Topic: Ancient Bristlecones (Read 3457 times)

JeffKohn · « **on:** August 07, 2009, 11:50:17 am »

More images from our trip to the Sierra Nevada area. While staying in Bishop, we also visited the bristlecone pine groves in the White Mountains. The upper Patriarch Grove is particularly impressive; I wish we'd had more time there, but we underestimated the drive time (count on at least 2hrs from Bishop). On the bright side, the storm that looked like it was headed straight for us during the drive up, broke up in time to make for some nice colors around sunset.

C&C always welcome. There are some more pictures in the gallery here

Patriarch Grove #1

Patriarch Grove #3

Discovery Trail #4, Schulman Grove

usathyan · « **Reply #1 on:** August 07, 2009, 11:59:18 am »

Discovery Trail #4, Schulman Grove - is WOW!

wolfnowl · « **Reply #2 on:** August 07, 2009, 12:10:34 pm »

Some great work! The oldest known living thing on earth, a tree known as 'Methuselah' lives there. Some 4800 years old. It's not marked, intentionally, to prevent 'tourists' from trying to take home souvenirs. There was an even older tree in Wyoming (4862 years), known locally as Prometheus, but it was cut down by a geology student in the 1960s, with permission of the US Forest Service. (http://www.sonic.net/bristlecone/Martyr.html

Mike.

RSL · « **Reply #3 on:** August 07, 2009, 12:29:02 pm »

Jeff, All three are good. I like #1 especially -- for the Oriental-perspective effect of the hills fading away in layers of haze. Very nice.

cmi · « **Reply #4 on:** August 07, 2009, 12:47:46 pm »

Stunning work Jeff. I like esp. #1 and #3.

Eric Myrvaagnes · « **Reply #5 on:** August 07, 2009, 01:18:05 pm »

Very nice, all three. I'm envious because they are all much better than what I got the one time I was there several years ago.

It is awesome being in the presence of living beings of such great age (and beauty).

I remember that the drive from Bishop was much longer than I had expected, but well worth the effort.

John R · « **Reply #6 on:** August 07, 2009, 09:28:30 pm »

I like the last image quite a lot. I can see why some images work well in High contrast BW and others not. The first image has a limb sticking out on the bottom right and that is distracting for me. The second evokes weeping willows - nice.

JMR

cmi · « **Reply #7 on:** August 08, 2009, 03:18:32 am »

Quote from: John R

... The first image has a limb sticking out on the bottom right and that is distracting for me. ...

Maybe the image would gain clarity from cloning it out along with the branches at the right border.

francois · « **Reply #8 on:** August 08, 2009, 06:38:36 am »

I like the first two images a lot. The soft pastel hues, the distant haze bring a soothing mood... But the third one (B/W) is my favourite.

JeffKohn · « **Reply #9 on:** August 08, 2009, 12:10:41 pm »

Thanks for the feedback and comments everyone, I really appreciate it. I do agree that the right edge of the first image is a but cluttered/messy. Trying to isolate subjects without distracting elements from their surroundings creeping into the frame was one of the biggest challenges shooting there.

Quote

It is awesome being in the presence of living beings of such great age (and beauty).

It truly is. We got to the Patriarch Grove about an hour before sunset; the storm clouds had just broken up, and we had the entire place to ourselves. We found ourselves speaking in near-whispers, almost as if we were in a church or other place of reverence. It was a magical experience.

jasonrandolph · « **Reply #10 on:** August 08, 2009, 01:59:28 pm »

Nice work, Jeff. I echo the above comments. Other than the minor distraction in the first image, all three are excellent!

Jeremy Roussak · « **Reply #11 on:** August 09, 2009, 05:37:13 am »

I love the third - for me, much the best of the three.

Jeremy

Josh-H · « **Reply #12 on:** August 09, 2009, 06:58:09 am »

For me the first is a real standout photograph - the composition makes it for me. Really Beautiful.

Well done.

Author Topic: Ancient Bristlecones (Read 3457 times)