Looking at this tree makes me think of the children's book, The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein.
At the end of the book, the old man who as a young boy would ask his tree to give and give and give, finally realizes that at the end of his life, his needs are very little. In the end, all he desired was a place to rest and the company of an old friend.
These days, I feel like that old man; all I need to be happy are beautiful landscapes and places to explore and the company of good people. The rest is just icing on life's cake.
Love it! That book was my FAVORITE when I was a kid. I wonder if this 'giving tree' is the karmic reciprocal to the notorious, "kite-eating tree", from the classic Peanuts comics & cartoon specials?! That one is the taking tree!
ReplyDeleteOh! And the light in this photo, ahhhhh... great time of day. Lots of deep shadows and brilliant color. Low angle of sunlight. Was it evening? Morning? Was that lighting a lucky find, or did you plan it? Had you observed this tree at varying times of day? The more and more I have photographed over the years, I have learned to gradually develop an evolving rolodex of spaces, light, and seasons in my head. It is an otherwise obsessive and nerdy activity, but in photography, it certainly improves the odds of being 'lucky'! The relationship that one can develop with spaces and places over time really deepens. Awareness of the seasons and the haunting, inspiring quality of the light makes it all worth it.
Thanks for sharing, Crystal!
-TSN
It was about an hour after sunrise when I took this photograph. It was a clear and crisp morning, which made getting the light right very challenging. In my experience so far, I find that the light always seems best in autumn and spring seasons as long as you know how to maneuver around bright sun scenarios. I'll have to investigate why that is. Perhaps it is the Earth's position in relation to the sun during its rotation? Like you, I love returning to my favorite spaces and take new photographs. I never fail to discover a new element or new perspective. Rarely do return visits result in similar photographs. Each moment is different and creates a new look or feel or composition for photographs.
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