Learn To Photograph Trees

I like trees. A lot. Some of my favorite objects in the real world are trees. Think I can reliably take a good photograph of a tree? No way.

Humans know what trees should look like. They generally have a strong 3D presence but are actually quite similar to each other and parts of themselves. If you take any random snapshot of tree, you generally get something unrecognizable as tree or something that is generic and powerless.

Take this example. There are 4 trees. They are different ages (and so different width trunks). The lighting is good (as good as you generally get in forest - side lit, orange). Which tree is closest? Do you get a sense of scale? Majesty? These are big trees - do you feel dwarfed?

This fails the self similar problem (big trunks far away look the same as smaller trunks closer up).

How about this example? Trees are complex with internal shadowing. They are large (mostly bigger than people). At the time, this was a powerful scene, but I have done nothing to convey that to you.

Was there something I could have done to save these shots? Is there some f-stop on a camera that does a fantastic job? I haven't found it. Below are some of the pictures of trees I have taken that I like. This covers less than 2% of the photographic situations I've been in where I wanted to take a picture of a tree.

Strategy 1: Separate Tree From Background
It's a rare opportunity, but if you can separate the tree from the other trees you might have an honest chance at getting a good picture. Almost never works in dense west coast forests.

When you see that classic photo of a lone tree on the horizon of rolling fields they are using this technique (and a long lens). It works - it's classic.

Palm trees seem to be a good special case of this rule. Most people know what the top looks like and it separates well from the rest of the tree. Go to the tropics, shoot lots, it's one of the few places that trees are easy to shoot.

Sadly, half measures don't work well here. How about this shot?

These rare oak trees really stand out and this tree was by it's self. There is an interesting foreground element and they sky and near background don't suck. Sadly, the shape of tree is confused with the background and the effect is lost. Try harder.

Strategy 2: Put a Human in there
Just adding a human isn't enough - you need to have a human and some way to separate the tree from everything else. If you are extraordinarily lucky, a tree can be lit (add a human) an voila - a passable picture.

Even more trouble. That self similar thing makes your life miserable. There are two formulas - either the dappled light clearing or the hazy view.

Strategy 1: The Dappled Light Clearing
The formula is easy to follow: Wide angle (often the wider the better) with a rare clearing in the forest with dappled light falling on the ground. The dappled light allows you to figure out the scale of the forest floor and with that, you get a sense of camera angle and depth. Once your eye understand the perspective, it is willing to construct the trees from what it knows. Missing the clearing or the dappled light? Don't bother taking the photo.

What you are looking for is the ground to provide enough detail for your brain to grab scale, enough differences in lighting for your brain to reconstruct depth and finally enough to make it interesting.

Again, trying to get over the self similar problem. If the atmosphere provide depth queuing (the further back it is, the thicker the fog/haze/smoke) the observer can reconstruct the 3D scene, you have a picture that conveys the space and trees. The problem is getting that depth queuing medium inside of forest. One can't go around setting forests on fire in order to take photos of them.

Got it? Let me know if you find another strategy.

Hey--found your site weeks ago and bookmarked it, and just had a chance this aft. to look over it. Great photos AND easy-to navigate site design. Thanks for the photo-tips, Dave

David Laporte
Wednesday, August 15th, 2007 at 13:57:30

great site, few days ago i bought a camera and very confused, now i am very enthusiastic to experiment with the help of tips given in your site.

Prabhakar Rao
Tuesday, February 19th, 2008 at 03:48:01

thank you, i needed to do a report on photography for my photography class im taking in high school and you gave me everything i needed:] and the pictures were gorgeous. i have such an interest in it. its truly a beautiful work of art

Briianna
Monday, March 3rd, 2008 at 18:30:47

Thanks for the forest tips! I'm heading up to the Muir Woods soon, and will definitely apply them...

Gordon
Monday, March 24th, 2008 at 10:19:32

This was incredibly helpful! Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge with photo examples !

Patty
Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008 at 15:28:31

Learn To Photograph Trees

Leave a Comment