Twisted Tree II
Bristlecone Pine tree on top of Mt. Lincoln near Breckenridge, Col.
Bristlecone Pine tree on top of Mt. Lincoln near Breckenridge, Col.
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Mar, 2013Views
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Awards
Action Award
Fall Award 2020
Absolute Masterpiece
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Peer Award
Exceptional Contrast
Outstanding Creativity
Jaw Dropping
Superior Skill
Genius
Magnificent Capture
Great Find
All Star
Emotions
Impressed
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Behind The Lens
Location
My son and I were hiking on Mount Lincoln near Breckenridge, Colorado. There was a group of Bristlecone pine trees on a slope and we stopped to photograph them.Time
This was around 4 or 5 in the afternoon.Lighting
A thunder storm was moving in fast across the valley and the clouds were rolling and twisting in the sky.Equipment
I used a Nikon D200, an 18mm-135mm f 3.5 Nikon lens, ISO 200 at f-11. I took a series of four images with the intention of doing an HDR color photo. My camera was mounted on a Manfrotto 055MF4 tripod with a Manfrotto 3265 pistol grip gimbal mount. The images were taken about thirty seconds apart with shutter speeds of 1/500, 1/250, 1/200 and 1/125.Inspiration
I saw a photo of these trees in a gallery in Breckenridge and asked if the trees were nearby. The photographer gave me directions and my son and found them the next day. The thunderstorm was just luck.Editing
After I got home I processed the four images in Lightroom and then did the HDR in Photomatix Pro. The color image was really vivid and almost unnatural so I decided to see what it would look like in black & white. I used Silver Efex Pro and this is how it turned out. I think the monochrome image is much more dramatic.In my camera bag
I have a Nikon D-7100, Nikkor 18-135mm 1:3.5-5.6 zoom lens for most of my work. I also have a Nikkor 70-300mm and an 80-400mm lens. I use a Nikon SB-800 Speedlight flash and a Manfrotto 055MF4 tripod with a 3265 joystick head.Feedback
The clouds really make the image unique. This is due to their rapid movement between exposures. The foreground and the tree are pretty standard as far as composition. But the thing that makes the photo is the cloud movement in the background. Sometimes you just get lucky. Be prepared to get lucky.
