Oak Tree

An old oak tree at the end of my parents' road.

I've wanted to photograph this tree and field for a number of years, but it seems that the conditions or timing have never been right. A week or so ago, we were at my parents' house to see my visiting aunts. It had been overcast and cloudy all day, when, at about 3pm, there was a break in the west. I grabbed my camera and GorillaPod Focus and quickly set up for this shot. I reallly like the framing that I was lucky enough to capture. All the lines, from the edges of the gravel path to the horizon to the clouds above, direct the viewer's eye toward the base of the tree. From there they naturally move upward into the detail of the branches. I also like how the sun is just peeking out from the corner in the upper-right.

I hope you enjoy this photo as much as I do. Be sure to click through the image to view a HD copy at 1900x1200. Also feel free to download it for use as a wallpaper, and, as always, leave a comment to let me know what you think.

Click the link below for details on the camera, lens, and settings used to take the photo as well as an overview of the image processing.

The photo is actually a composite of three frames bracketed at -2, 0, +2. Shot with a Canon 60D and Rokinon 14mm F2.8 lens at F8 and ISO100.

Lens correction was done in Lightroom 4.3, then exported and combined with Photomatix. Also processed in OnOne Perfect Photo Suite 7 and finished with Photoshop CS6. Only removed one ugly utility pole and wires from the bottom left of the photo.

After all is said and done, I'm not quite sure I'm happy with how the processing of this photo came out. It's almost too painterly. I might try processing this one again sometime with a little more realistic effect. Thanks for looking!