Deciduous beech

Gallery: LandscapePosted March 8, 2011535 views37 comments

The only winter-deciduous tree in Australia is this, the Deciduous Beech, a long-lived highland rainforest shrub or small tree that grows in Tasmania. Subject to the almost constant winds of the Roaring 40's the beech frequently takes on incredible and delightful twisting forms.

Comments

37 comments

Comment posted by Lizzie Shepherd on March 8, 2011 at 5:21 PM

Absolutely lovely Rob - when I saw the thumbnail I thought I was looking at some icy branch amongst dying leaves - but now quite clear at larger size and this really works so well with the shape of the tree trunk and the way the leaves and branches fan outwards. Really can't see anything you could have done better here.
PS just looked at the really large view and even better - amazing detail - if just a tad oversharpened - but easily fixed if so...

Registered on March 2, 2011, 18 Posts, 120 Comments

Comment posted by Floris van Breugel on March 8, 2011 at 5:21 PM

This is incredible, Rob! What a fantastic design, and the color contrasts are spectacular. This is one I'd be very proud to have in my own gallery. One of the most beautiful images of plant life I've seen a long time.

One nit: The larger version looks a bit over sharpened.

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

Comment posted by Daniel Cartamil on March 8, 2011 at 5:32 PM

Amazing - great comp!

Registered on November 15, 2007, 50 Posts, 601 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Chambers on March 8, 2011 at 6:10 PM

Wow, this is fantastic!! Wonderful color and a super composition. The large version has such great detail too. I hate to even suggest a change to something as nice as this, but I might crop just a little off the top to reduce the more barren area a little bit.

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

Comment posted by Phil Pogledich on March 8, 2011 at 6:22 PM

What a rich, wonderful shot! The forms and colors are quite interesting and I like your composition quite a bit, with the twist of the trunk in the lower LHS of the frame. Great work!

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

Comment posted by Mark Seaver on March 8, 2011 at 6:23 PM

The colors and shape in this are fantastic. I agree with Bill that a slight crop off the top (the region where there are very few leaves) would strengthen the image.

Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on March 8, 2011 at 7:04 PM

The form and color are outstanding Rob! WOW! So much to look at and so engaging. This would be amazing in a large print. Over sharpened Larger Photo is easy to fix. Stunning work!

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

Comment posted by Scott Snyder on March 8, 2011 at 7:33 PM

Another wow! Lovely color, lovely form. I might consider a slightly tighter crop.

Registered on November 11, 2009, 45 Posts, 161 Comments

Comment posted by Michael J Greene, on March 8, 2011 at 8:40 PM

Kudos Rob! This is an amazing shot and thank you so much for sharing. I totally agree about the crop off the top.

Michael

Registered on June 18, 2009, 86 Posts, 2317 Comments

Comment posted by Lori Kincaid on March 8, 2011 at 9:01 PM

Absolutely gorgeous, Rob!

Lori

Registered on November 15, 2003, 90 Posts, 2033 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Lou on March 8, 2011 at 9:19 PM

The curvy tree trunk makes this photo

Registered on August 3, 2010, 86 Posts, 273 Comments

Comment posted by Harley Goldman on March 8, 2011 at 10:09 PM

Beautiful!! Great colors and very abstract, yet real. Excellent image!!!

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

Comment posted by Wade Hardy on March 8, 2011 at 10:37 PM

Fantastic Shot Rob! If it were mine, I might crop from the top to a 4x5 ratio. Really wonderful work!

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

Comment posted by Nancy Lea Sandy on March 8, 2011 at 11:18 PM

Can't say anything new or different so I'll just add my praise. Incredible image, Very nicely done.

Registered on January 24, 2011, 576 Posts, 6942 Comments

Comment posted by Andrew Morrill on March 8, 2011 at 11:29 PM

Very awesome color and detail you've got here. My only suggestion would be to try a square crop centered around the more saturated leaf colors and the nice wood shape in the lower left.

Registered on June 10, 2010, 51 Posts, 216 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Harding on March 9, 2011 at 12:39 AM

This is a great composition of a very beautiful tree. I like it as is and would not crop.

Registered on January 19, 2011, 33 Posts, 408 Comments

Comment posted by Kent Mearig on March 9, 2011 at 1:00 AM

The thumbnail was awesome, but I was worried it wouldn't work as well in a bigger version because of all the details. I was wrong. The feeling of being overly cluttered or chaotic is not there, in my opinion. The colors are great with the gray trunk and branches. I don't know how I feel about the way the leaves taper abruptly just below the top edge. It's not ideal, but I think it still works best uncropped.

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

Comment posted by Rob Blakers on March 9, 2011 at 1:58 AM

Many thanks for all comments. Yep, it is a little heavy on the sharpening in the larger version, and a minor trim (very minor I think) at the top would be beneficial.

For the record, 5x4 Ebony with 65 Schneider lens, Velvia.

Registered on February 26, 2011, 8 Posts, 67 Comments

Comment posted by Andreas Resch on March 9, 2011 at 4:12 AM

Wow - what an array of colors and the details are amazing. Seeing that it was shot on LF is even better. The larger version looks oversharpened to me and so I find the smaller one better to look at. You could try my web sharpening script - link in my signature. Wonderful shot, Rob.

Registered on November 14, 2007, 322 Posts, 6101 Comments

Comment posted by Guy Tal on March 9, 2011 at 7:11 AM

Fantastic image! I absolutely love the intimate composition and daubs of color. The blue hues in the twisted trunk work exceptionally well to anchor the composition.

Guy

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

Comment posted by Harry Lichtman on March 9, 2011 at 7:21 AM

Great mix of colors and textures. The large version rocks!

Registered on September 17, 2010, 304 Posts, 3507 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Gasior on March 9, 2011 at 7:59 AM

Nice shot great comp .and colors

Registered on March 7, 2010, 99 Posts, 502 Comments

Comment posted by Joseph Balcken on March 9, 2011 at 8:21 AM

Fantastic! I'm part of the crop chorus. Should make a beautiful print.

Registered on November 29, 2009, 48 Posts, 249 Comments

Comment posted by Joseph Rossbach on March 9, 2011 at 8:58 AM

Exceptionally beautiful iambs!

Registered on November 25, 2005, 484 Posts, 1377 Comments

Comment posted by Jimmy Gekas on March 9, 2011 at 1:02 PM

Gorgeous!

Registered on July 26, 2007, 244 Posts, 2807 Comments

Comment posted by Bruce Omori on March 9, 2011 at 2:50 PM

Wow! Amazing shot! Love it thoroughly, Rob.

Registered on December 6, 2010, 6 Posts, 175 Comments

Comment posted by Justin Reznick on March 9, 2011 at 8:22 PM

Gorgeous! Love the color and texture!

Registered on November 24, 2009, 79 Posts, 515 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Baumbach on March 9, 2011 at 9:02 PM

What wonderful color, lines and shapes. Beautiful.

- Dan.

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

Comment posted by Morris McClung on March 9, 2011 at 11:16 PM

Excellent comp, great use of lines and color. Super shot!

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

Comment posted by Mohsen Al-Dajani on March 10, 2011 at 4:20 AM

Masterpiece Rob, new perspective.

Registered on August 23, 2007, 160 Posts, 432 Comments

Comment posted by Gary McGhee on March 10, 2011 at 8:21 AM

This looks terrific Rob, the comp and view point are excellent. Love the colours too.

Gary.

Registered on April 15, 2010, 142 Posts, 2416 Comments

Comment posted by Zack Clothier on March 10, 2011 at 9:02 AM

Nice composition, the amount of detail is amazing. I agree with others about a slight crop from the top.

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

Comment posted by Scott Fricke on March 10, 2011 at 11:19 PM

Very well seen Rob, the contrast between the leaves and the trunk and limbs is quite nice. I might suggest a crop off the top down to where the leaves start.

Registered on January 19, 2007, 133 Posts, 1448 Comments

Comment posted by Adrian Klein on March 10, 2011 at 11:25 PM

Rob, this is simply a superb image. Not much more I can add that others have not already said. The point of view, composition and colors just work fantastically together here!

Registered on June 10, 2007, 112 Posts, 1506 Comments

Comment posted by Barry Ashenhurst on March 11, 2011 at 1:22 AM

Lovely shot Rob. Makes me wanna be there again - if I didn't know how difficult that stuff is to walk through.

Registered on August 4, 2009, 253 Posts, 455 Comments

Comment posted by Laurent Baig on March 11, 2011 at 1:49 PM

Pretty awesome! Not a nitpick but just a see what you think...how about a small crop off the top getting rid of where the yellow leaves run out? I don't think it makes it better, but maybe slightly different

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

Comment posted by Jared Atencio on March 11, 2011 at 3:03 PM

A little late the party here Rob, but love the colors in this contrasting with the blues and grays of the trunk and branches. I agree with the crop off the top, but love everything else about this image. Well done!

Registered on June 23, 2009, 21 Posts, 422 Comments