Thursday, January 27, 2011

Week 2: Point of View in The Everglades

The Glades is home to some pretty strange species of flora and fauna. We were walking through the Fakahatchee Strand State Park and came across this strange specimen. This is two different plants, an Oak tree and a Strangler Fig. The fig is an invasive plant to FL although other species like the Banyan tree are related to it. Talk about the composition and point-of-view of this photo and comment on how a different one might make a different type of photo.
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18 comments:

  1. JoshJanuary 31, 2011 at 9:15 AM

    Wow, what an incredible picture. That has to be the coolest tree I've ever seen! I like how it towers out of the photo into the green above.

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  2. bethJanuary 31, 2011 at 2:52 PM

    I love lying under trees to photograph them! Looking up into the leaves or needles one gets lost in the wonder, the view of all else blocked out.

    What I like most about this image is that the focus is not on the canopy, rather it's on the trunk. Without the background provided I would have thought this was just an interesting species, however knowing that it is really two plants the power of the Strangler Fig comes across. It's almost as though the Oak Tree is being squeezed by its own roots that have begun to grow the wrong direction.

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  3. Amanda WoodardFebruary 1, 2011 at 1:00 PM

    The composition of this photo is amazing. If you wouldn't have told me I would have thought this was one solid species; however, now that I know this is actually two species I am able to separate the two.

    I believe you captured the two species perfectly by angling the picture to show the Strangler Fig "strangling" the Oak tree. If you would have done a straight on shot the two species might have been harder to distinguish and it definitely would have been less appealing.

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  4. Laurie KFebruary 1, 2011 at 4:14 PM

    This is an amazing photo! I would not have realized that it was 2 different trees either. I have seen Banyan trees (mostly in zoos that represent the rain forest...) and thought that this was similar.

    I like the creativity of the angle you shot this photo. I would not have thought to do this, and probably would have just shot it head on. I hope to really be able to be more creative with my photos! A major goal I have!

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  5. jat02220February 3, 2011 at 5:29 PM

    I really like the point of view of this photo, it helps to show the texture and realism of the trees as they intertwine. That's crazy that they grew together like that.

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  6. Jenn NeddoFebruary 4, 2011 at 2:32 PM

    I love this picture, it makes me realize how very small we are in the scheme of things. But I also see all those toe holds that my boys would scale in a heartbeat.

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  7. NikkiFebruary 4, 2011 at 8:33 PM

    These two trees intertwined is amazing! Its very beautiful to me!

    I think the point-of-view that was chosen to take this photo is perfect. The photo wouldn't have the same affect if it had been taken from another.

    There are many different angles that these trees could've been photographed at and all would have a different affect on the viewer. I think this was definitely a great angle to use though! If the trees had been taken from the "front" then you wouldn't have been able to see much of the trunk itself, which is the most beautiful and captivating part of the whole photo.

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  8. HeidiFebruary 5, 2011 at 11:12 AM

    I really like the way you took this picture. If you'd have taken the photo straight on the effect of the strangler fig may not have been as prominent.

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  9. AnonymousFebruary 5, 2011 at 5:39 PM

    I also would never have known this was an image of 2 different trees! I like how you went an angle looking up from the bottom, it really accented the design of the "interwined" tree and it's just beautiful. Wishing we could see some of this in VT! I'd have to agree that if you just took a picture from the side view, it would not have the same effect on me.

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  10. LisaFebruary 6, 2011 at 5:57 AM

    Taking this angle of trees, buildings, or even people can be a lesson in humility for the photographer because you must either lay on the ground or crouch really low and twist yourself into a pretzel to achieve it. The results are almost always worth it though, and give the subject a grand powerful emotional punch.

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  11. John MyersFebruary 6, 2011 at 5:45 PM

    I'm like 6'4 so crouching or pretzel shapes are not in my vocabulary. Why did you decide to take the picture with the sun to your west?

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  12. JamieFebruary 7, 2011 at 5:17 AM

    I love this picture. First because it captures so many different things. It captures the two different species of trees, but then all of the details throughout the whole entire picture, not just the trunk. I spend a lot of time in FL being that is where my family lives, and this puts a familiar scene in a whole new perspective.

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  13. KristinFebruary 7, 2011 at 10:59 AM

    I'm always trying to take pictures that demonstrate a trees looming height but they never come out right. I like this perspective because it talks about how you saw the tree- tall, rising high above. The vines are great and make it more interesting than your every day tree. They remind me of giant fingers kind of taking over the tree.

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  14. tomFebruary 7, 2011 at 11:08 AM

    From the angle it looks a bit like an Ent hand is grabbing it at the base fingers lengthening and twinning around the tree getting ready to pull it down into the earth.A very interesting tree.

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  15. Digital Photography at a glanceFebruary 7, 2011 at 1:19 PM

    Hi Lisa, the "Strangler fig" I think matches its name to a "T" it sure looks like it is trying to strangle that hard wood. The point of view helps this photo out alot beacuse it looks as though the strangler fig is trying to make its was down from the Oak and to grab the viewer; if it werent for this angle I truly do not believe it would have the same affect. I also like the composition it is just filled with amazing things I have never seen before.

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  16. AmmandaFebruary 7, 2011 at 5:50 PM

    That is one of my favorite things about FL, the awesome trees! Especially the banyan trees! In your photo I envision laying on my back and looking up at this monstrous tree. The point of view really helps to show its height and the composition makes me feel like I am right there in the photo instead of looking at a picture.

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  17. Paula ClarkFebruary 7, 2011 at 8:06 PM

    This is an amazing picture. How interesting that these two types of trees formed together in such a manner. I like the view and height that is given to the way you decided to photograph this object. Gives the picture more life than a straight-on photo. I've been trying to think of the different angles to take a photograph to get different point-of-views of the object. I have to say it is very interesting as I look at things in a different way...oh that would make a great photo...or that or that...I have even heard my husband comment on different ideas of things to photograph since I've been taking this class. Nice to get ideas from others even of everyday ordinary scenes or objects.

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  18. SeanFebruary 7, 2011 at 9:47 PM

    I love the picture. I really like how your emphasize the tree by making it the most distinct part if the image and allow the leaves in the background to sort of blend together. However still letting them to become an important park of the picture.

    Sean

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