Feel the love that 'Tree' feels
by Kurt Budde
This is a shot of the "branch" that fell from General Sherman. It's bigger than most trees will ever be.. The parks service had to realign the path to go around the branch! Anyway, the entire thing is covered in graffiti and carving, however, this particular piece caught my eye. I'm not sure if it was made up on the spot, or is a quote - either way, I find it quite cool, even if it is written on a fallen branch.
A Tree
Catches every photon from the star. Turns their energy in to oxygen; Fuel for our cells to live. Non stopping throughout their lives. Feel the sunshine on your skin and turn it in to consciousness, respect and love that vibrates from your body to the beautiful surrounding universe and feel the happiness 'tree' feels...
Comments
4 commentsWe get wrapped up in EPJ trying to illustrate problems, and in fact we should probably devote more effort to documenting good things.
Here you're on yet another important track: Documenting thoughts and insights. And doing it in such a way that adds to the message rather than simply repeating the message. Consider what a different experience it is to read the text in your description, versus reading it in the photo against that backdrop of really interesting wood.
No, I couldn't guess that the wood is in fact a branch of the General Sherman tree without your narration due to the tight framing. But the photo stands really well on its own, and in fact reaches well beyond the story of the General Sherman tree itself.
Really nicely conceived and executed, and thanks for the extra thoughts and insights that it inspired.
One key that draws me to this documentary image is that there seems to be no judgment implied in some ways. It's a well composed image in which man's writing cuts through nature's gorgeous lines and textures. Some will see this image as a shameful example of defacing nature, while others will see it as positive, as a tribute by the writer.
But it will be each viewer's own perspectives that push them in one direction or the other. One might say that's true to some degree viewing any EPJ photo, but most of the good ones show a clear opinion, and this does not.
The possibility of interpreting this as a positive image devolves partly, I believe, through the sincerity of the writer's message, his reverence for the natural world. Nieto's poetry also is in stark contrast to the callow, typical graffiti with the heart and name in the upper RH corner of the image. By framing it as you did, you demonstrated how much more the writer thought things through than the heart carver. In that sense, there is a judgment implied, because most will see Nieto's writing as the more worthy message to leave on a tree.
I can easily see this as one in a series of images to depict man's reverent hand on the earth, statements that acknowledge that humans change everything we come in contact with but that we can do so with care and understanding.
While I needed the caption to understand the location and some of the context, the elements contained within the photo allow it to hold up and deliver a message that stands enough on its own.
Wow, those are the most well thought out insightful comments I've ever gotten here on NPN. Thanks to both of you!
I'll add a few more thoughts based on the comments. When we first came upon the fallen branch and saw the graffiti, we weren't very happy about it. However, coming across this particular piece really seemed to lessen the impact. Of the hundreds of people who had written or carved, this was the only piece I saw with a positive message. It's a given that there shouldn't be any at all, but it's refreshing to see someone who obviously wanted to leave more than their 'mark.' One could also see the poetry as a tribute to a fallen giant, a positive memory.
Like you said Steve, it's up to the individual to decide their own interpretation.