Old Wood
The remains of a Utah-juniper tree located on Antelope Island in Utah. Some people incorrectly call these trees Cedars. One big difference between the trees is ...
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The remains of a Utah-juniper tree located on Antelope Island in Utah. Some people incorrectly call these trees Cedars. One big difference between the trees is that cedars produce small woody cones and junipers produce a bluish berrylike cone.Slow growing, mature trees are easily hundreds of years old. I find the patterns and textures of the twisted, gnarled trucks super interesting. This photo was shot with natural light in early afternoon
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Apr, 2018Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
I found this old Utah-Juniper stump on Antelope Island which is a State Park. The island is located in the Great Salt Lake in Utah. Antelope Island is home to free-ranging bison, mule deer, bighorn sheep, pronghorn (antelope), and many other desert animals. Millions of birds congregate along the shores surrounding the island, offering unparalleled opportunities for birding. There are numerous trail to hike and part of the island where the bison are not kept is completely open to explorationTime
This was a midday shot using just the light from the sun. I was wandering the island looking for animals to photograph and came across this dead wood stump. The natural twisted grain which has opened due to weathering caught my attention, I thought it would make both a good image for color and black and white photographs.Lighting
Lighting was from the sun and I used a small 12 inch white reflector to direct a bit of light into the shadows so I could bring out some details beneath the stump. I usually carry a small collapsible reflector because it is light to carry and convenientEquipment
This shot was easy with minimal equipment from my kit, a D300S Nikon body with the 105mm f2.8 prime lens was used to capture the image with a 12" collapsible reflector to help with the uneven shadows on the bottom of the stump.Inspiration
The twisted textures of the weathered wood and the shape of the stump are the draw that appealed to my artistic eye. I frequently search for old weathered wood to photograph. The textures are great as photos and decor for my home.Editing
The only post-processing I do is a little sharpening which I have to have a friend do because I don't have the software of knowledge to do it myself. It is on my short list of things to learn in the near futureIn my camera bag
My kit contains a Nikon D810, which has been my goto setup with a Nikkor 105 mm f2.8 lens. Recently I upgraded my second body to a Nikon D500. I bought this body for it's lowlight capabilities. Normally the Nikkor 16-80mm f2.8-4 lens resides on the D500 and is the setup I carry when I want to travel light. For those special occasions where I need a wide view the Tamron 10-24mm f3.5-4.5 fills the void and a Tamron 150-600mm f5-6.3 helps me reach out long and far for those subjects that don't like us getting close or the animals that might cause severe bodily harm. The Nikon speedlight system works wonders for all my supplemental lighting and I carry a 12" folding reflector for modifying existing light. I Manfrotto tripod when needed.Feedback
To get such an image I would recommend spending as much time as possible wandering nature areas where people's influence is minimal. Since this location is a State Park it is illegal to take things away. This makes such finds a little easier to stumble across. Of course, this particular plant is located in the Western USA so visiting here would also help. There are other wonderful woods all over the world so take your time with camera in hand and search for wood upon which nature has taken it toll.
