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A Crooked Birch


A Crooked Birch
Photo Information
Copyright: Ivan Kruys (Argus) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5038 W: 260 N: 15594] (50626)
Genre: Plants
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-04-03
Categories: Trees
Camera: canon PowerShot G9
Exposure: f/2.8, 1/1250 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Date Submitted: 2009-04-08 4:31
Viewed: 4399
Points: 51
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Silver Birch (Betula pendula)
Swedish names: several that include Hängbjörk, Masurbjörk or Vårtbjörk

We visited a nature reserve just north of Uppsala. The snow was disappearing to reveal the brownish grass and plants that had not yet the time to show signs of growth that mark the surge of spring. But it was nice to be out in the warmth of the sun.

We saw this crooked birch, its twisted limbs showing signs of some kind of damage during its growth. A normal birch is on the right and a sapling on the left.

The Silver Birch is common in most of Europe except in the very south, where it occurs in mountainous areas. Younger trees are characterised by a silvery white bark that easily peals, but as the tree gets older it becomes thick and furrowed. The scientific name refers to the hanging habit that the ends of the branches of older trees have. Cultivated varieties can by even more hanging like a weeping willow. It is rare for a birch to reach the age of more than 100 years.

Birch is used for furniture and its logs make excellent bright burning firewood when dry. But firewood is not a good way of heating up a home in these days of climate change and air pollution.

This is an unusual type of image for me. I took it with my compact and used a low aperture to try to emphasise the tree. I tried to take this as much against the strong sunlight as possible and wish I could have taken this without the vapour trail in the sky but that’s life as it is today.
oanaotilia, Mikolaj, CeltickRanger, Heaven, eqshannon, Royaldevon, ramthakur, jusninasirun, PeterZ, Alex99, rousettus, nglen, maurydv, siggi, Noisette, envisage, albert, lsprasath, matatur, KOMSIS, boreocypriensis, jpdenk has marked this note useful
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To matatur: ThanksArgus 1 04-09 08:06
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Ivan! Good sharpness. Nice light and bright, superb colours. Original shot. Good luck!

Hy Ivan
This birch is like a bigger bonsai, but in this case, the Mother Nature with her invisible hand contorted it during his growth.
TFS and regards, Oana

  • Great 
  • roges Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 957 W: 0 N: 1329] (6264)
  • [2009-04-08 5:02]

Hi Ivan !
A beautiful landscape with some excellent colors.
Congratulations and expect and more.
Have a nice day,
Adrian

hello Ivan

excellent landscape/trees photos with excellent notes
on that kind of tree, fine POV, DOF and appropriate vertical framing,
i love the brownish foreground with (againts) the blue sky,
it makes excellent contrast, TFS

Asbed

Dear Ivan

Birches are magnificent trees. I know several places near my home where they grow, mostly at very humid places. I love the white bark and the appearance of these trees, but never have seen such crooked one. In this sense, your picture is surprising and amazing. And, indeed, a very unusual picture for you. But I like its simplicity and also the narrative notes.

Kind regards

Markus

Hello Ivan,

It is interesting to see the snow still on the ground. We haven't seen any for well over a month in N.England.
The tree is very interesting and I find it artistically beautiful. Beauty is certainly in the eye of the beholder! If this were a person, they would be termed an invalid and the twisting would not be seen as beauty.
The focus is sharp and the trees are placed on a nice diagonal, upward angle.

Kind regards,
Bev :-)

The Birch in the middle has certainly grown into a twisted shape, Ivan. Birches are normally straight trees (they grow at high altitude in the Himalayas, as, you are well aware), but this is an exception. The ways of nature are, indeed, strange. Many factors could have contributed to the distortion of its shape, but which ones, it is difficult to guess.
The view here is still wintery with frost and snow on the ground. The picture is well captured.
Thanks and regards.
Ram

I had my wife, the geologist come and look at this one..She is flabbergasted...She said she knows there is no geologic reason for this..so it must be an anomaly in growth....Having had Polio and now post polio, Jane's body is also somewhat bent, but nothing like this as she remarked to me leaving he room, "maybe it had a serious case of Polio"..and she chuckled and exited leaving me to wonder...it is something only a true man of doctoral honours might do justice but you sure got it nailed in the camera...nailed..a Freudian slip...tree..nail...Easter...hmm.
Bob

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
  • [2009-04-08 8:45]

Hello Ivan,
Exactly 30 years ago we were in the north of your beautiful country. And I remember: how more we came to the north, the more we saw these crooked birches. Beautiful memory to me.
Regards,
Peter

Hi Ivan,

That birch is really crooked. I wonder what impaired the growth making it looking like that. The image is very well framed with good comparison with the normal birch. Sharp details against the sky with jet trail and very good choice of tall frame.

Superb work and TFS.

Best regards,
Jusni

Hi Ivan,

Nice shape of this birch, really nice form, some of trees are naturally "programmed" not to grow straight, this forms are really attractive in all gardens and parks and can be often see in Garden shops.
Nice composition, good details despite the strong light.

Cheers
Adrian

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4072 W: 133 N: 7096] (23735)
  • [2009-04-08 9:59]

Hi Ivan.
I like your so poetic shot of the silver birch. You managed to reflect spirit of earlier spring perfectly. I can feel still cold sun, fresh air, delicate and even modest colours. POV is superb and details of the scene are ultimate. Refined work. Thanks a lot.
Alexei.

Hej Ivan
very interesting shaped tree, with wavy trunk. You nicely presented it from great POV. nicely composed and noted. teşekkürler dostum, iyi akşamlar.
Ahmet

Hi Ivan,
A very nice capture of these beautiful trees. Very well composed with sharp details. Thanks a lot for sharing.

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2883 W: 30 N: 9683] (36145)
  • [2009-04-08 11:57]

Hi Ivan. What a fantastic shpe this tree has grown in. It would be interesting to know what makes this happen. You have taken a very nice compostion with the blue sky behind. With just a little snow left. TFS.
Nick..

Hello Ivan,
wonderful landscape, splendid silhoutte of this twisted tree taken with very good sharpness, i like the light and the bright colours, very well done.
TFS
Best regards
Maurizio

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3097 W: 109 N: 12399] (52850)
  • [2009-04-08 12:54]

Hello Ivan,
A portrait of nice tree! This one has its own beauty with only branches and no leaves.I like birches very much, they're one of my favourite trees. Foggy colours and nice looking silhouettes of trees. Best regardfs Siggi

Hello Ivan
wonderful landscape with rest of snow in the foreground
I like the strange shape of this silber birch
great sharpness, each little branch is good detailed
superb blue sky
Have a good night
Jacqueline

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 6595 W: 89 N: 15659] (65489)
  • [2009-04-08 14:44]

Hi Ivan,it's curious to see the snow again..but this is one of the nice things of this website,we can see in real time the different weather in the differents country. You haven't butterflies i suppose,and this tree is nothing better to show a curious thing of your country.Great idea..and great realisation,the details are fantastics!! Have a nice day,Luciano

Hi Ivan,

A very vivid picture with an interesting POV.

TFS, Sreya

Hello Ivan,
Thanks for presenting this "bonzai" shaped Birch, really interesting
Best regards
Albert

Hello Ivan, This birch looks really funny. How crooked can it get? Nice comparisons you have included along with the subject. Nicely composed.

A strangely shaped Birch tree indeed Ivan, you've captured it expertly within natural surroundings demonstrating a rich and pleasant botanical habitat. I tried my hand in a WS, trying to isolate that contorted tree a little, hope you are not offended my friend.
Cheers,
Mehmet

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 988 W: 4 N: 3277] (14761)
  • [2009-04-09 8:33]

Ivan This is a very nice shot and looks like a crooked tree. The shot is so beautifully done with brilliant sharpness. Ganesh

  • Great 
  • KOMSIS Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 820 W: 0 N: 2419] (10674)
  • [2009-04-09 8:43]

Hello Ivan,
A beautiful landscape with beautiful trees.
Good sharpness and superb colours.
Thanks a lot for sharing,
Seyfi.

Hi Ivan, Good morning Dostum!
A fine capture of this silver birch with excellent composition.
TFS and cheers MF
Pls farword my regards to Ulla,
Bayram

Hi Ivan,

A very unique tree shape, very attractive. Even at f/2.8, a compact camera has so much inherent depth of field that it's virtually impossible to isolate a subject with selective focus. But the photo is a good record of this tree, so the camera sufficed for that.

John

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