The first ‘Shot of the Week‘ features a subject that is no stranger to followers, as I photograph the Yoga Tree quite often.
During my daily commute this Friday morning, I noticed that the sky had an interesting cloud cover, which might produce a good backdrop for the Yoga Tree, so I went for a little detour. When I got there, the sky did definitely not disappoint, as the sunlight’s reflection off the underside of some of the clouds provided beautiful structure.
A quick look at the tableau helped me make up my mind on composition and relative positioning of the key elements in this image. My decision was to play a little bit loose with the rule of thirds, so that the rising sun would end up more as a pleasant surprise rather than a key element. The Yoga Tree will always be a main subject in this image, but with the amount of light in the upper left quadrant, I knew that the eye would go there and cause tension, if allowed to compete with the rising sun.
When examining the radiance of the sunrise, I did realize that it could have been the main subject, all by itself. However, my love of trees would never allow me to ignore the Yoga Tree; also, I didn’t have a lens with me to frame the right shot of the sunrise, which helps with decision making!
All in all, I am pleased with capturing this moment during the past week, and I am curious to hear your thoughts about this image, as well as what images you may have captured.
P.S. this is the first post in a series that I plan to feature on Sundays this year. I love to get your feedback on it, as it progresses during the year.
The colour of the sky and the position of the tree definitely captured my attention.
Thank you! Trees and skies are among my favorite subjects.
The Yoga Tree, since last week my favorite tree!!! 😀 Thanks for the story and for that good eye.
Thank you! It is fun to share this special tree with the world. Together, we can tell her story.
I really enjoyed reading through your thought process! Having only one unit on photography in high school, there’s definitely a lot you put into this photo that never crossed my mind!
Kristina, thank you. Photography is all about fun and exploration, which allows you to express the way you see a particular scene in front of you.
One of the best ways I have heard this expressed is that the most important thing in creating a good photo is deciding what to leave out of the image.
Doesn’t a true artist keep returning to the same subject over and over again? This is a lovely pic, and I love the perspective of the tree bending ‘backwards’ towards the sun!
Thank you! Yes, obsession is a hallmark of artistry.
Beautiful. Do you plan to add/include your “equipment” and “parameters” for the shot on the post?
I’ll be happy to add that information in future posts, where it makes sense. In this case I used my iPhone 6S with the Camera app. Thank you for following my blog!
Mother Nature at her best with your Yoga tree as the centre piece as usual, beautiful.
Thank you!!