Posted by Wayne Rhodus on February 13, 2008 at 9:26 PM
I really feel so inadequate posting this after seeing Dominic's latest post but, oh well here goes. Taken last Saturday at the Burr Oak Woods gathering. Any idea what you're looking at in this shot?
Hint: Don Kurz ... you can't guess!
Posted by Dale Edsen on February 13, 2008 at 10:18 PM
An old Goodyear retread?
I like it Wayne. Great texture and I like the light and shadows. You might crop a little off the top and eliminate the skinned, brown spot.
Wayne
I am guessing white ash bark.
Love the texture and detail here. Very nice high contrast detail.
I agree about the top being cropped.
Posted by Randy Wilson on February 13, 2008 at 11:08 PM
Beautiful shot, nicely selected and composed. Instead of cropping, you might just take it to black and white and see if that solves the problem.
It's deeply creviced like persimmon bark, but since it's silver and not black, I don't suppose that would be it.
Posted by Tom Kennon on February 14, 2008 at 12:15 AM
Very cool take on the tree Wayne. I will echo Randy's comment about trying a black and white version.
Posted by Don Kurz on February 14, 2008 at 7:34 AM
"Hint: Don Kurz ... you can't guess! "
Awe, shucks!
Posted by Rob Graham on February 14, 2008 at 7:52 AM
Great detail and color, Wayne.
Posted by Tim Buchanan on February 14, 2008 at 9:17 AM
Nice texture and detail, Wayne - it certainly looks ashen. I'm glad there's a little bit of color in there, though.
Posted by Bill Dark on February 14, 2008 at 10:56 AM
Very nice work, Wayne. Great texture and detail.
Hummm, I'm going to guess that it's the bark of an old dogwood tree?
Posted by Don Kurz on February 14, 2008 at 11:14 AM
Okay, I can't resist answering any longer. Actually, I was sent an email by the master photographer giving me permission to post an answer. So here goes: the bark is light-colored indicating that it is in the white oak group and blocky in nature which indicates that it was a shot of a tree taken near its base. It is either a white oak or a chinkapin oak. Now, the location of the capture is a clue. Given that it was taken at Burr Oak Woods Conservation Nature Center at Blue Springs, MO, where outcrops of Bethany Falls Limestone occurs and next to a rock (a clue Wayne gave me by email), I would have to say that it is a chinkapin oak, Quercus muehlenbergii. This is a tree that loves alkaline soil, which is produced by the calcium carbonate that comes from this limestone bedrock of the Pennsylvanian System. A member of the Kansas City Group, you see Bethany Falls Limestone outcropping, up to 20 ft thick, along the roadcuts in the K.C. area. Probably the best natural setting for it left can be found at Burr Oak Woods Natural Area at Blue Springs and at the base of Blue River Glades Natural Area at Swope Park, K.C. It is a neat layered rock with a lot of character. The bark is more knarly than typical because the tree occurred in thin soil which made it slower growing and stocky due to less moisture and nutrients available. I rest my case.
Do you think Monk would be proud of me? I envy his O.C.D.
Best,
Don
Posted by Merle Cook on February 14, 2008 at 9:29 PM
Good Grief !!!! All Wayne told us was, "Hey, look at the neat tree I just shot"....
Discussion
10 repliesHint: Don Kurz ... you can't guess!
I like it Wayne. Great texture and I like the light and shadows. You might crop a little off the top and eliminate the skinned, brown spot.
I am guessing white ash bark.
Love the texture and detail here. Very nice high contrast detail.
I agree about the top being cropped.
It's deeply creviced like persimmon bark, but since it's silver and not black, I don't suppose that would be it.
Awe, shucks!
Hummm, I'm going to guess that it's the bark of an old dogwood tree?
Do you think Monk would be proud of me? I envy his O.C.D.
Best,
Don