My passion for tree art started at the end of 2014. I did not plan tree art, because it happened by chance.
I drove to Gempen, a village in the Dorneck district. This district, together with Thierstein, forms Schwarzbubenland. The small region lies in Switzerland’s northwest. Gempen has many forests populated by beech trees. In autumn, the woods look marvellous. Yet I did not go there to photograph tree art.
When the day ended, I looked for compositions. During the blue hour, I photographed distant trees. One image pulled me in, distinct from all the rest. The picture I made on this day drew me toward tree art.
I have tried to recapture the image’s atmosphere, succeeding to different degrees. Finding tree art takes time because pointing a camera at a forest and shooting will not do. You can, of course, but the result will not satisfy. What to photograph and how to frame the picture require consideration. A moody photo needs the right light, a condition beyond your influence. The weather carries weight on the day you head out to shoot.
I hold no preference for any time of day. More than a decade ago, when I began photography, I favoured dusks and sunsets. The light softens its intensity at those hours. Nowadays, I also take photos during the day.
Daylight photography needs a different approach. Harsh shadows and blown-out highlights result from glaring sunlight. Overexposure makes it difficult to reach the hoped-for outcome. You need to bring extra care to daytime images.
Burnt-out leaves, along with excessive highlights, present a substantial issue. Attention to exposure settings remains necessary, since an overexposed picture allows no recovery. All detail vanishes with a blown highlight.
Woodland Photography Categories within Tree Art
Woodland Poetry depicts abstract close-up scenes of forests with a painterly feel.
Whispering Trees focuses on tree-dominated landscapes.
Ominous Secrets dwells in Gothic Horror with dark and mysterious moods.
Lonely Entities showcases a single tree, keeping a clean composition.
Tree Art Holds a Wealth of Possibilities
I also enjoy working with infrared photography (Wikipedia). I feel drawn to pursue it in more depth. In spring and summer, my struggle with the colour green often limits my work.
Autumn and winter hold my favour. I photograph most then, when autumn colours glow, and winter snow softens the world. Bare trees appeal to me because they appear more interesting without leaves.
