Fallen Warrior

Gallery: LandscapePosted January 8, 2010319 views29 comments

Stop the presses, this is NOT from Yosemite! Ok, it's still a tree, still an oak, but I do venture outside the park now and then.

Only a couple days before Christmas, I took Jimmy G. to a local spot while he was up in my neck of the woods visiting family for the holidays. I haven't done many b&w conversions and I certainly haven't used any b&w film since my college days, but when I came across this scene I knew then that I wanted to process this in b&w. Hopefully Jimmy will vouch for me cause that's what I said at the time.

I'm pretty excited about this one. Yes, it's a tree, but I think much of the time I try and make order out of chaos with the trees, but this time I think this is more like chaos out of chaos, with a little order - if that makes any sense.

As always, I would love to here some honest feedback on this one. Too chaotic, or does this hold your attention? How about the processing, contrast?

4x5, Fuji V100F, Fujinon 135mm, F/32@4s

Thanks, and thanks very much for all the comments on my previous post.

Lon

Comments

29 comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on January 8, 2010 at 9:43 PM

Very detailed, but definitely not too chaotic! Everything is very well balanced, including the tones, so while this might not have grabbed me if it werent so well exposed and processed, i really like it as presented. For some reason it reminds me of a drawing for a Grimms fairy tale, kind of expect a wolf running around in the bg. Hope that isn't a bad thing!

I responded to your comment on my latest post in an email and here, BTW.

Registered on September 15, 2005, 836 Posts, 17099 Comments

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on January 8, 2010 at 9:48 PM

Your love of trees still comes through in this, Lon, and I think you are no doubt aware that this image actually builds on your other tree images rather than departing from them. It does feel a bit chaotic to me, but a lot of that comes from the bight branch in the lower right. Cropping it leaves a more orderly three brighter branches cascading down into the image.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 364 Posts, 22328 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Pullen on January 8, 2010 at 10:00 PM

Not too chaotic for me, its a place on a hike where you stop and look in awe and then climb thru the limbs and continue on. Alot of nice lines here. But I, like you, would only attempt this in B&W.... Ron

Registered on December 18, 2005, 74 Posts, 1413 Comments

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on January 8, 2010 at 10:41 PM

Fantastic B&W Lon..... My favorite medium. The whitish truncks in the foreground lead me right the black trunk in the background. Wonderful range of tones and light! Excellent work.

Registered on January 4, 2009, 1015 Posts, 13229 Comments

Comment posted by Rudy Ruberti on January 8, 2010 at 10:47 PM

The conversion works really nice here and I don't find it too chaotic at all. Very nice, Lon.

Registered on October 28, 2008, 179 Posts, 1875 Comments

Comment posted by Vance Gese on January 8, 2010 at 10:57 PM

Lon, those superb diagonals draping down from the upper left corner most definitely make this absolutely incredible. Together with the wonderful tones you have utilized..... gorgeous. An exquisite image that really brings across the sense your title suggests.

Registered on November 13, 2008, 298 Posts, 6629 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Breitkreuz on January 8, 2010 at 11:19 PM

Lon, this is an excellent conversion IMO, although, admittedly I've never done any myself or shot B&W in over 40 years now too. Aside from the conversion my input would really be around the photo containment area itself. Even though there is a lot going on here and could be considered a somewhat chaotic scene, to me, it does not feel like it is pressing the boundaries anywhere as if something is cutoff or missing in the overall composition. The resulting items in the scene seem to do a good job of filling the area well. Not sure I made the point too clear, but just my own thoughts overall.

Registered on February 25, 2006, 525 Posts, 8448 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Wegemann on January 9, 2010 at 12:20 AM

Although I'm enjoying the comp, it's the intricate detail that really appeals to me. I don't think if feels too chaotic at all.

Registered on December 14, 2006, 58 Posts, 1888 Comments

Comment posted by Dean Sauskojus on January 9, 2010 at 1:14 AM

What's not to like here? The wicked trunks of old oak trees always impress me. Someday maybe I'll get the chance to photograph these old patriarchs with all their character. Its chaotic yes, but not to chaotic. The conversion looks good. Overall its just as good as your color work.

Registered on September 29, 2009, 137 Posts, 2659 Comments

Comment posted by Cory O'Neill on January 9, 2010 at 2:26 AM

What works for me particularly is the main trunk, lighter than most of the others, which traverses the frame and leads my eye in an orderly fashion through the chaos.

Definitely agree with Stan and others...the processing really makes this image stand out. Great work!

Registered on October 4, 2008, 28 Posts, 273 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Sieren on January 9, 2010 at 2:59 AM

You've got some sort of personification going on here with the reaching dead branches. That does bring it to life and it shows how thick our California oak forests can get.

Oh, by the way, when I was in blog land I stumbled across your blog, nice April fools joke!

Registered on January 2, 2008, 360 Posts, 5321 Comments

Comment posted by Carsten Ranke on January 9, 2010 at 5:05 AM

Really worth looking at the larger version, stunning detail and microcontrast (oozing LF even in web size...). Nicely said, chaos with a little order. Enough order to hold my interest, definitively. Excellent B&W

Registered on May 31, 2007, 20 Posts, 411 Comments

Comment posted by Dietrich Gloger on January 9, 2010 at 5:39 AM

Very very strong image Lon. Not at all too chaotic for me. Lots of reapeating shapes and coherent lines here. So actually: Well structured to guide and help the eye. The bw look fits perfectly.

Registered on January 26, 2007, 360 Posts, 9876 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Maile on January 9, 2010 at 7:45 AM

While I haven't seen the color version obviously Lon, I really think the B&W makes this shot (and comp of course). Great detail and range of tones!

Registered on March 2, 2009, 984 Posts, 2518 Comments

Comment posted by John&Patty Benway on January 9, 2010 at 10:03 AM

Beautiful tones and detail Lon, and I like it very much, No, I dont think it's that chaotic at all. Very nice job composing this beautiful scene.
John

Registered on May 12, 2006, 626 Posts, 8700 Comments

Comment posted by Nicolas Belokurov on January 9, 2010 at 10:31 AM

I second Stan's comment, it does make a wonderfull illustration for a classic fairy tale. It doesn't feel chaotic at all. I think for some reason we all tend to prefer clean compositions with a limited amount of elements, but a rather short visit to the Dore illustrations for example always makes me look for some natural chaos like on this one.

Registered on July 22, 2009, 41 Posts, 533 Comments

Comment posted by Harley Goldman on January 9, 2010 at 10:36 AM

I like this one a lot, Lon. The way the main tree stands out doesn't make it chaotic at all for me. Very, very well done!!

Registered on November 19, 2003, 586 Posts, 11271 Comments

Comment posted by Anish Desai on January 9, 2010 at 10:45 AM

I like this a lot, Lon. I've come to associate your work for its colors as much as I have for its subject matter, so this is definitely a departure for you - but it works. The scene is chaotic, but I think your intimacy with the subject has given you the eye to identify strong and coherent compositions, even in such chaos. The processing couldn't be any better.

Registered on May 23, 2009, 49 Posts, 410 Comments

Comment posted by Laurent Baig on January 9, 2010 at 12:22 PM

Hey Lon, I like this. I wonder if you should dodge the main limbs to lift them out a bit more?

Registered on January 12, 2005, 206 Posts, 6784 Comments

Comment posted by Guy Tal on January 9, 2010 at 12:51 PM

This has a very powerful mood to it, Lon. There's something somber but timeless about it, like a flashback to an old memory. I also like the gritty tactile quality of the oak limbs and grasses which add another personal dimension to it.

Funny that both you and Harley posted B&W images and I just returned from a trip where B&W is almost all I was seeing. Must be the season.

Guy

Registered on November 1, 2003, 566 Posts, 15507 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Baumbach on January 9, 2010 at 1:18 PM

I think it works beautifully and it is made for b&w.

- Dan.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 473 Posts, 7980 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Pelton on January 9, 2010 at 2:48 PM

I definitely find this interesting as it is a good composition and excellent conversion. I am intrigued by all the detail in the grasses and in the background. Not too chaotic for me.

Registered on November 25, 2003, 380 Posts, 4647 Comments

Comment posted by Chris Chamberlain on January 10, 2010 at 12:54 AM

I think this is the first image from you in a while that I didn't instantly recognize as yours. But now that I look at it, it does reveal your style, and vision. I think the conversion is great, and the fact that it's a tree, but the main focus is still kind of on the ground. It's not too chaotic for me either. I like the large version, and would love to see it bigger still.

Chris

Registered on March 13, 2007, 500 Posts, 8365 Comments

Comment posted by Kent Mearig on January 10, 2010 at 3:03 AM

Something about the black and white helps me connect with this aesthetic. In a photo that could easily be misinterpreted as chaotic, I think the generally dim light and low key/low contrast processing helps to define the few brighter subjects. Those subjects have an earthy attractiveness in both their form and texture that help this photo meet me where I am despite the fact that I've been critical of "busy" images tonight.

Registered on September 4, 2006, 237 Posts, 4748 Comments

Comment posted by Ant on January 10, 2010 at 8:27 AM

I like this picture a lot, the composition and the delicate tones of grey, the fine details and the overall composition... Excellent conversion to b&w too...

Registered on April 13, 2009, 27 Posts, 474 Comments

Comment posted by Daniel Ewert on January 10, 2010 at 8:17 PM

Beautiful b&w processing here. There is a lot going on here but you composed it beautifully, in my opinion.

Registered on June 2, 2009, 103 Posts, 1500 Comments

Comment posted by Anil Rao on January 11, 2010 at 4:56 AM

This is beautiful. Makes me want to spend a lot of time studying every single bit of detail. The composition provides a nice overall flow.

Registered on November 15, 2003, 234 Posts, 4923 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Chambers on January 11, 2010 at 9:30 AM

Oh, you hit a home run with this one! Absoultely great!!

Registered on April 10, 2005, 753 Posts, 21216 Comments

Comment posted by Igor Doncov on December 18, 2016 at 11:54 PM

A exceptional image, Lon.

Registered on November 22, 2014, 189 Posts, 2733 Comments