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Dry Brush
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Dry Brush

by Igor Doncov

Gallery: LandscapePosted April 28, 2016332 views12 comments
This is a Palo Blanco, one of the few leaf trees that grows in the southern baja desert. Usually it grows in washes. I've made several shots of these trees but none seem to capture their essence. In this case I was more intrigued by the swirling lines formed by the brush around it and the shades of warm colors. Please let me know what you think.

Canon 6D, 24-105mm@60mm, ISO 100, F8.0, 1/45 secs, tripod,delayed timer

Comments

12 comments
Comment posted by Harley Goldman on April 28, 2016 at 10:05 AM
I am enjoying this a whole lot! The white branches hold the composition together nicely and the image has great earth tones.  It is chaotic, but very well controlled chaos.  Very nice.
Registered on November 19, 2003, 586 Posts, 11271 Comments
Comment posted by Bill Chambers on April 28, 2016 at 1:18 PM
I like this type of image very much Igor, abd you do them so well.  While this type of image isn't usually considered a wallhanger IMHO they require a greater degree of skill to successfully get their message across.  You have acheived that measure nicely here.  This has a cohesive and coherent composition and is a pleasure to look at. 
Registered on April 10, 2005, 753 Posts, 21216 Comments
Comment posted by Nick Bristol on April 28, 2016 at 1:55 PM
Igor, I also like this image very much. I totally agree with Bill's thoughts on making images of this type. Few people seem to do them this well and you certainly are one of them. It reminds me of a Peter Richter image and I always have enjoyed his work. You did an excellent job with the composition and I love the color tones in this. Really nice! 

Igor, Thought I would add how much this image also reminds me so much of the work Eliot Porter had done. Cheers!

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI
Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments
Comment posted by Vance Gese on April 28, 2016 at 9:56 PM
This is simply exquisite, Igor.  Wonderful, delicate detail is amazing of course, but what I love about this is how the warmer tones of the bottom half are linked to the greens of the top half by those fabulous gray branches and trunks of these trees; an amazing composition so subtle that draws the viewer in.  Excellent seeing.  Hats off on a superb image that many would never see.
Registered on November 13, 2008, 298 Posts, 6629 Comments
Comment posted by gary phillips on April 29, 2016 at 1:12 AM
I'm having a hard time with this one Igor.  The chaos of the comp is preventing me from seeing and understanding what it is you want me to see.  I seem to be in the minority thus far and that's okay.  Taste is a wonderful thing that makes us all individuals for sure.  
Registered on October 24, 2013, 185 Posts, 4136 Comments
Comment posted by Mark Seaver on April 29, 2016 at 8:49 AM
Igor, the white branches of the tree stand out nicely in the chaos of the surroundings.  The larger version, especially with the white border and dark background has considerable extra pop and improves the view of the subtly warm colors in the foreground very well.  Those colors also contrast nicely with the greens up top.   I think this works well as presented, but for me the emphasis is on the tree and from your narrative, I'm not sure that's what you were trying to do.
Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments
Comment posted by Roel Wijtmans on April 29, 2016 at 11:15 AM
This is lovely, and the dark and bright branches intertwining each other is a fascinating sight, especially in combination with that colorful background. I do feel that the branches in the llc are competing a bit too much for my attention, but then again, there is not much you could do about that!
Registered on September 30, 2012, 116 Posts, 2257 Comments
Comment posted by Igor Doncov on April 29, 2016 at 12:27 PM
Roel. The branches in the llc are actually a big part of why I was drawn to this composition. The overlapping branches intrigued me. They were actually a more prominent feature in an earlier crop that included more to the left but was changed to what you see now because the tree was unbalanced to the right and a narrower presentation favored the up and down branches. I actually like the bottom half of this image more than the upper. 

Regarding what i was after in this image I feel that Vance explained it pretty well. However I will post a different image today that will help explain my motivation with this kind of composition. 
Registered on November 22, 2014, 189 Posts, 2733 Comments
Comment posted by Igor Doncov on April 29, 2016 at 2:05 PM
Nick wrote:

Igor, Thought I would add how much this image also reminds me so much of the work Eliot Porter had done. Cheers!
 


Yes the image below was an influence early on in my life. There was a better one but I can't find it now on the internet.

Registered on November 22, 2014, 189 Posts, 2733 Comments
Comment posted by Lon Overacker on April 29, 2016 at 5:25 PM
Igor,

I like this very much.  Sure, it's rather chaotic, but even before reading your comments, I had the same attraction to the scene; and that is the "swirling lines formed by the brush..."   In other words, the bottom half of the image is what draws my attention.  The top half is the real chaotic half but guess what? It's also necessary. I don't think a crop of any sort on this presentation would improve this.  Great job with the processing; I like the earthy tones and also the subtle variety of colors, including the yellow-greens up top.

Well see and photographed!

Lon
Registered on November 24, 2006, 521 Posts, 19147 Comments
Comment posted by Anil Rao on May 4, 2016 at 2:19 AM
I see this photograph as being the result of a deep connection between an artist and his subject. This bond is special, surprisingly rare and sometimes even  fleeting. Yet, in those special moments a sense of clarity emerges that can lead to the making of images with depth, meaning and lasting beauty.

In my humble opinion, this is the most captivating photograph I have seen on NPN in a long, long time.
Registered on November 15, 2003, 234 Posts, 4923 Comments
Comment posted by Igor Doncov on May 4, 2016 at 9:27 AM
Wow, Anil. That's quite a compliment! And unexpected. I can't tell you how pleased I am to hear you feel this way about it.
Registered on November 22, 2014, 189 Posts, 2733 Comments