Life is Complicated

Gallery: LandscapePosted March 7, 2010428 views33 comments

I apologize for my lack of participation here on NPN in the last few weeks. Lately, I've been dealing with a lot of added stress and chaos in my "real life" obligations and relationships. The extra burdens haven't totally squeezed out my photography time, but it has definitely had an impact on my interaction here.

Anyways... This morning, I made some time to take a short hike through one of my favorite nearby forests. I didn't go far, but it sure was nice to get lost -mentally- for a while. What was interesting to me was that even though I went out in nature to unwind, and to escape from the stress of day-to-day life, I ended up focusing on incredibly complex and dynamic scenes. At the time I was not aware of the irony in my actions, but now that I think about it, I am fascinated with the relationship between my state of mind and my photographic output. Has anybody else ever experienced this? It all seems a bit Freudian to me.

As always, comments and thoughts greatly appreciated.

Comments

33 comments

Comment posted by Hamed Musharbak on March 8, 2010 at 12:06 AM

amazing light and colors

i like it a lot Aaron

all the best

Hamed

Registered on June 1, 2009, 372 Posts, 2282 Comments

Comment posted by Danny Laureys on March 8, 2010 at 12:09 AM

This is great, I love this, the greens in this are great. This looks like out of someone's nightmare. Very well done.I hope your mind is not all tangeled up like
this

Registered on January 5, 2008, 590 Posts, 1261 Comments

Comment posted by Floris van Breugel on March 8, 2010 at 12:13 AM

This is awesome Aaron! The curls of those branches make the scene. I like a comp without the dark branch on the right as well, but it does add depth. Anyways, incredible mossy green shot of a difficult kind of forest to shoot!

And yea, I have the same relationship between my state of mind and my photography. It's typically pretty consistent, but I have certainly noticed shifts in my preferences for what I like to shoot.

Registered on December 19, 2008, 306 Posts, 4840 Comments

Comment posted by Morris McClung on March 8, 2010 at 12:39 AM

I like to sort things out by playing Free Cell.

This looks almost like a Seuss forest. Possibly your process is cathartic in bringing order to chaos, which is exactly what you did here. Great shot.

Registered on May 7, 2007, 670 Posts, 19650 Comments

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on March 8, 2010 at 12:41 AM

Awesome. Loved the thumb. These trees really seem like they're dancing.

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

Comment posted by Aaron Ellingsen on March 8, 2010 at 12:42 AM

Thanks guys. I forgot note, that I have played around with several different crops of this scene, but have left it as I originally framed it in camera for now. The jury is still out....

Another cool little piece of info is that the majority of these branches come from just two trees; The two big trunks in the lower right are one connected tree, and the diagonal branches coming in from the left corners are the second. They are big. And awesome.

Registered on January 16, 2008, 56 Posts, 953 Comments

Comment posted by Dietrich Gloger on March 8, 2010 at 12:55 AM

Looks like a great place to wander and explore with a camera! Endless opportunities. I like the light and your processing a lot here.
I think our state of mind affects how we photograph. Maybe not necessarily the choice of subject, but maybe how we approach it.

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

Comment posted by David Edwards on March 8, 2010 at 3:39 AM

Beautiful and eerie at the same time. Nice image, Aaron! Obviously there's lots going on in your life, as reflected in this image, but somehow you're making it all work out and turning it into something beautiful. Very nice processing work, albeit the greens overall a little intense and fluro, but I like it.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 142 Posts, 2623 Comments

Comment posted by Stuart Williams on March 8, 2010 at 8:27 AM

what a forest scene - those lush mossy greens and the forms are fabulous. well picked out!

Registered on December 7, 2007, 247 Posts, 4792 Comments

Comment posted by Bret Edge on March 8, 2010 at 8:39 AM

One of the best rainforest photos I've seen in a long time, Aaron. This is so complex and yet you've ordered the elements perfectly. Print this one huge and hang it proudly on your wall.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 711 Posts, 6363 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Chambers on March 8, 2010 at 9:34 AM

What a fascinating forest and such an enjoyable image. I would love to see these moss draped trees in person some day.

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

Comment posted by Ned Fenimore on March 8, 2010 at 10:49 AM

This has an interesting design to it, as well as awesome lighting making it a wonderful take indeed!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 467 Posts, 2803 Comments

Comment posted by R.Bill Moser on March 8, 2010 at 10:53 AM

This is great. The mossy green on the branches. This is a difficult place to shoot but you managed to bring order in the shot.

Registered on January 29, 2010, 285 Posts, 4281 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Sieren on March 8, 2010 at 11:51 AM

Aaron, Nice job of taming the chaotic jungle. I like the way the hilights radiate but they do seem a little soft which might work that way if there was a little more atmosphere in the scene. I'm really only seeing it in the V shape in the upper right and I'm just being picky with it, other then that great shot! Life! Everyone needs a little break now and then.

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

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on March 8, 2010 at 12:35 PM

Certainly a good place to get lost in!

This is naturally beautiful chaos Aaron, I love it!

Registered on February 24, 2006, 504 Posts, 7203 Comments

Comment posted by Wade Hardy on March 8, 2010 at 12:35 PM

Fantastic composition!!!. Complex but not too busy - which is hard to do.

Registered on May 2, 2006, 121 Posts, 1824 Comments

Comment posted by Kevin Trinkner on March 8, 2010 at 1:00 PM

Well the combination of real life and its impact on your photography definitely works with this shot IMO. I love the colors and light, and I enjoy the twisting/turning of the trunks in this comp. Nice work.

Registered on June 30, 2008, 203 Posts, 2641 Comments

Comment posted by Bob&Charly Nelson on March 8, 2010 at 1:00 PM

WOW, this almost looks like diving through dense vegetation under water. You handled this very well in my opinion. Good job

Bob

Registered on October 27, 2005, 289 Posts, 4202 Comments

Comment posted by Eric Good on March 8, 2010 at 1:52 PM

What an awesome tangled mess! You should have held this green beauty back until St Patrick's Day.

Beautiful work in every way.

Registered on March 17, 2007, 116 Posts, 4764 Comments

Comment posted by Joel Hazelton on March 8, 2010 at 2:10 PM

Very ethereal! Great light and perfect processing.

Registered on August 6, 2008, 194 Posts, 1315 Comments

Comment posted by Phil Pogledich on March 8, 2010 at 2:25 PM

This is a fabulous shot all around. I really like the complexity, and the light is just perfect.

Registered on August 24, 2009, 123 Posts, 3099 Comments

Comment posted by Daniel Rappaport on March 8, 2010 at 3:51 PM

Beautifully seen and composed. Easy to walk right by "just more mossy trees" in Oregon, but your mind's eye was prepared for it. The lighting and color are perfect.

Registered on September 9, 2009, 294 Posts, 2006 Comments

Comment posted by Jason Kim on March 8, 2010 at 5:49 PM

The greens are wonderful, and you did a great job making sense of such a chaotic environment.

Registered on July 1, 2006, 60 Posts, 1233 Comments

Comment posted by Wayne Jones on March 8, 2010 at 8:37 PM

Strangely beautiful scene. Yes, it is comlex, but I am glad you didn't call it chaotic. Everything here makes sense if you look for it. The pull of gravity is a constant, and life, though always changing, is persistantly seeking the light. And the light is always there, or at least right around the corner, even if it is out of sight at times. This composition (and your observations) are testaments to your ability to accept the complexity and find the light.

Registered on April 18, 2007, 953 Posts, 6435 Comments

Comment posted by Tyson Fisher on March 8, 2010 at 9:25 PM

Glad you were able to get out and decompress a little bit. I know what you mean about the mind state, photo relationship; this is something that factors into many of my images. It plays a pretty big role in the kinds of trips I take and subjects shoot. I just love the greens this time of year; i'd say you did a fine job capturing them here. The comp looks good for the most part. I'm still on the fence concerning the dark trunk on the right, it feels a bit too prominent to me. These forests are really tough to photograph; I've spent many days scouting similar forest scenes outside Portland but have had a hard time finding something that I feel will translate into a good photo.

Registered on September 17, 2008, 44 Posts, 623 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Smith on March 8, 2010 at 9:31 PM

I love the underbelly of that trunk on right...it sets the mood...the hanging garden-look. Neat picture! Ken S

Registered on September 5, 2008, 449 Posts, 2444 Comments

Comment posted by Greg Cope on March 8, 2010 at 10:49 PM

Beautiful light and patterns. I love the processing and (what looks like) orton effect in this. Everything works very nicely give the subject, which is beautiful by itself but together with the light, comp, and processing taken several notches higher.

Registered on January 22, 2007, 212 Posts, 2737 Comments

Comment posted by David Cobb on March 9, 2010 at 12:36 AM

"What a tangled web we weave..." this is just a great abstract forest scene Aaron. What a way to make order out of chaos! Wonderful capture. Is this that tangled mass in the Silver Falls valley?

Registered on December 14, 2007, 312 Posts, 3243 Comments

Comment posted by Vance Gese on March 9, 2010 at 2:16 AM

Absolutely superb Aaron. The curves and lines of these branches have been exquisitely composed in your image and the greens are phenomenal. Fantastic work.

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

Comment posted by David Clapp on March 9, 2010 at 6:24 PM

reet brilyant mert, treebeerd, gasa(hic)finashin sinaminawazza

Registered on November 28, 2005, 137 Posts, 441 Comments

Comment posted by Art Escobado on March 9, 2010 at 8:52 PM

Unreal rhythm-great colors, well composed!

Registered on January 7, 2007, 0 Posts, 775 Comments

Comment posted by Zack Clothier on March 11, 2010 at 12:25 AM

Nice forest scene here, love the twisting branches and the hanging moss.

Registered on January 28, 2010, 343 Posts, 2257 Comments

Comment posted by Kris Johnson on March 12, 2010 at 9:04 PM

I love the glow on the trees. Wonderful image.

Registered on March 6, 2010, 26 Posts, 299 Comments