera that would be 5,000x better.

It takes more than leaves to make something compelling. Here are two of mine that have sold. The autumn leaves are just part of the overall story:





You have to work the scene. Take images from different angles, Try different compositions. Visit the scene at different times etc.

The fence shot was the result of spending 4 hours at a spot. The river one came from spending an hour taking various shots of a covered bridge. I ended up with a shot that didn't even include the bridge.

Thank you everyone. I really like your advice. Now, I know I need to work on my lighting and composition. I'll keep working on it. :) I also like the idea of having a horse or cow under a tree. Thanks again.

i shot this with a pocket camera (should have had my better camera but oh well). it sold a few times. it's just some back alley we have. i added light rays for drama. it was taken later in day.

i don't know if you've ever watched anime. but in cut scenes usually leading up to a school or a house they always show the time of year by showing trees or bugs. cicada's for summer, sakura for spring (cherry flowers), and so on. and photography is the same way. its not just a barn - its a barn in the autumn, because you framed the barn with a colorful tree. it's not just a winter scene with snow on trees, it's the icicles hanging from something and the tree. it's not just a tree, it's the fence, the path and the light hitting it a certain way.


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

As Mike Savad says just photographing a subject (here a tree) is not enough.

The light is important, the depth of the image, what surrounds it and gives it context., and composition.
Just taking snapshots doesn't make anyone a photographer

Here, one of mine, just a tree.. but early morning mist and faded trees and a field beyond.

I did some work in photoshop. Would this pass for a tree theme?

Trees can make a great subject....

Some examples.

What about this one?

Better, but, and these can be fixed in edit....

1. Straighten the horizon, it tilts to the right.

2. Crop out the people's heads in the bottom right.

3. Could use some tweaking with the contrast.

Thank you JC! What about this one?

I made some changes.

Not a big fan of the "Faraway Land" Vonnie. The picture was taken in the middle of the day with harsh light, looks like something recent (spring), the grass is still yellow, the tree on the left does not have any leafs, there is something hanging from the left tree.
I would try different time of day. I think spring is the least interesting for trees.

Here are few of my shoots with trees.

this is rather crooked and not of anything. you can't tell what its about. a building off in the background on a slant. the trees are not prominent enough to say - oh this is about a tree. it's not an easy subject. you would be better off going to a arboretum, at least you would have choices there.


this one is better, you can see trees, and it would cover the topic of trees -- if this was a class assignment. but this is a contest. and the fact that you shot it on a hazy cloudless day, its slanted, and there are people cut in half, its doubtful this would ever place. the rocks are cropped out as well. you don't get a sense of wanting to be there. just a snap on a vacation you were on.

again go out into the forest, go to a garden that has trees, even the cemetery often has nice stuff. and shoot new things.


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

Thanks Mike

I made some changes to the Hawaii Trees picture.

Not bad at all.

The tree shots you have come up with are really just scene shots that happen to have trees in them. The other examples by other people are more typical tree shots.

I agree with JC - trees are a great subject. But, as mentioned above, you have to find a personal approach to every tree and try to see it as no one does.

i don't think making it tighter will help that much. since the coast is cropped so much. its better without the people, but the water is still slanted.

---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

I have whole gallery with the trees, its one of my favorite subjects. They all have own personality and possible to create different mood and even the story.

Vonnie: Study what others have posted from their own galleries and notice some commonalities.
Leading lines: Pathways, long trunks. They all make your eye stay and follow, not dart around looking for a payoff.
Interesting shapes: Twisted branches, asymmetrical lines, unusual trees.
Visual interest: Textures, leaves, perspectives.

Mondrian's Gray Tree taken many steps further. A tree of life.

Note that composition figures prominently. Not just any old tree will do. There has to be more to the shot than just an ordinary tree you would see anywhere. Whether it's the tree's branches, the surrounding area, the light...there has to be SOMETHING else that makes it special, something that makes you want to look at it more than once.

Crazy Tree

of your images, that's probably your best shot, it would be better without that fence. and if it was black and white. it would be better with a better name. not sure what, but something related to age.

---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

My choices are now:

the vote still is the one on the right, minus the fence, in black and white.

the first one doesn't have trees in it.
the second one doesn't look like you shot it for the trees, otherwise you wouldn't have cropped that one off.


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

I need your vote. Black & White or Color? Thanks. I can't decide.

it can't be a straight conversion or it will be too dull. you have to play with it so it has more contrast. still the fence is distracting and doesn't add to this at all. can you get a better angle of this tree? you'll have to mess with curves or levels to get more pop out of it. you want to show off the highlights and shadow with the adjustment. black and white isn't just about removing the color.


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

This is the best tree shot you have put here. Everything Mike says is right. More contrast and less fence.

A suggestion for a title would be Old Man of the Forest -( or Wood). But only if you can lose the fence.

I haven't got any photographs of trees.

Dan's Treehouse by Barbara Moignard

the fence makes this into a snap shot instantly. simply standing to the left a little more would keep it out of frame. when you make an image - if the objects inside the frame don't add to the image, they should be removed, or they will be a distraction. to me, if i were a judge i would say you went through back pictures and found a tree image to fill the requirements. where as the ones who are serious about the contest went out with awesome light and went out of their way to make something for a contest. as it stands right now, it looks like your filling in for a class assignment.


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

Yep, the fence has to go. Mike has been giving you some really sound advice. They ALL feel forced. You should probably go out and shoot more.

This would be more about the moon than the tree. Right?

did you take the image because you thought the tree would light up? or did you take it because the moon was out and the tree was in the way?

when i see that image is see mostly black. a tiny bit of tree, and a white dot without detail. if you used the tree as a frame, to see the moon complete with its original face, then it might be interesting. but still. it looks like your trying to complete a scavenger hunt with images you already have. but its your contest, you have to convince the judges more than anyone else.

---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

Ok, the winners are Hawaii Trees, Autumn, and The End. :) Thank you everyone for your helps. :)

Vonnie... I find it very interesting that 2 of your winners are more images of leaves than of trees. ;O) But that is also what I find so interesting about art... the very subjectiveness ??? of it. Congrats to the winner. ;O)

Ok, I changed my mind again. I decided to go with Fallen Tree, Under the Full Moon & The End. I'll figured it out one of these days. lol

This is kind of a stretch, but maybe tree related? It's really more about water.

Thanks Bob. The pictures weren't actually winners. They are what I picked to enter into the art competition. I decided to go with different pictures. This time they are The End, Under the Full Moon & Fallen Tree. What do you think about my new selections?

only you can choose.

thing is you keep posting the same images. and none of them really say - i'm a tree. this is for a contest. it's to challenge yourself, go out and shoot something new, the rain must have stopped by now.


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

Just finished