A Familiar Tree

I pass this Sycamore tree almost every day, it’s on the lane towards the village that I walk along at least five or six times a week. Every time I pass and look up at it, particularly on a good weather day, I think “I should remember to bring my camera with me really…“.

Obviously, I did this time.

I don’t think I’ve got anything much to teach anyone–photography is just one of those things, like any visual art, that is liked or not liked for a variety of personal tastes–but I like this composition.

Although there’s a lot going on in it, there is a simpler graphic-like element of the boughs and branches reaching out to the edge of the frame, but I’m not feeling curious about what is outside it and wishing that I could see more. Then closer inspection brings all sorts of detail, down to the veins on backlit leaves.

Somehow, there is just an overall ‘rightness’ about how the branches fan out and the balance of weight in the detail and light.

I think that’s what exasperates me about the ‘what camera and lens did you use?‘ and ‘what settings should I choose for similar results?’ crowd–or, worse, the ‘it would be better if you bought this equipment‘ ones.

Most of the time it’s the composition and timing that does the work making a memorable picture and, given that the tree is just ‘there’ and I have only chosen how to frame it, this picture is mostly just that.

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OK, small advert time (this site has a small registration and maintenance cost to cover, even though I haven’t posted on it as much this year!)

I have now made some pictures available on Pixels (an offshoot of Fine Art America).

And–surprise–I’ve loaded this one so it’s available to buy there, starting at only about £10 for a 8×6 inch print. They do all sorts of gifty stuff, like Redbubble, but I have avoided putting this one on facemasks or tank-tops and concentrated on pictures.

Click the picture below to jump to the page for that one.