Standing Firm

Place: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Location: Schenley Park

The first time I walked past this stand of three trees in Schenley Park, I knew they would make an interesting picture. I tried photographing them several times, but each attempt was unsuccesful for technical reasons, including the wind blowing the leaves and the bright sun casting strong shadows. But the interesting alignment of the trees and the smooth curves of the front two trees in contrast with the much older and more firmly rooted tree in the rear kept me interested enough to keep coming back until the conditions were just right. Finally, I visited on a bright but overcast day with almost no wind.

From the start, I found that the overwhelming green color of the leaves and grass distracted from the strong shapes that had originally drawn me to the location. Converting the photograph to black and white and then sepia toning it allowed me to best show the viewer what it is that attracted me to the scene.