Bob-
I'm reminded of how long you've been searching for ways to photographically
capture what your eye sees in the woods, when I think back to the 90's when you
were working with, hmmm, I want to say Melendez, a photographer acquaintance of
yours with an array of lenses to bring to bear on trees.
I have only seen one feature that I can think of that is relatively new, that
might help. Not in terms of accurate graphical analysis (measurements), but in
terms of including entire trees in a single image.
My nephew recently purchased a Canon (a model unfamiliar to me) which enables
him to capture a panorama by depressing shutter release, panning the camera
from left to right and then releasing shutter...exposure changes seamlesses as
you pan. There's no reason one couldn't pan vertically with a similar success.
Well of course, but for other trees and shrubs being in the way...
As we get single devices doing multiple tasks, it won't be long before most
cameras will have GPS imprinting coordinates, time/date, etc. either on image
or in the image metadata, or both.
Some already do.
-Don
Date: Wed, 5 Aug 2009 13:20:25 +0000
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]; [email protected]
CC: [email protected]; [email protected];
[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected];
[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected];
[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected];
[email protected]
Subject: [ENTS] Re: A good day in the field
Joe,
As you've no doubt deduced by now, a behind-the-scene motive of mine in
presenting these forest images on the ENTS list is to entice better
photographers than I am into visiting idyllic Berkshire forest sites with me.
It is my increasing belief that exceptional forest sites and features need to
be captured on film for posterity before climate change, forest policy,
disease, etc. claim out champions and reduce exceptional forest sites to mere
memories. The direct benefit of being a 'forest snob' (I clearly am that) is
that I spend most of my time in the truly exceptional forest sites. I abandon
unexceptional places pretty quickly. But other than those who accompany me, and
with a few other exceptions, not many people visit the exceptional places - or
if they do, their 'snob eye' isn't sharp enough to distinguish the nice from
the exceptional - exceptional for Massachusetts, I mean. In my self-appointed
mission, I'm struggling to get good pictures because while I may have an
intuitive feeling for fairly artistic shots, as recognized by my friend Don
Bertolette, I have simple equipment and only the most rudimentary understanding
of the features of the camera that could be employed to capture difficult
scenes. The job calls for someone with greater skills and experience. For
example, the three attached images represent my attempt to capture the
extraordinary rock and rock-tree scenes on Todd Mountain. I flubbed most shots
badly. The challenge of photographing green, on green, on green with dabbles of
gray and brown was too much for me. To put an even finer point to my lament,
yesterday, when exiting the Trees of Peace Grove, I decided to check on a
favored striped maple. It is fairly slender, but not small. Most people who
pass it misidentify it. It would appear large to people who recognize the
species, but likely they would not look up, except to ID the tree. Only a tree
nut like me (and others on the list) would take further notice of it. But what
should we notice? Holy Molly, as Dale would say, that sucker soars. I
remeasured it and its upper leaves are 66 vertical feet above its base! There
may be a leaf or two at 67 feet, making it one of 4 striped maples in Mohawk
that I've measured to over 60 feet in height. All of us routinely see the
species in the woods. It typically struts its stuff at girths of 12 to 18
inches and heights of 25 to 45 feet as typical maximums. People are often very
impressed when they see those dimensions. Well, in the Hopper of Greylock, I've
measured specimens to 40 inches DBH. In Mohawk, I've made it to 39 inches. I've
measured striped maple to 54 feet in the Adirondacks, about the same in the
Catskills, and commonly 30 to 45 feet elsewhere, but haven't broke 60 feet
anywhere in the Northeast except in Mohawk and Monroe State Forests. I'm sure
sites in NY and PA have striped maples in the 60-foot height class, but not
many. Joe, I'd love to capture the verticality of striped maple in our
forest reserves, but I have no idea of how to photographically capture what my
eye sees with the species, other than its large, bright green leaves and
elegant striped bark. Both these features are evident up close. We don't need
to search for the biggest or tallest to photograph its leaves and bark. But
what if we want to capture it in its full glory, capture its extraordinary
canopy achievement in areas of mature forest? Can that be done?
Bob
----- Original Message -----
From: "Joseph Zorzin" <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Wednesday, August 5, 2009 7:40:56 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
Subject: [ENTS] Re: A good day in the field
when I see such pictures- and they
are very nice- I wonder how they'd look with a fish eye lens? anyone have
one?
another camera option I'd love to
try if I could afford it is a double camera designed to take 3-D images, which
you then look at with a viewer, as we all did as children- I still remember how
much those viewers blew me away- I'd love to use one for forest
photography
Joe
----- Original Message -----
From:
Randy Brown
To: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, August 04, 2009 9:28
PM
Subject: [ENTS] Re: A good day in the
field
The next
image looks high into the canopy of the Algonquin Pines. The sight is
inspirational. When I go to the Algonquin Pines, I frequent the location of
this image. There is a substantial difference between looking up into the
canopy of 90 to 100-foot trees versus those near and above 150. This brings
me to a point.
Ahhh.. beautiful canopy shots. Here's a few good ones I've gotten
in Ohio.
#1 Is looking up into a ~120' Tulip trees in Mohican State Forest.
#2 Is a grove ~140+' white pines in Hocking Hills State Forest.
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