Challenge 197 -- all about a tree or trees

[Lavenderhill]

QThis Challenge 'all about a tree or trees' is about showing the beauty of any aspect of a tree or trees. The aspect is entirely your choice.
Think of taking details of the bark or roots (amazing patterns), up close details of a leaf or leaves, branches against the sky or a background.
Think of dead trees or live trees, think of a stumpery.
Think of the single tree on a lonely hill top to the Amazon rain forest and anything in between the two!

Where ever you are in the world there will be trees either in full leaf, in flower or showing winter beauty.

For those amongst us who are not able to get outside think of bonsai.

I heartedly encourage everyone regardless or whether you are new or shy or who have never considered entering to join in - I have learnt much from friendly feedback and joining in.
Get your brain cells working, pick up your camera and think TREE where ever you look.


Judging will be based on :-

* fulfilling the brief
* a good photo based on composition, focus and consideration to the light.
Having impact. Will I remember your image after I go away from the computer?


I’ll do my best to give friendly feedback and to find a winner based on my criteria stated above, bearing in mind my strictly amateur status and limited experience. I have absolutely no qualifications other than I know what I like.


The usual rules apply:-


• The competition subject shall be selected by the winner of the preceding competition who will also judge the competition.
• One picture per person; images should conform to general image posting rules.
• All entries to be shot with a Canon EOS camera i.e. SLR / DSLR / M & R series
• Posted images should be taken during the running period of the competition. Any images submitted that were taken before the competition started, or after the competition has ended, will be deemed invalid.
• Images 800 pixels widest maximum (to help those with small monitors).
• No Photoshop frames and borders.
• Include a title; the image must convey the theme without title description.
• Please, NO comments on images- on this or another thread- until the round is over.
• No canvassing e.g. “I’m thinking of posting this image for the challenge, what do you think?”
• I will pick 1st, 2nd and 3rd favourite images (please don’t PM me to discuss my choices).


The closing date for the Challenge is midnight 30 July 2023 (BST).


I look forward to seeing your entries.

Good luck, but most importantly fun and enjoy yourself.

Rose

[Stackman]

Wind in the Willow

Wind in the willow by Chris Haigh, on Flickr

Chris

[Lavenderhill]

just a friendly bump.
Rose

[Farider]

A weeping willow in dappled light with branches so long that they almost touch the ground.

IMG_6285_p by Ian, on Flickr

Ian

[Glezga]

The Amputree

This was begging to be photographed. It looked like it was on the wrong side of the fence, reaching out to younger trees. Quite sad really.

IMG_5692 by Steven McNeill, on Flickr

[macabee]

Strength of the prevailing wind!
IMG_6491.jpg

[Daisy M]

By The Loch.

By The Loch. by David Miller, on Flickr

[EOSwinters]

All about the trees
by Nigel Winters, on Flickr

[Lavenderhill]

The challenge is now closed, I’ll go away to do the judging and be back with the results.
Watch this space.
Rose

[Lavenderhill]

Firstly, thank you for your entries; I have really enjoyed seeing them and each one celebrated the beauty of a tree or several trees in different ways. As has been commented in other Challenges, the differing ways of interpreting a theme makes setting it and watching the entries submitted fun.

I hope you relished being out and about enjoying the countryside at the same time as thinking about the Challenge. From the results I think a wide range of weather was experienced!

Here are my strictly amateur thoughts on each entry.


Wind in the Willow. Stackman (Chris).
This neatly encapsulates the tree, its history and current status as well as the prevailing weather. The movement of the branches conveys the strength of the wind al the time the photo was taken, it makes me shiver. I like how you have captured the branches which show where damage has occurred; this is a tree that has survived and I hope continues to do so.


A weeping Willow Farider (Ian)
Another Willow tree but you could not wish for more of a contrast between the two! This one has branches barely moving and so long that they appear to be within a few inches of touching the ground.
The density of the branches hints at the size of the tree, I love the sunlight and shadow in the leaves giving a dappled almost painterly effect.


The Amputree. Glezga. (Steven)
It is good to see an entry from one of the new members; welcome to the Forum Challenge Steven- I hope you enjoyed taking the photograph.
This is a photo of contrasts - between the stark, angular dead tree and the softer living ones, between the dark almost gloom of the forest and the bright trail of the grass which almost hints where the tree will finally fall. I like the composition of the photo and the lighting.


Strength of the prevailing wind. macabee
A photo which shows both how strong the wind can be and at the same time how a tree can adapt, survive and grow.
I like the framing / composition which adds to the overall feel of the image, the degree of tilt would be lost in a smaller frame. I hope the tree continues to survive.


By the Loch. Daisy M (David).
A photo of a forest which neatly conveys the variety of the trees as well as their size and shape. The darker trees on the left which move across the image contrast with the smaller, younger looking trees lit by sunlight. I do not know if this was taken in the morning or evening light, I love the pink sky and for me the photo would not be the same with the standard blue sky.


EOSwinters (Nigel)
An Image or in my view, a silhouette, of a pair of trees against a washed out sky / background which is relived by a bluish grey background on the rightside of the photo.
The trees appear to be sentinels keeping guard over the shrubs which are beginning to appear. I like the monochrome effect.


Each entry was very good and any of the photos could easily be placed first, it has not been a simple or easy task to choose. Nether the less a decision had to be made.
So, in reverse order;-


3. Trees in silhouette EOS Winters (Nigel)

2. The Amputree Glezga (Steven)

1. By the Loch Daisy M (David)


Congratulations to Daisy M, and it is over to you for the next Challenge.

Rose.

[Glezga]

Congrats David ;)

[Daisy M]

Thanks so much Rose, it was taken early morning at my favourite fishing Loch. Well done to Steven and Nigel and big thanks for setting the challenge and your remarks Rose. Will get my thinking cap on for the next challenge.
Dave

[NathCarr91]

Well done Rose for hosting this months challenge, I didn't get to enter this time as I've not been out much, but if trees were the theme last month I had an image that hit the lonely tree on a hill brief you mentioned. I'll maybe post it up somewhere else.

Well done to all the podium and a huge well done to David for his win looking forward to your challenge.

[Farider]

Well done David, Steven and Nigel and thanks to Rose for the challenge and judging.

look forward to your next challenge David

Ian

[Stackman]

Well done everyone