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inspiredcreativity β People In a Tree
Published: 2009-11-20 23:44:39 +0000 UTC; Views: 11874; Favourites: 140; Downloads: 0
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CAN YOU FIND ALL OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS IMAGE?I dredged this up from my archives. I think I did it around 2000, but can't remember. This took a lot of time. This is a composite of 4 photographs, each one using the same female model in a white jumpsuit, but in a different position on the tree. Then I used Photoshop to paint in her white jumpsuit for each shot.
To see this same tree shot by other Photographers, check out these LINKS:
QT Luong
David Muench
This shoot was in the ANCIENT BRISTLECONE-PINE FOREST, in the Inyo National Forest, located between 10,000 and 11,000 feet in the White Mountains, east of the Sierra Nevada (California). These trees (Pinus longaeva) are the oldest known living trees on earth. Here in the White Mountains, the ancient trees have survived more than 40 centuries, exceeding the age of the oldest Giant Sequoia by 1,500 yrs.
The oldest one β Methuselah β has a confirmed age of 4,768 years. This dates to the time the Great Pyramid of Giza was completed in Egypt, at around 2600 BC, or 4609 years ago. This tree saw the beginning of the Bronze Age (1800 BC); Moses leading the Hebrews from Egypt (1300 BC); Greeks fought in the Trojan War (1194 BC); the city of Rome was founded (753 BC); Gautama Buddha achieved enlightenment and founded Buddhism in India (528 BC); Jesus Christ was born (1 AD); Muhammad founded Islam (610); King William conquered England (1066); Christopher Columbus landed in America (1492); and the United States declared independence (1774).
Each Bristlecone pine, from young seedling to ancient relic, has an individual character. Young trees are densely clad with glistening needle-covered branches that sway like foxtails in the wind. With their bristled cones dripping pine scented resin on a warm afternoon, they exude all the freshness of youth. As centuries pass and the trees are battered by the elements, they become sculpted into astonishingly beautiful shapes and forms. These"old age" gnarled Bristlecones command complete attention, for there is a definite emotional impact upon meeting a 4,000 year-old tree.
The aged trees tenacity to maintain life is impressive. While most of its wood is dead, growth barely continues through a thin ribbon of bark. When all life finally ceases, the snags stand like elegant ghosts for a thousand years or more. They continue to be polished by wind driven ice and sand. The dense wood is slowly eroding away rather than decaying.
Thin clear air and crisp ultraviolet light drench the high altitude arid slopes where the Bristlecone Pine makes its home. At this high elevation, one has the impression of a lunar landscape. The trees manage to survive in the poorly nourished, alkaline soil with a minimum of moisture and a forty-five day growing season. In fact, the trees longevity is linked to these inhospitable conditions. The trees grow very slowly, adding as little as an inch in girth in a hundred years.
Those that grow the slowest produce dense, highly resinous wood that is resistant to rot and disease, are more likely to join the Fraternity of the 4,000 year old Ancients. Not all Bristlecones attain great age. Trees anchored to more moist slopes grow fat and tall, produce less dense wood, and succumb at an earlier age. Long life is then granted to trees that are able to cling to life under situations of severe duress.
For images of BRISTLECONE-PINE Trees, Check out these LINKS:
SmugMug
terragalleria
corbis
fotopedia 1
fotopedia 2
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Comments: 92
wow, thanks for telling me what u've done with the picture. good work on photoshop, btw.
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You are most welcome.
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Really interesting, some optical illusion-like
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Thanks. This was 4 shots using only one model in a white jumpsuit. I used photoshop to camouflage the people in the tree.
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Wow, this is great! Bristlecone pines are amazing! (I'm studying the longevity of trees, you know..
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I see from your gallery that you like trees. I do to. another tree i like a lot is the Baobab Tree
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I also love the:
Joshua Tree (mostly confined mostly to the Mojave Desert, USA) [link] [link] [link] [link] [link] [link] [link]
Birch Tree [link] [link] Weeping Birch [link]
Ginkgo Biloba [link] [link]
Cypress [link]
Aspen [link]
Banyan Tree [link] [link] [link] [link] [link]
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Yes, I love trees! I have some special trees that I like to visit, especially old trees fascinate me. And I like Mountain Ash very much [link]
Ant this one is great - the widest tree in the world! [link]
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I agree. The Strangling Fig and Silk Cotton trees found in the ruins of Angkor Wat in Cambodia or really interesting too.
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Have you seen them with your own eyes? 
But I find the mythological aspect of trees amazing too. There are so many myths and legends about trees, I think it is a really strong symbol in human subconsciousness.
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Yes, I saw some when I was in Thailand. It is really amazing to be able to stand in the center of what used to be a tree and look up this massive cylinder of roots, like being inside a tower.
Mythologically, trees are often seen as sentinels and protectors. With its roots buried deep in the earth, its trunk above ground, and its branches stretching toward the sky, a tree serves as a symbolic, living link between this world and those of supernatural beings. In many myths, a tree is a vital part of the structure of the universe. Gods and their messengers travel from world to world by climbing up or down the tree. The Norse* believed that a tree runs like an axis, or pole, through this world and the realms above and below it. They called their World Tree Yggdrasill. It was a great ash tree that nourished gods, humans, and animals, connecting all living things and all phases of existence.
In traditional societies of Latvia, Lithuania, and northern Germany, the world tree was thought to be a distant oak, birch, or apple tree with iron roots, copper branches, and silver leaves. The spirits of the dead lived in this tree. Greek folktales tell of goblins in the underworld who try to cut the roots of the tree that is holding up the earth and the sky. Norse legends contain a similar image with an evil serpent forever gnawing at Yggdrasill's roots.
The mythology of early India, preserved in texts called the Upanishads, includes a cosmic tree called Asvattha. It is the living universe, an aspect of Brahman, the world spirit. This cosmic tree reverses the usual order. Its roots are in the sky, and its branches grow downward to cover the earth.
Trees of Life and Knowledge
Providers of shade and bearers of fruit, trees have long been associated with life and fertility. Evergreen trees, which remain green all year, became symbols of undying life. Deciduous trees, which lose their leaves in the winter and produce new ones in the spring, symbolized renewal, rebirth after death, or immortality.
In Norse mythology, the World Tree called Yggdrasill runs like a pole through this world and the realms above and below it. Yggdrasill is a great ash tree that connects all living things and all phases of existence.
Many creation myths draw on trees as symbols of life. In some versions of the Persian* creation story a huge tree grew from the rotting corpse of the first human. The trunk separated into a man and a woman, Mashya and Mashyane, and the fruit of the tree became the various races of humankind. Norse* mythology says that the first man and woman were an ash and an elm tree given life by the gods. The same theme appears in myths of the Algonquian-speaking people of North America, which tell that the creator and culture hero Gluskap fashioned man from an ash tree.
The tree of life, with sacred animals feeding on fruit-bearing branches, is a common image in the art of the ancient Near East. The tree was associated with palaces and kingship because the king was seen as the link between the earthly and divine realms. Through him, the gods blessed the earth with fertility.
Traditional Persian and Slavic myths both told of a tree of life that bore the seeds of all the world's plants. This tree, which looked like an ordinary tree, was guarded by an invisible dragon that the Persians called Simarghu and the Slavs called Simorg. For fear of cutting down the tree of life by accident, Slavic peoples performed sacred ceremonies before taking down a tree. The Persians cut no trees but waited for them to fall naturally. In the mythology of the Yoruba people of West Africa, a palm tree planted by the god Obatala was the first piece of vegetation on earth.
Treesβor the fruit they boreβalso came to be associated with wisdom, knowledge, or hidden secrets. This meaning may have come from the symbolic connection between trees and worlds above and below human experience. The tree is a symbol of wisdom in stories about the life of Buddha, who was said to have gained spiritual enlightenment while sitting under a bodhi tree, a type of fig.
Two sacred treesβthe Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evilβappear in the Near Eastern story of the Garden of Eden, told in the book of Genesis of the Bible. God ordered Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, not to eat the fruit of either tree. Disobeying, they ate fruit from the Tree of Knowledge and became aware of guilt, shame, and sin. God cast them out of the garden before they could eat the fruit of the Tree of Life, which would have made them immortal. Thereafter, they and their descendants had to live in a world that included sin and death.
A traditional Micronesian myth from the Gilbert Islands in the Pacific Ocean is similar to the biblical account of the fall from Eden. In the beginning of the world was a garden where two trees grew, guarded by an original being called Na Kaa. Men lived under one tree and gathered its fruit, while women lived apart from the men under the other tree. One day when Na Kaa was away on a trip, the men and women mingled together under one of the trees. Upon his return, Na Kaa told them that they had chosen the Tree of Death, not the Tree of Life, and from that time all people would be mortal.
The Talking Tree
After European missionaries introduced Christianity to the Native Americans, the Yaqui of the American Southwest created a myth about a talking tree that spread the news of the new faith. One day the people came upon a tree whose vibrations made a sound that no one could understand. A wise woman who lived deep in the forest sent her daughter to interpret the sounds. The talking tree told of the Christian God and the priests who would soon arrive to teach the people new beliefs and new ways. Not everyone welcomed the coming changes. Some people left to dwell under the ground, taking the old ways with them. Those who remained became the Yaqui.
The tree of life, with sacred animals feeding on its fruit-bearing branches, is a common image in the mythology and art of the ancient Near East.
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I see you know much about the trees on many layers! Thank you very much for these myths, there were some that I didn't know. I have studied the european myths, but the american and polynesian ones were unknown to me. There are a few books about these aspects of trees, but the most fascinating that I have read is the Spirit of Trees by Fred Hageneder. If you get a chance to read it, I really recommend it! This internet site is really great, too: [link]
It is interesting how the worshipping of trees progresses through the human culture. In the first phase the individual trees were worshipped as a dwelling of gods or protectors, gifts and sacrifices were brought to them. One of them most famous was the oak tree in Dodona (Greece), consecrated to Zeus. The sound of the rustling leaves of the sacred oak delivered Zeus' messages at the Dodona oracle. Pilgrims traveled to the tree to see the old oak... and somewhere in this point the worshipping of an individual genus of trees began, as all oaks were seen as representations of the Dodona oak, and therefore a sacred tree of Zeus. Each of the gods had then his own genus of tree as their aspect. Oak was generally one of the most worshipped trees in Europe, dedicated also to the Slavic main god PerΓΊn.
The next step was the generalization of the symbol of tree with worshipping all trees, or even the whole universe in one universal tree, axis mundi, like the symbol of Yggdrasil. In old Ireland the trees were worshipped not like the representation of gods, but were sacred on their own (the 5 sacred treed of Ireland were the sprouts of one yew tree in the middle of the island, the name "Ireland" means "island of yews". There were laws setting the penalties for cutting or damaging different kinds of trees.
The connection of trees and written word is also interesting. In Ogham, the alphabet used for divination in Ireland, each letter represented one tree, and the germnic god Odin hung for 9 days on the tree Yggdrasil and learned the knowledge of the world, including the rune alphabet. He gave it then to the people to use.
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Something that mankind is loosing the more urban we become, is our connection to nature and our respect of nature. Life on our planet is dependent on trees for the conversion of CO2 to O2 and trees are critical to the survival of biospheres. Forests are being decimated at an alarming rate.
Native Americans had a wonderful connection with nature, where they lived and worshipped in harmony with nature. They respected every aspect of nature.
In mythology, I think trees had a big part because they represented a living thing that spanned long expanses of time. Generation after generation of people could live under the same tree.
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i love the angle! it's so dynamic, and im sure the tree has seen so much in it's long life!
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Thanks. I used just one model for this shot to reduce the cost of production in the remote location. There was no one for makeup or hair and the model was dressed in a plain white jumpsuit. I composited the four model shots, then I used Photoshop to camouflage the jumpsuits.
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very cool!
The tree itself is gorgeous
and the models just make it better/more interesting!
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Thanks...Actually, there is just one model in a white jumpsuit, 4 shots, composited, then I camouflaged the jumpsuits and skin in Photoshop. This brings the cost of the photo-shoot, on remote location, way down.
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Thanks, that's what I said when I saw Morning Angel 2-1.
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It took me a minute, it really did Matt, but NOW I see it! OH MY GOD, this is SUCH a wonderful concept. The makeup looks terrific, the poses blend into the tree almost too well, I love how the composition of the shot goes on to include the root extension. Man, this is just wonderful. It's very simple but truly elegant all in all. I can tell a lot work went into this shot.
I'm very impressed Matt. Outstanding work!
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Thank you. I was hoping you would like it.
There is no makeup. I used one model in a white jumpsuit; shot each position; composited the shots; then digitally camouflaged each person and made minor alterations to two faces.
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Are you serious? So you basically photoshopped the photo?! Wow actually, it's very well done. You could have just ran with my thinking it was makeup and I would have totally believed you. lol.
I must say, this is one of the ore creative things I've seen on DA in QUITE some time.
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Thank you, I appreciate that. If you consider the cost of 4 models verses 1 model, getting them to a very remote location, along with make-up artists, and then choreographing everyone for one perfect shot, the way I did it greatly reduced the project cost, and time.
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The idea was awesome. It's actually quite original Matt. I'm very inspired by it and will be thinking in this manner from now on. You sir are very talented, not only technically but more importantly in terms of imagination. I'm glad to know you.
Have a great night good sir.
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Thank you for the kind words. Unfortunately that which was once true, no longer is.
While I do remember a fair amount of my past professions, I have lost a great deal of it, and it gets worse and worse as time goes by and my narcotic dosage goes up. Over 16 years of escalating doses has severely affected my memory, and worse, my creativity (production of creative ideas and concepts), which has taken a big hit, plus I get very confused at times and tongue twisted. Such is life.
You have the potential to far exceed me as an artist. My artistic career ended far before I had reached my full potential. The future must be really exciting for you. Remember, no matter what, it needs to be enjoyable at least part of the time, no matter if you are doing it in your spare time, or as a profession.
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Oh Matt, the things you say. I'm being completely honest when I say this: I don't know what to say to your complement. I mean, I love what I do and am very blessed to have gotten as far as I have (however minuscule that may be?) and I adore what I do. I wouldn't want to do anything else for the rest of my life if I could? You're words are acting like an external pillar of strength for me as I'm usually very reserved internally about about my art. This just made my day, you have no idea.
To be honest Matt, I HIGHLY admire your work and your mindset. You have a very classical approach to all of this and that RIGHT THERE is what sets you apart from so many other experienced photographers I know. Don't get me wrong, I know some FANTASTIC photographer whom I admire greatly, but you my friend are beautiful. You have this eye for beauty and this vision for simplicity that, to me, shows the highest ideals of elegance that I value so very much. It's what I live for and strive to achieve from inside of my mind first, then apply externally as best as I can.
Despite the memory and confusion issue, you communicate your ideas flawlessly. If those issues affect you, I never noticed until just now reading about them.
Thank you so much for your wonderful WONDERFUL words of support. I can't say enough to thank you.
Have a great day!
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I do not believe that anyone has ever understood my aesthetic, let alone describe it so well. In the world of art, no one has ever given me a better compliment than this. It made my day too, which was not easy since it has been rough day. I usually cultivate Denial around my dying process rather well, but sometimes it rears its ugly head, no doubt from lack of sleep. This bounced me right back. Thank you for taking the time to write it.
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No problem Matt. You very much deserve all my praise. You're a kind soul and I look very highly upon such traits.
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Thank you. I decided that if I didn't post something from the past, no would believe I really was an artist, LOL.
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Wonderful very well done!
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Thank you. It is nice to see that I am not the only one of our generation here, lol.
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You are welcome Matthew....Lol..No there are a few of us still about
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i really like the concept of this alot, you did a great job on the texturing on the subjects, so well that at first glance you dont seem to even notice them. i dont usually critique but you've left some rather detailed comments on some of my images, the only thing that seems a little awry in this is the lighting on the trees in respect to the apparent sunrise/sunset in the distance theres not enough shadows to compliment the twilight sky but for me it still doesnt detract from the unique concept that you employed rather well. nice work :]
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Thanks for the comment. Oddly enough, the lighting is real (natural). The sun is coming through the clouds. The model wore a plain white jumpsuit. It is the same model for each position. This was a full page magazine ad. Why oh why do we have to put all those words on top of the art, LOL. I just loved this tree. The older and more gnarly the tree the more I like it.
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yea its a crazy tree it looks as if it had split in two
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This shoot was in the ANCIENT BRISTLECONE PINE FOREST, in the Inyo National Forest, located between 10,000 and 11,000 feet in the White Mountains, east of the Sierra Nevada (California). These trees (Pinus longaeva) are the oldest known living trees on earth. Here in the White Mountains, the ancient trees have survived more than 40 centuries, exceeding the age of the oldest Giant Sequoia by 1,500 yrs.
Each Bristlecone pine, from young seedling to ancient relic, has an individual character. Young trees are densely clad with glistening needle-covered branches that sway like foxtails in the wind. With their bristled cones dripping pine scented resin on a warm afternoon, they exude all the freshness of youth. As centuries pass and the trees are battered by the elements, they become sculpted into astonishingly beautiful shapes and forms. These"old age" gnarled Bristlecones command complete attention, for there is a definite emotional impact upon meeting a 4,000 year-old tree. The aged trees tenacity to maintain life is impressive. While most of its wood is dead, growth barely continues through a thin ribbon of bark. When all life finally ceases, the snags stand like elegant ghosts for a thousand years or more. They continue to be polished by wind driven ice and sand. The dense wood is slowly eroding away rather than decaying.
Thin clear air and crisp ultraviolet light drench the high altitude arid slopes where the Bristlecone Pine makes its home. At this high elevation, one has the impression of a lunar landscape. The trees manage to survive in the poorly nourished, alkaline soil with a minimum of moisture and a forty-five day growing season. In fact, the trees longevity is linked to these inhospitable conditions. The trees grow very slowly, adding as little as an inch in girth in a hundred years.
Those that grow the slowest produce dense, highly resinous wood that is resistant to rot and disease, are more likely to join the Fraternity of the 4,000 year old Ancients. Not all Bristlecones attain great age. Trees anchored to more moist slopes grow fat and tall, produce less dense wood, and succumb at an earlier age. Long life is then granted to trees that are able to cling to life under situations of severe duress.
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To be honest, I haven't seen much of your work. I was blown away at first, because the thumbnail made me think it was a weird tree in a simple photograph. Now I see the work in this
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Thank you. Most of my work cannot be shown on the internet do to lack of written permission from those who commissioned or purchased my work. Newer contracts have that built-in typically, but make you check.
i need to check you your latest work soon.
matthew
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Thanks. It is the same model in a plain white jumpsuit. All of the shots were then composited and the camouflage then added to each jumpsuit. It is more work than one might think. Most of the time goes into color-matching for press, as it was a full-page magazine piece.
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