Look Closer
Only One
Posted by Viewfinder (Bradenton, FL, United States) on 23 July 2007 in Landscape & Rural and Portfolio.
A single acacia tree grows alone on the Kenya landscape, tweaked in hi-contrast BW to reflect the starkness of its isolation. Sometimes our lives are lived in the starkness of being alone; these are often choices we make. Why do some choose isolation?
Rahul from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Simple, but really effective silhouette. You have done a wonderful job here with just two color tones in this pic, which would be Black and White. :)
23 Jul 2007 5:17am
@Rahul: Glad you like it. Thank you.
dee from Innsbruck, Austria
Really great. It almost looks like a silhouette. B&W adds a lot of impact to this subject. Well done!
23 Jul 2007 5:43am
@dee: You are keeping me supplied with very nice compliments. Thank you, dee.
@Myst: I appreciate your enthusiastic comment; makes me feel pretty great. Thanks!
ColNed Pictures from Amersfoort, Netherlands
ooooohhhh, this is a very powerful shot, a keeper, very good work.
23 Jul 2007 6:48am
@ColNed Pictures: Smiling... your encouragement has helped make my day. Thank you.
badala from Leiria, Portugal
Nice shot. The composition and processing work for me.
23 Jul 2007 7:33am
@badala: I'm glad this one works; thank you for the positive comments my friend.
@hrg: You are kind. Thank you.
Sriram from Chennai, India
Wow.... I love this shot... simple and evocative! brilliant!
23 Jul 2007 8:31am
@Sriram: Thank you for such high praise... :)
@fly: Thank you for joining in and adding to the conversation.
@Lucca: Thank you.
ally! from Singapore, Singapore
i guess sometimes people choose isolation because they've been hurt so much before? or perhaps it's the other way round - they don't want to hurt others anymore. anyways picture-wise i love the b/w. makes it very vivid.
23 Jul 2007 11:42am
@ally!: Your entry into this conversation is much appreciated. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. And thanks also for your comment on the image.
Rebel Streetshooter from NYC, United States
Tough ? If I had the answer I'd change a great many things in this world.
Peace.
PS: Luv the image. Onward.
23 Jul 2007 12:24pm
@Rebel Streetshooter: Sometimes, it's the asking that leads to the answer... So here's to all our questions. Thanks for participating in the process. And for the compliments on the image. You're a pal. ;-)
@Erik: Wow - I appreciate your kind words.
@Celialee: Thank you.
@Craiger: Wow! High compliment. Thank you.
MC from Athens, United States
Love the picture. In the natural world isolation is a survival mechanism. The less competition, the more resources for an individual.
23 Jul 2007 1:55pm
@MC: Glad U like. And thanks for the insider info on natural world things and resources; makes sense. Where people are concerned, I wonder if this is also true.
Bron from Canberra, Australia
Some people get energy from others, some feel sapped of energy and rely on their inner lives to re-energise. Both paths can work. It needn't be sad, if we don't discriminate against the "other" but support each other in our common journey.
23 Jul 2007 2:15pm
@Bron: Good thought on the question. Thanks for contributing to the conversation! :)
Jen from Alpharetta, United States
I think sometimes brief isolation (for some) is a way to collect your own inner thoughts and not be distracted by others opinions and ideas. As Bron said to re-energize ones self to be able to better deal with the outer stresses and distractions...to keep oneself on course. Does that make sense? Why anyone would want to completely cut themselves off I have no idea...
Great image by the way : ) Love the B&W tones and the framing is perfect!!
23 Jul 2007 3:53pm
@Jen: Thinking about isolation is part of being a baby boomer; Simon & Garfunkel's hit song (I am a rock, I am an island...) is the poster child anthem for the disaffected and isolated ones of my generation. It is a moody/depressing song, which made so much sense to me as a teen, but one which I now find troubling in my older age. Married 35 yrs and three now-adult kids later, I am grateful I did not take that call to isolation to heart. But flip side, I am an introvert and need my alone "down-time" to re-energize. I just couldn't stand total aloneness, 24/7. Thanks Jen, for adding your thoughts here as we all converse along the way. And for your high compliments on this day's image.
@MaryB: How nice is that! Thank you, MaryB.
Kheoh Yee Wei from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
sometimes we just don't feel much needs of affiliation,our perception level has to be leveled up in crowd,more brain energy drained,stressful to entertain each other to be happy and comfortable,well,that kind of norms just tiresome sometimes... ;)
23 Jul 2007 5:16pm
@Kheoh Yee Wei: Your comments are helping us along in this conversation. Thank you.
@Line: You are most kind; thank you.
@saideh amani azad: Wow. Thank you Saideh, for this very kind word.
amy from Rocky Mountain House, Canada
Perfect!! Images such as yours are so profound... the visual impact is just incredible.
23 Jul 2007 7:28pm
@amy: Oh wow, but you are giving this image the highest praise. I am truly blessed by your praise. Thank you.
Art Monkey from Salt Spring Island, Canada
this is a wonderful shot - it reminds me of the six feet under logo - but better :)
23 Jul 2007 7:35pm
@Art Monkey: Well thank you for this compliment.
@Laurie: Thank you; I see our minds were sort of "in sync" in posting today's images. Yours is wonderful.
Richard_Irwin from Belper, United Kingdom
Great work on a super shot, this would look great as a big canvas on the wall.
23 Jul 2007 9:38pm
@Richard_Irwin: I'll have to give that "big canvas" idea some thought; thank you for this very high compliment.
@miu*: I thank you.
Damon Schreiber from Toronto, Canada
Beautifully stark. The bit of grey line at the left really adds to it.
23 Jul 2007 9:50pm
@Damon Schreiber: Thank you for this favorable comment; I am so very happy that this image is pleasing to so many. And I'm glad you noticed that little gray streak; it kind of just sneaked in there.
Alfredo J. Martiz J. from Tokyo, Japan
I liked this photo and your High B/W contrast processing, as an answer to your question about isolation, it was answered many years ago:
"A creation of importance can only be produced when its author isolates himself, it is a child of solitude" -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe-
23 Jul 2007 11:12pm
@Alfredo J. Martiz J.: Your addition to the conversation over my question is wonderful; your comment about my image is much appreciated. Thank you on both counts.
HorseRotorVator from Newton, United States
Super cool pal! Reminds me of the six feet under cover. Nice one! :)
24 Jul 2007 12:02am
@HorseRotorVator: What can I say, you're making my head swell. Thanks for being so positive about this one shot.
@Pedro Lírio: Thank you, my friend.
@lisha: Thank you for visiting here, and for your very kind comment.
Rags from Plano, United States
superb image!!!!!!! I love the composition and the colors.
24 Jul 2007 4:05am
@Rags: Hey, thank you much!
eydryan from Bucharest, Romania
very good use of sillhouetting and simplification. :)
24 Jul 2007 5:33am
Lightwalker from Budapest, Hungary
Thanks for the composition. (There may be much more in the branches of the lonely tree.) A good one.
24 Jul 2007 11:15am
Viewfinder from Bradenton, United States
Thanks, all. Our AM3 community is a real great bunch of encouragers. I appreciate all your comments and suggestions, and that you simply stopped by. There are so many really good photographers on AM3!
24 Jul 2007 9:04pm
Betsy Barron from Glenmoore, United States
Terrific image - you seem like a photographer after my own heart!
26 Jul 2007 11:33am
@Betsy Barron: Well... seeing some of your wonderful shots, I take this as a high compliment. You're a pal, Betsy!
@rverspirit: Many thanks for this very nice comment, Rverspirit.
Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z2
1/800 second
F/4.5
ISO 50
380 mm (35mm equiv.)