This lone tree in Braeside Park, bayside Melbourne, was solitary, standing out on a plain. It created, for me, an emotive reaction – upright and strong, it stood alone within its natural environment. It made me reflect on resilience – both in nature and for us humans. There was interest in the grassy foreground, and there were quite dramatic clouds in the background as the golden lighting partly shone through. The grassy areas formed a diagonal leading the eye to the solitary tree to the left. There is layering through the environment, which I noticed, too – with the field of grass, the distant foliage and the grey and stormy clouds.
I needed to position myself carefully as there were other larger trees around in the foreground, but not 'in-camera' if I chose a certain vantage point. The tree so dominated the composition that I was comfortable using an f10 aperture for a depth of field to have some of the distant background foliage reasonably in focus. Spring was a good time to visit as in winter, it can be rather bleak and greyed, with overcast lighting; in summer, it is very dry, and the light is harsh and very bright.
Braeside Park is located in southeastern suburban Melbourne and is a very large parkland oasis that provides great opportunities for photography of trees, birds, and other Australian natural wildlife. If one is patient and waits for golden lighting earlier or later in the day, this can make a big difference in terms of a pleasing colour palette that has more appeal and impact.
Benefits of VIP membership:
• Download all new issues of Landscape Photography Magazine
• Download all back issues of Landscape Photography Magazine
• Download all new issues of Wild Planet Photo Magazine
• Download all back issues of Wild Planet Photo Magazine
• Download premium eBooks worth £19.45.
• Create your Personal Portfolio Page – click here to see sample
• Your pictures stay attached to your Personal Portfolio Page forever
• Your published pictures are shared with over 300,000 members and followers
• Your shared pictures are tagged on Instagram
• Submission Priority – your submission goes to the front of the queue
• Fast Support – we aim to reply within 12 hours
Create your Personal Portfolio Page and let us share your published pictures with over 300,000 members and followers.
Dimitri Vasileiou • Editor