Nadia Trevan
April 2025 - Shrieking birds
Original
About the Image(s)
I photographed this burnt out tree some time ago and wanted to do something with
it. The idea of making it into some sort of scaring looking tree and dominant into the sky appealed
to me. The background is created by blending a number of different skies, blended using cloud
brushes. Converted into mono and then added some colour by using gradients. Added a number of
birds flying around it almost to indicated to stay away.
8 comments posted
Nadia, Ominous! I Iove the simplicity of this powerful image. The angle of the dead tree creates a very powerful commanding presence as a subject matter and the birds imply death. There are a few birds that are in front of the tree that are very small suggesting they are further away and this creates visual confusion when leaving them in front of the tree, I'd consider removing those few or changing their size to match distance. Posted: 04/10/2025 10:51:00
Hi Brad, thanks for your feedback. I have removed those birds and placed some clouds over that area as it was my original intention to have clouds cover part of the tree to indicate height with the birds, so birds that are relatively same size makes sense. Thanks. Posted: 04/19/2025 10:45:57
Nadia, very foreboding image. I'd darken the inside of the trunk instead of letting the light bleed through, as it would make it more ominous. Posted: 04/13/2025 21:48:36
Tom thanks for your comments. I see what you mean. What is there is supposed to be clouds to indicate that the tree is "way up" in the sky with the birds. A quick revision indicates what my idea was originally. I did have it there but somehow I must have toned it down. Posted: 04/19/2025 10:40:34
A very dramatic image Nadia. Brad is quite right about the small birds in front of the tree, just the two or three very small ones. The roots look like feet and the branches look like arms....very scary. The tree has great presence. Super work as usual. Posted: 04/18/2025 20:25:10
Thanks for your feedback Hazel. I have removed the smaller birds and placed some clouds there which is what I originally had intended but somehow I must have toned it down. The idea was to make the tree look like it's a giant and reaching into the clouds. Posted: 04/19/2025 10:53:18
It works beautifully Nadia. Posted: 04/19/2025 14:04:53
Nadia - pretty scary stuff. This is my favorite kind of manipulation. The finished image is nothing like the starting image, except it has the tree. That treatment of the sky tells us that you are truly a "Master" of sky work. I am also curious where you get your birds. They are wonderfully grouped. The texture of the foreground is very good, especially with the additional debris. This is a great work! Thank you. Posted: 04/25/2025 16:51:13