Hum... doesn't work too well for me frankly speaking. At the risk of being a bit blunt:
- My eye gets attracted by the lighter gravel foreground and there isn't that much to see there,
- The very bluish distant mountains seem to be saying "mid day shooting",
- The trunk on the left is either too close or too far, it seems to be looking for a role in the image.
I would reduce the foreground and correct to some extend the color balance of the distant mountains in the shade.
Cheers,
Bernard
Indeed, a little blunt, but if I may respond in a similar vein then I'm sure you will understand.
The lighter gravel foreground is an essential feature for it underpins the simplicity of the shot, it indicates that the the tree stands on a knoll, that the terrain is not flat, it places the viewer in a subordinate role to that tree, it is the starting point of the journey already alluded to and it and this is signaled by its dominance in the left of the frame. That is one role that may be assigned to it and to approach that starting point requires a conscious effort, one has to walk up to it rather than drift aimlessly towards where it stands. It may also be considered something of a sentinel, watching over the view that opens before you, as if it is a guide, bringing you to the spot of great beauty and then standing silently as you drink it in, sharing in the awe one may feel for nature and her works. The picture is not about the mountains as such, go buy a pretty postcard if that is the depth of understanding you seek for they are more a symbol than natural artifacts to be admired in this image.The shot was taken around 4 in the afternoon, hence the strong light on the trees that reinforces the verdant cloak they lay upon the ground, this strength contrasts with the paler blues of hill and lake and adds to the sense of depth and vastness of the country being portrayed.
Do you never feel as if the earth is talking to you?
