Tree Bones
On the edge of Lake Bonney, South Australia, during a drought.
On the edge of Lake Bonney, South Australia, during a drought.
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Oct, 2015Views
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Awards
Zenith Award
Creative Winter Award
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Contest Finalist in What Shadows Can Do Photo Contest
Peer Award
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Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Outstanding Creativity
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Magnificent Capture
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken on the banks of Lake Bonney in South Australia in April 2008. We were in the middle of a drought and the water level was very low revealing these wonderful old tree trunks and roots. The dead trees were not part of the drought but died when the lake was originally filled many years beforehand. The drought however had caused such a low water line that we were able to access tree trunks and roots that are usually under water. This gave us a wonderful selection of scenes with interesting texture, shapes, shadows and a variety of compositions.Time
I had gone to the lake with a group of fellow photographers to shoot the sunrise but once the sun was above the horizon we began to see amazing shapes being formed by the long shadows amongst the dead trees. It was a photographer's paradise.Lighting
I chose this branch because the low early morning side light caused a long shadow giving it a dramatic look almost like some sort of alien creature. Even at 10mm I couldn't quite get the whole lot in. The low light also highlighted the texture in the sand showing the bird tracks which you can see in the foreground.Equipment
This image was taken with my Canon 20D, Canon 10-22 lens @ 10mm, f8.0, ISO 200, 1/200s and most likely a Lee graduated ND filter.Inspiration
I loved the character of all the dead trees along the bank and the long shadows added that extra dimension. The landscape looked like something from another world. I wanted to create a dramatic look and 'other world' atmosphere.Editing
Due to the lack of color in the landscape and to add to the drama and bring out the full impact of the shadow I converted the image to black & white in Photoshop. I processed it with the aim of adding enough contrast to produce the dramatic look that I wanted but to also retain some detail and texture in the shadows.In my camera bag
Most of my photography is landscapes taken early morning or late afternoon so my equipment is set up for capturing at those times. I currently use a Canon 7D, Canon 10-22mm lens, Singh-Ray reverse grad filter ND, Lee grad ND filters, Manfrotto tripod and cable remote trigger.Feedback
Low light and shadows can create a different look depending on the perspective. Move around and look at it from different angles and levels to see which gives the most appealing or dramatic look depending on the result you are looking for. Balancing the foreground with the background is important too. I wanted to include the dead trees in the background to add some background interest and also show more of the setting. Once I had chosen the best composition I was fortunate to see that the clouds formed a 'V' adding to the drama. Shadows look great in black and white. Removing the distraction of the color gives more impact to the shadows.
