Japanese Maple at the Japanese Garden, Portland, OR
Japanese Maple at the Japanese Garden, Portland, OR
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Awards
Top Shot Award 22
Creative Winter Award
Curator's Selection
2020 Choice Award
Contest Finalist in Change Of Seasons Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Fabulous Foliage Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Beautiful Trees Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Colorful Leaves Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Shades Of Orange Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Image of the Year Photo Contest by Snapfish
Contest Finalist in Inspiring Shots Photo Contest
People's Choice in Orange Is Back Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Orange Is Back Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Photography 101 Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in The Red Color In Nature Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Twisted Lines Photo Contest
Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Outstanding Creativity
Magnificent Capture
All Star
Superior Skill
Genius
Virtuoso
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laurenvontrapp
December 05, 2015
I was thinking the exact same thing, that it looked like Peter Lik's work
RDVPhotography
June 22, 2015
Congratulations Kathy. This is on my bucket list but hard to get due to distance & timing.
RDVPhotography
January 06, 2016
Congratulations Kathy, on being a finalist for Photo of the Year. Wow!
terryc
March 09, 2016
LOL! I'm getting writer's cramp congratulating you so many times for this outstanding shot, Kathy!! LOL. Huge congrats again!!
travlndon
September 17, 2016
Kathy, love the 3D feel of this tree. Great perspective to shoot level at height of trunk base.
jamiesarkett
September 24, 2016
Is this a photo of the painting of this scene ? looks like the painting I bought :)
toshihiro_shoji
July 23, 2017
Wow!! Fabulous capture with splendid color, beautiful light and fantastic composition. Outstandingly beautiful, Kathy!!!
NatureLoverJJWal
November 14, 2019
Fantastic capture. Congratulations on your awards in this photo Kath!
jessdiduro
December 12, 2019
I am so taken by your photo. The depth and beauty of what you captured is absolutely stunningly beautiful! Hats off to you. You have a wonderful eye!
beverlymshelferdodson
May 01, 2021
Beautiful! Love the colors. Was this taken at the Japanese Gardens in Portland, Oregon?
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
I shot this image one foggy fall morning in the Japanese Garden in Portland, OR.Time
It was about 9am when I took this. Because of the fog, I had a considerable window for good light -- at least until 11am when the fog started to burn off.Lighting
The fog produced a sort and even lighting, which enable me to get details even in the trunk & branches.Equipment
I used mu Nikon D300 with an 18-200mm lens on a tripod with settings of ISO 500, 1/25, f8.Inspiration
I visit the Japanese Garden at least once a week every fall, and almost that often in the spring, so catch the leaves as they change and turn color or leaf out, I always try to get to the Garden if it's a foggy fall morning, as the light is just magical. This particular tree is very old and has been carefully nurtured and pruned to create an amazing trunk and branching structure. Add to that, the fiery leaves in late fall, and it just asks to be shot! Many fall days you will see as many as 10 photographers standing in line waiting their turn to shoot this tree. However, on a chilly, foggy morning, you can get lucky & be the only one!Editing
I adjusted the RAW image to reduce shadows to bring out the detail in the trunk and used Nik filters to enhance the contrast a bit, particularly in the trunk. I didn't choose to increase saturation as I didn't want to oversaturate the leaves.In my camera bag
I usually have a polarizer, sometimes graduated ND filters (depending on what I'm shooting & when), and a shower cap to use in case of heavy mist/rain.Feedback
When shooting trees, be on the lookout for ones with interesting trunks &/or branching structures. Other interesting textural elements like exfoliating bark or moss add interest. A tree with good structure can be shot any time of year, but fall or early spring is often best as more light may reach the trunk through fewer or smaller leaves, and leaf color may be more intense. Fog is just about always a wonderful light because it is diffuse and soft, eliminating harsh contrasts.