Trees, Dolomites, Italy
Fujifilm GFX100S II, 500mm f/5.6, f6.4 @ 1/125 second, ISO 1250

Of course Italian trees aren't better, but I think they are equally the best! Certainly there are some great trees in the Dolomites in Autumn. And spring. And winter!

Many readers will have been taking photographs for quite a number of years, just like me, so you'll understand my sentiment when I ask why do I still enjoy taking photographs like this one, even though I've taken similar photos dozens of times before? Why do I (we?) repeat photographs if I've already done them reasonably well before?

I've been photographing trees in Bhutan for over 15 years, trees at Middlehurst in New Zealand for 10 years and I'm going back this year to the Dolomites for possibly the eighth time in 20 years - more trees. Why? And why, especially when the tightly cropped composition seen here, filling the frame with a pattern of trees, is such an obvious photograph? I can think of several dozen landscape photographers who have included this wonderful framing in one of their books.

Don't get me wrong. I love this photograph. In fact, on the trip last year through the Dolomites, I took maybe 10 different versions of this photograph at different locations: bigger trees, smaller, more distant trees, colourful trees, colourless trees, front lit, back lit, side lit, twilight lit. Each is different and intriguing in its own way and while the technique is essentially the same, still I take them. Why?

Here's one suggestion: it's a bit like taking a portrait. We all have thousands of photos of family and friends, with a head and shoulders framing. We have bigger heads, smaller heads, colourful heads, young heads, old heads, front lit... You get the picture. The technique is essentially the same, so it is the subject itself that creates the interest and the difference.

And I figure that's why I continue to take photos of trees like this. I think I have some frames that I have done really well and lots of frames done reasonably well (like this one, I hope).

When driving around the Dolomites on last year's photo tour, we were all on the look out for stands of impressive trees. And we found lots of them. And we also toyed with ICM as well - but that's a discussion for another newsletter!

And yes, here's the punch line: Tony Hewitt and I have one spot left for our Italian tour this October (10-22nd). It's great value with just four photographers and two leaders! If you're interested, check out the brochure on the website and get in touch! You can find the details here.