Just a tree

[Martin Kristiansen]

Southern Namibia this in the Richtersveld transfrontier park. This is near the start of the Fish River Canyon hike which I have done twice. Shot in the middle of summer, was almost 50 C before the storm rolled in. Arid and harsh. What rain the area gets comes in the form of infrequent  summer storms.

[drmike]

Nice colours and an interesting shot.

The positioning of where the horizon breaks the upright tree always feels problematic to me, I never feel quite comfortable with such a strong intersection where there is fine detail in the branches. How do others approach this?

Mike

[Martin Kristiansen]

Yes that is a thing. Personally I tend to focus on the tree and use a mid range aperture to let the background drift slightly out of focus. I had this thing for shooting with view cameras and then making sure everything is sharp. I’m not so fond of this approach anymore.

[drmike]

I have never used a view camera, I could never afford to - but I imagine you can control the focus far better than with smaller format cameras.

I do find it tricky to manage the horizon and uprights or indeed any cutting of the subject unless of course it is part and parcel of the chosen composition.

[Jeremy Roussak]

Nice colours and an interesting shot.

The positioning of where the horizon breaks the upright tree always feels problematic to me, I never feel quite comfortable with such a strong intersection where there is fine detail in the branches. How do others approach this?

It's an interesting shot, with a dramatic sky. I think it would have been better taken from a little lower down, for the reason you intimate.

Jeremy

[drmike]

I'm not sure I would dare suggest a different viewpoint I'm just curious how others deal with this problem. The blurring of the background will help but I'm guessing it couldn't be taking to extremes in a landscape.

Mike

[Martin Kristiansen]

I’m always open to suggestion. Perhaps shooting lower would have helped but I liked the landscape as well. Perhaps trying to say too much.

[Farmer]

I think this one is more difficult because of the relatively low contrast of the tree and the foreground.  Given the description of the temperatures, I'm sure it was that bright and stark, but perhaps a little judicious increase in local contrast on the tree would make it pop slightly, adding depth and pulling it out from the background and helping to alleviating the "cut" across it?

[Paulo Bizarro]

I like it as it is. Gives a more balanced and natural point of view. If shot lower down, the perspective would be more dynamic, which I feel it would not add to the shot.

[francois]

Very nice shot, I really like the sky!

Also, I share the same same problem when dealing with "intersections" and am interested how others are handling these interesting problems.

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

I like it as it is. Gives a more balanced and natural point of view. If shot lower down, the perspective would be more dynamic, which I feel it would not add to the shot.

I agree with Paulo.

[bgberlin01]

Nice colours and an interesting shot.

The positioning of where the horizon breaks the upright tree always feels problematic to me, I never feel quite comfortable with such a strong intersection where there is fine detail in the branches. How do others approach this?

Good question from drmike as are the replies, gives me something to think about in terms of compostion. I like the picture as framed.

[Ivo_B]

Wow, what a shot!!

[guido]

Fabulous light! Nicely captured.

[sdwilsonsct]

Very nice capture, good composition.

[JNB_Rare]

Fabulous light! Nicely captured.

+1

[Telecaster]

I too like the composition as is. The sky cuts across the tree right at the point where the latter's greenery starts, which works for me.

-Dave-