The Ancient Serpent Photo

Photographer’s Note

The Ancient Serpent,
Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest,
White Mountains, California

Scene
I think the title is obvious, but the roots of this downed tree reminded me a rising serpent. But, what really got my attention about this downed and dead tree was the statistical information regarding the tree. The tree died in 1676 and was 3200 years old when it died. While looking at this tree I wondered how the researchers were able to deduce that it died in 1676 when this grove of trees was not studied or known by researchers prior to the 1953 when Edmund Schulman did his research on these trees. Carbon dating has a variance of +/- 300 years so I don’t know if this was the method of dating. The visitors center was closed when I came off of the loop trail so I was unable to find the answer to my question. Near this grove of trees is the tree named Methuselah, a living tree, dating back some 4767 years. It is hard to imagine a tree that started as a seed from a cone that fell during the period of the pharaohs is still living today. …Amazing!

I captured this image about 30-minutes prior to loosing the sun to the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the west, sunset was still a good 90 minutes later.

Background
This is my second trip to the east side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the last 60 days. This trip I was interested in capturing some of California’s fall foliage, but I was several weeks early. It is going to take a couple of seasons for me to understand nature’s clockworks in California since I have been away from this region for a good 25 years. Since fall was a little slow I made some return trips to known places and explored several other places that I have not visited for more than 25 years. We will explore them together as I post images over the next several weeks.

lucasgalodoido, Urs, Waylim, Wandering_Dan, stego, gervaso has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

lucasgalodoido (16577) 2009-10-14 15:59

Hi John,
very interesting this tree, and the detail quality are impressive. I´d like of the colors of your capture too. Great job.
Regards,
Lucas

Urs (2633) 2009-10-14 17:53

Hi Tom

Roots can be great like this one which really looks like a dragon. Also your note is well research, thanks for sharing it with us. Fine use of F11 to achieve high sharpness. Your light management produced fine shadows to enhance the shot with vibrant colors. Well done

Best regards
urs

Waylim (10717) 2009-10-14 18:23

Hi John,
Good to see you back after a short time MIA. I hope all is well with you and your family.
Maybe the tree died and raised as the spirit of a giant serpent, that the Asian superstatiou part of me talking :) It is amazing how the researchers know so much about trees from whatever sources they gathered their clues.
The light is a bit hard for you to take a good shot of it, but you manage well with really good details and the texture of its grain is really well define, I feel I must be careful when touching it, I might get a splinter. Thanks John.
Way

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Wandering_Dan (3207) 2009-10-14 20:38

Hi, John -

I'd like to say this tree looks familiar from my trips up there, but there are so many limbs in such fantastic shapes I can't be sure. You did come at it in the angle that makes it look like a snake, even with the busy bg.

Good lighting, too; really brings out the grain. Nicely spotted.

Best,
Dan

PS: Thanks for the follow-up note.

jhm (82017) 2009-10-15 3:06

Hello John,

A little bit imagination and we see indeed a serpent.
You found these wood serpent on a very lovely place middle of the ancient Bristlecone Pine forest.
Nice composition, real colour, excellent captured, TFS.

Regards,
John.

baba_flies (7949) 2009-10-15 7:30

Hello John! We will love to experience this corner with you, there are so many sides to explore in California. Roots are so much of an eye catcher although I have always troubles how to bring them "over", that it looks attractive in a picture. Wonder why this is but some of the answer is learning and trying out. You made this shot really well, love the light, this warm evening light we all hunt for, and sometimes loose it ... of course. Have a great and sunny CA day ... Barbara.

gunbud (27695) 2009-10-22 21:17

Hi John,
Wonderful natural history shot of the gnarly old relic.
It does indeed look like a wooden snake.
Very interesting note.
Regards, Tom

batalay (20788) 2009-10-23 0:39

Hello John,

from the thumbnail image, I too saw a recoiling serpent about to strike. Thanks for the superb note. The date 1676 would have been done by C-14 presumably, and the 3200 year age by dendrochronology. The brilliant late afternoon sunlight has created such beautiful contrasts in color and texture.

Warm regards from Virginia,

Bulent

stego (22348) 2009-10-23 15:26

Hi John,
It could also be a bicephalus swan... Like a friend of mine uses to say, :-) the compo is spot on the money. I can't imagine a better way of exploring the twisted shape of this old root amazingly well preserved considering that is dead for 300 years. I suspect that the contrasted light was far from easy to tame, but of course you did a good job in this field also - I find the OE on the BG unavoidable and quite natural, because our eyes can't see much detail in near sunned white surfaces.
Regards,
José

plimrn (19588) 2009-10-25 6:57

Hi John,
The low light gives great detail in the 'ancient serpent,' and the dramatic long shadows. You've managed what could be a distracting BG very effectively. I agree with Way's comments about the realism of your work
HLJ, Pat

feather (49856) 2009-10-25 14:59

Hi John
You sneaked this one in under my guard!!
It is amazingly like a serpent with its tongue tasting the air. You have captured excellent texture in this ancient bark despite harsh lighting conditions.
I'll write to you in a day or two when I've downloaded my Skye photos.
Kath

gervaso (5062) 2009-10-30 8:01

Hello, John!

At first sight it may look like a snake prepared to attack! Very beautiful details of the root, with excellent lighting and sharpness! Beautiful job!