Looking Up Through My Lens: A Photographer’s Tribute to Trees
By Colleen O’Neill
We gaze ahead waiting for the next round of the bend or scan peripherally to anticipate motion; yet never look up at the world which exists just above our tunnel vision. Trees are one of the most fascinating aspects of nature; their twisted shapes are amazing, textures so deeply ingrained and contours simply stunning. Their skin offers an enticing path for the eyes to follow; intertwining in exquisite design with each offering splendidly unique intricacies which no human could ever replicate.
Spending time in nature is a very important part of my life and attempting to capture all which exists around me with my camera lens provides exhilaration at every turn. Walking among the forest I constantly find my gaze shifting up, along with my camera, and I am always amazed. If there is one object in nature which I find effortlessly and consistently provides instant awe, it is most certainly a tree. No matter how many times I photograph trees there is never any pattern to their beauty since each is absolutely unique. The deeply ingrained designs of their bark from root to tip are dazzling in form and provide never-ending delight for the camera lens and also for my soul.
Besides providing endless beauty in the forest, trees also serve a crucial role in the survival of all organisms on Earth; breath, warmth and nourishment. Their knowledge of our land is timeless; they have towered over us for ages and witnessed major events of our history. Astoundingly, for a select few, their massive girth and extensive growth rings prove existence for thousands of years preceding. These ambassadors of nature remain anchored to their land sustaining life for those surrounding them while quietly observing as we execute our mistakes
They stand firm with their weathered skin and green attire while providing spectacular photographic opportunities from below. As I stand at the foot of their staggering heights I suddenly view the world from a humbled perspective. These wooden inhabitants occupy a massive percentage of this entire planet, far more than the human population. And as I contemplate the simple beauty of this solitary tree in front of my camera lens I realize the impact they have on the world and also on my senses. Similar to the widening aperture of my camera lens, my own human optical lens widens as it attempts to focus on the natural beauty in the current frame of my existence.
As I stroll through the forest I will tread along the same familiar path countless times, yet still on every walk I discover something new to capture with my camera. I recognize trees which I have photographed in the past and if I simply walk to another side of that tree than I had before, I discover yet another interesting angle. There never seems to be a shortage of photographic material even on a simple walk through a wooded path. Trees exist in majestic places, such as National Parks, and add decoration to already stunning scenery, but I have discovered that I derive the most inspiration from very ordinary places. Perhaps the most simplistic forested beauty which surrounds my immediate living space strikes deeper within my soul because I connect more completely with it.
These familiar trees are rooted below my own feet and the path that I walk throughout my life and I can recognize them along the trail as I would old friends. They are always a constant in my life and I know they will be around the bend every time I walk this path. Each year as I capture their essence, every season displays a very different phase in their long lives and tells the important story of survival. Countless living beings depend on these powerful forested forces and in so many crucial ways. Simply gazing up at them I recognize not only their external beauty, but also appreciate their contributions on Earth and view them as another living being standing right beside my own beating heart.
Whether blanketed in lush cloaks of vibrant green or stripped naked with only their bare bones remaining, trees reveal their beauty throughout all seasons. The delicate green adornments of spring showcase their life sustaining powers. The lush radiance covers their bones and surrounds the forest in a sea of green as far as the eye can see. Following inevitably are the deep, rich hues of fall which mark the crucial transition of the seasons and offer a last display of stunning beauty before colder and darker days.
Winter symbolizes a different form of beauty; pure and true because no vibrant green or rich autumnal hues are present to distract the eye and mind. Trees in winter are as stunning as ever when they display their bare bones. They are at their most vulnerable and splendid in this state when one can see the forest without all of the overgrown clutter and distraction of superficial beauty. These skeletons of the forest endure while all else struggles and retreats around them; they remain strong and present and remind us that the cycle will perpetuate.
The next time you find yourself walking through the forest; look up. Not many people embrace this view high above our limited ground floor. Whether displaying the skeletal forms of winter or the full canopies of spring, pointing my camera lens in an upward direction most certainly provides stunning opportunities along the curves of a tree branch. To most people, trees may appear as just another anchored fixture blending in with similar forms surrounding, but spending the time to truly capture these wooden creatures reveals the most exciting subject which my lens has ever focused upon. A wondrous world awaits a simple tilt of the head as you see the sky through a beautifully complicated and tangled web of trees.
