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Peace in Solitude
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Peace in Solitude



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A lone acacia tree stands tall among the dry grass of the plains in Masai Mara, Kenya.

A lone acacia tree stands tall among the dry grass of the plains in Masai Mara, Kenya.
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upload_dateJul, 2014

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7700

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Awards

Contest Finalist in Remote And Isolated Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in The African Continent Photo Contest
Runner Up in Rule Of Seconds Photo Contest vol1
Contest Finalist in Rule Of Seconds Photo Contest vol1
Runner Up in Fields and Forests Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Fields and Forests Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Isolate And Simplify Photo Contest
Winner in Trees Only Photo Challenge
Contest Finalist in Less Is More Photo Contest
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Peer Award
dj8065 dmcfarland Confalonieri mikemiller_2169 RetinaEcho billdoll lenwareverson +873
Superb Composition
jdmarks64 davidcarpenter_9546 bjoernbartsch LorisPhotography jackbochow scottsinclair mygalle +151
Absolute Masterpiece
paullanderos HuaweiP30Lite MALVAS Tmac IBGVisuals joepvanrheenen _0234 +64
Top Choice
ErnieF GNikolovPhotography James-Evans miaraquelmoralesbuenaventura Shalamazing darrenfellows Pamelabole +59
Outstanding Creativity
amythomasphotography mejonhuv kennethmikkelsen BrunoHeeb awholebrookofjewels Stevedadd DariuszPinski +19
All Star
richardeaton_9707 petunia15 caroleturner estercastillo08 mariadel KatPagett ResQgeek +10
Magnificent Capture
shanecorby daydreamsbymary0710 Boldhunter ArthurGCowan photosdude robbyticknor kimjones +7
Superior Skill
russellgaughen MelodyPepper barbaranelson shaundasmithroberts Forfarlass phuongngocnguyen sherryVsmith +2
Virtuoso
iwangroot tazzzer62
Genius
MadisonWPics FrancoisHorne
Great Find
lewismiles

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Impressed
Anandu daydreamsbymary0710 uwegibkes DIXIEDOLLYMAMA fabs borosjanos Sir_Pit +2
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Top Ranks

Dear Trees Photo ContestTop 30 rank
Game Of Compositions Photo ContestTop 10 rank
My Best Shot Photo Contest Vol16Top 20 rank
My Best Shot Photo Contest Vol16Top 30 rank week 1
Tree Vibes Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 1
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Simple Symmetry Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
A View To Relax Photo ContestTop 20 rank
A View To Relax Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Empty Places Photo ContestTop 10 rank
One Tree Photo ContestTop 10 rank
One Tree Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
The Tree Lover Photo ContestTop 10 rank
The Tree Lover Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Remote And Isolated Photo ContestTop 20 rank
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A Single Subject Photo ContestTop 30 rank
A Single Subject Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 1
Capture Mother Nature Photo ContestTop 30 rank
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Celebrating Nature Photo Contest Vol9Top 30 rank
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Capture Minimalism Photo ContestTop 10 rank
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My Best Shot Photo Contest Vol11Top 30 rank week 1
Creative Landscapes Photo Contest vol6Top 10 rank
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Beautiful Blue Sky Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Capture Stillness Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Capture Stillness Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Capture Stillness Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Picturing Negative Space Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Picturing Negative Space Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
The African Continent Photo ContestTop 20 rank
The African Continent Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 1
artFix Exhibition ProjectTop 10 rank
artFix Exhibition ProjectTop 10 rank week 1
Creative Landscapes Photo Contest vol3Top 10 rank
Creative Landscapes Photo Contest vol3Top 10 rank week 1
The Minimalist Photo ContestTop 10 rank
The Minimalist Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Stillness Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Towards The Horizon Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Tree Silhouettes Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Tree Silhouettes Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 3
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Tree Silhouettes Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Rule Of Seconds Photo Contest vol1Top 20 rank
Rule Of Seconds Photo Contest vol1Top 10 rank week 1
Explore Africa Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Explore Africa Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
A Lonely Tree Photo ContestTop 10 rank
A Lonely Tree Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Grasslands And Meadows Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Grasslands And Meadows Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Geometry And Composition Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Geometry And Composition Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Centered Compositions Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Geometry And Composition Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Centered Compositions Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Centered Compositions Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Show Minimalism Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Show Minimalism Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Fields and Forests Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Fields and Forests Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Isolating The Subject Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Right Down The Middle Photo ContestTop 30 rank
Isolate And Simplify Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Isolate And Simplify Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
One Is Enough Photo ContestTop 20 rank
One Is Enough Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
Meadows Photo ContestTop 10 rank
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Infinity Photo ContestTop 10 rank
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Covers Photo Contest Vol 20Top 10 rank
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One Is Good Photo ContestTop 10 rank
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ViewBug Image of the Year Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 2
Less Is More Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Less Is More Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Less Is More Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1

Categories

15 Comments |
Camo129
 
Camo129 November 11, 2014
THIS PHOTO IS SOOOOOOOOO GOOD!!
sdondero Platinum
sdondero November 26, 2014
Thank you!
gondmagdi Premium
 
gondmagdi November 26, 2014
great shot !
sdondero Platinum
sdondero November 27, 2014
Thanks!
LADYBABS22
 
LADYBABS22 June 29, 2015
Join the conversation. Add a comment or even better, a critique. Let's get better together!
sweetpea72
 
sweetpea72 January 29, 2016
this is perfect ~ Congrats!
sdondero Platinum
sdondero May 24, 2018
Thanks!
p_eileenbaltz Platinum
 
p_eileenbaltz January 31, 2016
Lovely! Congratulations on another award.:)
Forfarlass
 
Forfarlass January 31, 2016
Congratulations. Its a beautiful image.
werol
 
werol May 05, 2016
Perfecto!
jadenemeyer
 
jadenemeyer June 16, 2017
so good!
Jaebee77
 
Jaebee77 June 16, 2017
Love this
EdithNero
 
EdithNero October 14, 2017
Superb minimalism ????????????
cahit
 
cahit March 25, 2018
Wonderful
cahit
 
cahit March 25, 2018
Very great
sdondero Platinum
sdondero May 24, 2018
Thanks!
RamyDelariarte
 
RamyDelariarte May 23, 2018
Awesome
sdondero Platinum
sdondero May 24, 2018
Thanks!
maxparisot Ultimate
 
maxparisot October 17, 2018
Superbe
DAsEye Platinum
 
DAsEye August 26, 2021
What a great shot
sdondero Platinum
sdondero August 26, 2021
Thank you!

Submitted to Photo Contests

Tags

#Masai Mara #acacia #africa #solitude grass #kenya #plains #tree
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Behind The Lens

Location

"Peace in Solitude" was taken on safari in the plains of Masai Mara, Kenya.

Time

This photo was captured outside of the ideal "golden hour," just before lunch. However, as is often the case in the plains, a scattering of dust helped diffuse the harsh light, and provided a golden opportunity while many other photographers were settling in for their mid-day siestas.

Lighting

This photo was taken between golden hours, yet I was pleasantly surprised by the gorgeous, golden light, courtesy of a hazy dust layer that was blowing across the Kenyan plains. At this moment, the sun peeked through a grouping of clouds, and laid down a beam of light seemingly right upon this lone acacia tree. The moment swept me off my feet, and I had to yell up to the driver to thrown on his brakes to stop for this must-have photo.

Equipment

This was shot handheld--though braced on the safari jeep--with a Canon 5D Mark II and an EF 70-200mm f/2.8L II lens.

Inspiration

The golden light focusing just on this tree, and the sheer solitude of it among an endless plain of consistent grass, grabbed my attention and "forced" me to capture the scene. I considered a variety of compositions, playing with the rule of thirds, and ultimately decided that this was best represented while breaking with those rules and positioning the acacia tree dead center to provide an almost unexpected composition, but one that balanced the foreground grass and background sky perfectly around the lone tree. I felt this best communicated a sense of solitude, but also one of peace, relaxation, and balance, hence the title "Peace in Solitude."

Editing

In Lightroom and Photoshop, I did basic adjustments including contrast, whites, blacks, vibrance and clarity. I also slightly strengthened the natural vignette that already existed at the lower edge of the frame.

In my camera bag

Camera Bodies: Canon 5D Mark IV and Canon 5DS. Lenses: Canon 16-35mm f/.8L II, 24-70mm f/2.8L II, 70-200mm f/2.8L II, 200-400mm w/ 1.4X f/4L, 35mm f/1.4L, 85mm f/1.4L, tele-extenders (1.4X and 2X), and the Sigma 14mm f/1.4. My tripods are all Manfrotto, and I also always carry Canon SpeedLights, PocketWizard remote triggers, cable shutter releases, and a handful of filters (ND, Graduated ND, Polarizers, etc.). For studio lighting and modifiers, I'm all Elinchrom.

Feedback

As mentioned, I think this photo works so well specifically because it breaks with the rule of thirds. Often times, breaking the rules can bring the greatest rewards, though it is critical to first understand the rules in order to pull it off effectively. Reflections often lend themselves to this type of horizon-at-the-center composition, or scenes such as this where a singular stationary object needs to communicate a sense of place, but not a sense of motion.

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