Tree of 1000 Cliches

If you could take just one photo, what would it be? A tree. A color spectrum. A jet contrail. A sunset. A savannah plain. Perhaps a photograph subject that has appeared in prints dating back to the 1860s? If you could get it all in, would it be 1000 perfect cliches or the perfect photo?

The tree subject of this photograph is a tree next to Hill House on Manaassas National Battlefield. An 1861 Union Army photograph depicts the tree after the First Battle of Bull Run next to the ruins of Hill House. This tree has seen many things in its life, Native American life, the passing of many owners of Hill House, the Civil War, establishment of the National Park System and Aeroplane Traffic. Photographers have tried to capture the essence of this distinguished tree for centuries, now it is here in "Tree of 1000 Cliches".

This photograph was taken in March of 2011 at Manassas National Battlefield Park in Virginia. This is a straight from the camera shot with minimal post-processing to enhance color, clean-up noise and correct perspective.
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