A saw and a ladder

[John D Gerndt]

You know, not every tree is sacred. One can use one's head to figure what requires permission and what doesn't. It is a good post.

I will be traveling this summer with a 10 foot step ladder just to get a view from the scenic outlooks along Michigan's highways where budget constraints (I assume) have allowed "junk trees" to block what we all payed to have dressed and cleared. Getting up in the air is a great way to get around the depth of field issues for long lenses close to the ground. A standard tripod head can be bolted directly to the top step. Try it!

Cheers

[Henry Ambrose]

John, good post! I have one of those ladders and they are well worth the money. I lash my tripod onto the ladder with ropes.

Paul, lighten up! John "the butcher" Cook is on the other side of the country from you so your trees are safe! : >)

Tom, that's a GREAT picture! How much for a small print?

Next week I'm finishing up as job at a National Battlefield and you can be darn sure I won't be cutting anything there. But the next time I'm shooting a commercial building and need a branch, I'll cut one if need be. (I also live in a very green place and its OK to use your head about this tree cutting thing.)

[francisco_5406]

Saint Ansel had a saw in the trunk of his Caddy, I swear.

[Frank Bagbey]

What John meant was "improve the picture". Let us not beat a dead horse any deader. Or don't even bother to pick up paper cups and beer cans to get them out of the photo. That, after all, alters reality. The horse is dead.

[Sal Santamaura]

"...the concept of not destroying something which doesn't belong to you. Am I alone in this viewpoint?"

As a general rule in the US, no Paul, you're not, but those who subscribe seem to become fewer and fewer by the year.

[Dave Moeller]

Regarding trees growing in abandoned industrial property: One of my favorite shots is of the bathroom of an abandoned guard house near an abandoned factory. It's one of my favorites because the tree branch coming in through the window is the perfect compliment to the general run-down look of the place. Sometimes those wild trees just make a picture...

[Hans Berkhout]

I'm waiting for somebody to mention Fred Picker's name in the (chain)saw context.

[Steve Feldman]

Tom, that's a really GREAT picture! I like a print also. Much better than what I got the last time I was there in winter.

[Jim Rice]

I like cracked sidewalks.

[RichSBV]

Paul: Keep the faith, and keep repeating it! I live in the East and if anyone comes arounf here with a saw, they'll meet a 12 gauge in return! Trees don't have to be sacred to understand what Paul is saying!

Personally, I hate blue cars, but I don't go around repainting all those ugly ones a better color!

It really is amazing how many people just don't get it....