Each landscape has its own personality and its own story to tell.
Similarly, each tree has the same story-telling potential, its trunk, limbs, and shape different from every other tree on Earth.
Whether a tree is tall and proud, weathered and dying, or at some point in between, its textures, shadows, highlights, and colors can be worthy of being turned into tree fine art photography.
Naturally, one of the most eye-catching features of trees is their limbs.
This old Oak in Enchanted Oak has the perfect limb structure for a fine art black and white photo. The twisted limbs splaying out in every direction reminds one of the long, thin fingers of a witch summoning you toward her.
Notice as well that the texture of the Oak’s bark is on full display. Including details like this gives tree fine art photography added interest and visual depth.
Converting this image to black and white was an ideal choice by fine art photographer Kevin Vandivier.
With so many interesting forms and gorgeous contrast between shadow and light, this tree takes on added significance in a black and white photo.
Of course, it isn’t just a tree’s trunk and limbs that can be an eye-catching element in a photograph…
As The Guardian shows, exposed tree roots can serve as a beautiful foreground element in tree fine art photography.
The roots extending toward the camera help draw our eyes into the shot, toward the tree trunk, and upwards toward the canopy of the tree.
Notice how the lighting in the scene is coming from the left. This is important because it enhances the shape of the tree’s roots, helping define them with beautiful contrast between light and shadow.
In both of these images, it isn’t just the tree that makes the shot. Instead, the expertise of Kevin in framing the images, finding the perfect lighting, and choosing to convert the images to black and white accentuate what the trees naturally provide - excellent visual interest thanks to their beautiful shapes.