Frosty Lone Tree - BW
The frosty Lone Tree (Swift Current, Sk area - 2017 January 26)
The stories this old tree could tell.... was there a homestead that went with the...
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The frosty Lone Tree (Swift Current, Sk area - 2017 January 26)
The stories this old tree could tell.... was there a homestead that went with the tree in years gone by? It has survived all the winds and bad weather we get in the Prairies over so many years.... all alone with no protection from the elements. It weathers the storms stoically year after year. Who planted and nurtured this tree all those years ago? Now when local people drive by it on the nearby highway, many honk at the tree and wave. Some locals have told me you have to honk at it... it brings good luck.
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The stories this old tree could tell.... was there a homestead that went with the tree in years gone by? It has survived all the winds and bad weather we get in the Prairies over so many years.... all alone with no protection from the elements. It weathers the storms stoically year after year. Who planted and nurtured this tree all those years ago? Now when local people drive by it on the nearby highway, many honk at the tree and wave. Some locals have told me you have to honk at it... it brings good luck.
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Nov, 2017Views
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Awards
Top Shot Award 22
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People's Choice in Solo (single subject) Photo Challenge
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Behind The Lens
Location
I captured this photo just a few miles north of Swift Current, Saskatchewan Canada. This tree is beside the main north-south highway.Time
This photo was shot at 10:10 AM CST (2017 January 26).Lighting
The light was somewhat 'muted' and the air crisp. It was a foggy morning, with the sun peeking through and starting to burn off the fog that had moved into the area overnight. The hoar frost was starting to sparkle.Equipment
I shot this hand-held, with a Nikon D200 Aperture Priority f /5.6 1/1000 sec ISO 400 Manual White Balance set at "Shade" Exposure 0 step Pattern Metering. I captured this photo using a Tamron AF 24-70mm f2.8 Di VC USD lens at 50mm.Inspiration
I love The Lone Tree in all seasons. This particular day I was out for a drive with my camera, and stopped to take a few shots of The Lone Tree. The tree looked especially stunning dressed up in the beautiful thick frost compliments of the fog. I love the stark beauty winter lends to the landscape. So many people see the Prairies as boring and uninspiring, especially in winter, but there is beauty wherever you look. You just have to take the time to look around and appreciate it.Editing
I shoot JPEG (have not had time to learn a program that works with RAW yet.) I used ACDSee Pro 6 to straighten the horizon slightly (that seems to always be an issue for me.... I must not see straight) and to convert the image to Black and White. The original photo looked quite pink (I didn't realize my White Balance was set to shade, and I didn't know what settings I should be using so as not to have everything pink. I used ACDSee to convert this photograph from colour to Black and White and liked it. The only other adjustment I made is the removal of a powerpole in the centre of the photograph near the fence line seen in the distance - the power pole seemed to stick out like a sore thumb, taking attention away from the subject - The Lone Tree.In my camera bag
I have my Nikon D750, D200 and D5100 cameras in my bags along with my Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II, a Tamron SP 24-70MM F/2.8 Di VC USD, a Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm F/1.8G Lens, a Tamron 18-400mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD Lens, Nikon f/2.8 105mm Micro f/2.8 lens, and a Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary Lens. I also always have my Samsung S8+ SM-G955W cellular phone with me (I like to use it when I want or need a wider angle photo.) If I am going to go for a drive to spend some time out and about shooting, I like to take all my cameras and lenses... you just never know what you're going to need. If I am going out to shoot something specific, I take my Nikon D750 along with the 70-200mm lens, 24-70mm lens, 50mm lens, and depending what my shooting goal is, sometimes the 105mm lens. (I did not yet have my Nikon D750 when I shot this photograph.)Feedback
My advice for others is to have extra batteries, keep your batteries charged up, keep your camera(s) handy (you never know when an opportunity to shoot will arise), and to appreciate everything around you and to always look for photo opportunities, then shoot, shoot, shoot.... shoot as often as you can and get off the main roads. This photograph was taken along the main highway, but I was safely pulled off the highway on a nearby pull off (and even then also had my four-way flashers on. Always always SAFETY FIRST!) A person never knows where or when you will find unlikely treasures to photograph. Take advantage of the lighting - when it is sunny or when it is cloudy or foggy, or if rain or any other weather system is moving in, and play with your f stops. Move around -- shoot in different positions and at different angles. My advice is to also try different camera settings as well. Also take the opportunity to use all or most of your photographic equipment including your cellular phone.... Always take more than one photo ... you can always delete it if it doesn't turn out. When you download your photos, don't discard the photo right away because the colour isn't what you had wanted it to be. Try adjusting the lighting, exposure, etc, and also convert it to sepia or black and white... sometimes that is the only adjustment you need to make to the photo in post-processing. Most important of all... always have fun!!!!
