Help with composition

[Heroique]

Nothing special but here was the best shot.

Well, you’re getting closer, but maybe you can get a lot closer than that.

I’m talking “Honey, I shrunk the kids” close – there’s a lot of landscape in the wood grain.

To complement Preston’s shot, here’s one that was flat enough for a neutral camera.

Tachi 4x5
Schneider 150/9 g claron
Ilford FP4+
1/8th @ f/16 (effective approx. f/22+)
Extended bellows, high magnification
Epson 4990/Epson Scan

[Robbie Shymanski]

Another thing you might look into are the gnarled tree trunks shot by Weston and Adams and see what they were doing right, or wrong.

[Merg Ross]

Since you have asked, let me comment, and please do take may comments as intended.

Perhaps, for reasons yet unknown to you, the subject before you has an attraction. Why? Have you seen photographs of distressed trees that lead you to believe that this particular tree has merit? It certainly is a subject worthy of your interpretation.

So now, the project is to enlist your unique vision. Color, black and white, close-up, context of the surrounding, or isolated abstraction. Again, what attracted you to this subject?

The challenge is to look beyond what it is, and employ your vision. Do your homework, and spend time with the subject; it does not appear to be going anywhere soon. You have looked at the subject from afar, so move increasingly closer, closer, and closer still. Perhaps the very thing that attracted you was a a few square inches of the bark.

I am not a fan of using a digital camera to learn composition. I make this clear to all of those who contact me on the subject. I am particularly sensitive to this, because large format photography is not about sloppy seeing and cropping later. Large format photography is a slow, methodical process that necessitates seeing, not merely looking.

I am off my soapbox, and leave you to your future visual interpretations. Have fun!

[Curt]

As Paul Strand once said, "Have something to say."
What do you want to say here, about the scene in front of you?

[Edward (Halifax,NS)]

I have gotten closer and I will get closer still. The closer pictures had a light leak somewhere. It is probably due to my technique with the rollfilm holder. I will keep on trying.

The main attraction is the contrast between the bark and bare tree. I am not sure if it the colour contrast or the texture. As it has been said, the tree isn't going anywhere.

[jeroldharter]

I agree with the get closer comments. The contrasting tones of the dead parts vs the dark bark or the boundary between the two look interesting. Might need to boost the contrast in B&W. Perhaps the base of the trunk has some interesting details/contrasts. I don't think the out of focus background adds much.