Lone Tree at Drove Road

“Clearing”

I like a good minimalist shot, but not too minimal. When I first approached this tree, the mist made the scene a bit stark—there was no context and the tree looked like an ink blot on a pure white page. No matter where I placed the tree in the frame, I couldn’t make it work. But as the mist began to thin, the brow of the hill and the line of trees in the background became visible, and with these orienting features, it was much easier to create a shot that I am happy with. I usually prefer the stability of a tripod, but the changing conditions meant I needed to be quick on my feet. Moreover, with all the white in the frame, the shutter speed was high enough that it would have been hard to produce camera shake!