Ed Ford, APSA
August 2026 - Ed Ford - Gnarled
Original
About the Image(s)
I was driving to Oklahoma City and stopped along the road fascinated by the dead(?) tree. The shape and context of the distant mountains along with the cloudy sky left me wondering what stories that old tree could tell if is could talk. I simply liked what I saw. There is nothing more to say.
The color was sized in Photoshop and edited in SilverEfex Pro to produce a dramatic monochrome version. I chose the darker tone in order to create the sense of standing against the ages - the storms of time. The camera was a Nikon D810 using the Nikon 28-300mm lens.
10 comments posted
Hi Ed. I do love an old, gnarly tree! You did a great job bringing out the detail in both the tree and the landscape. While I really like the center of the composition and the overall aesthetic, my eye keeps getting pulled toward the heavy dark patch of sky in the upper left and the branch meeting the right edge of the frame.
My only suggestions would be to lift the deep shadows and blacks slightly, and perhaps crop in a bit from the right so the branch is no longer touching the edge of the frame. Nice job.
Posted: 08/09/2026 19:16:38
My only suggestions would be to lift the deep shadows and blacks slightly, and perhaps crop in a bit from the right so the branch is no longer touching the edge of the frame. Nice job.
Posted: 08/09/2026 19:16:38
Thank you Barbara. I was too focused on the texture of the tree and sky and did not see the issue on the right edge. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. That is an easy fix. For the deep shadows I will have to reprocess the image from the original - but I do see your point. Thanks again. Posted: 08/13/2026 16:28:31
Nice conversion to monochrome; it really emphasizes the textures of the tree and surroundings. Images like this are tough as the sky often creates competition with the subject, but I think you balanced this nicely. The darkness of the cloud in the upper left does seem a bit heavy compared to the rest of the image. Posted: 08/09/2026 19:19:34
Good afternoon Shari. You are correct it is heavy, more than I like upon reexamination. Part of that was my thought of placing a vignette. I will go back and revisit the processing from the original without the vignette. Posted: 08/13/2026 16:30:44
I really like the way you got to the finished photo compared to the original. I like the contrast and the isolation of the tree as it sits in the foreground. I do like the centering of the original photo better. I agree with the comment of putting some space between the tree branch on the right side of the frame. I have to admit I did not have a reaction to the dark upper right part of the photo when I first looked at it, but after seeing the other's comments, I agree that it could be lightened up a bit.
Another really nice capture and processing.
Thanks.
Rob
Posted: 08/13/2026 16:10:46
Another really nice capture and processing.
Thanks.
Rob
Posted: 08/13/2026 16:10:46
Thank you Robert. You are correct - please see my response to Shari rather than repeating everything again.
Thanks again Posted: 08/13/2026 16:31:51
Thanks again Posted: 08/13/2026 16:31:51
Hi Ed, an impressive portrait of a grand old tree! I agree with all the previous comments. - As a fellow vignette lover, I have a lot of experience in the dark corner problem that I notice too late in the final edited image. If you don't want to go back to the original, a soft luminosity mask in the dark part might help. Posted: 08/14/2026 06:43:34
Thank you Kirsti, I will keep that in mind for the future. I had not thought of that while processing the image. Posted: 08/25/2026 00:27:23
Ed … the sky treatment provides the contrast otherwise the tree would be lost in the sky. I too like finding trees with character and it is difficult to capture that character but you did it well. As others have noted the limb on the right needs a bit more room. Posted: 08/24/2026 19:48:11
Thanks Steve. I agree about the branch. Too much focus on other elements of the image conversion and missed that completely with the vignette. Posted: 08/25/2026 00:28:51