I have been eyeing this tree for the better part of 11 years now...driving past it countless time, storing it in the back of my mind for future shots. This truly is no ordinary tree. You will most of the time find old Madalas, seated on these rocks in the shade of this tree on hot summers days. Believe me..it gets hot in the berg and there is not much shade. People gather here and I can picture the stories shared underneath this tree. The tribal issues discussed between the Three Tribes ruling. Stories of days gone by before electricity came to the mountains...and hikers ruined the peacefulness of the berg.. The younger generation welcomes the development and Western influences creeping in with much talk and promises of improvements..bridges built..roads creeping deeper into remotest parts of the hills...and eventually cliffs.. and other developments not to mention here.
Yet on a night like this when the Milky way looks down on this very old tree standing beneath a timeless sky.. not much has changed. I see in this image the ghosts of bygone spirits who have dreamt the dreams of a young man sitting underneath This tree but grew old with this tree in moutains unchanged
I dread the day driving past this spot and the tree no longer there..for it will mean also I have changed..grown older, quicker than any fearles man dare challenge
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Thank you for the nice comments and people who voted. This image I will remember as one going out with my boys not even in the mood to shoot anything but simply spend time with them. It seems that all of the really nice images are simply gifts and I cant take credit for any of them. Glad I could present something different from the berg
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Place: 1 out of 171 Avg (all users): 7.6939 Avg (commenters): 8.8333 Avg (participants): 7.5915 Avg (non-participants): 7.9630 Views since voting: 3807 Views during voting: 173 Votes: 98 Comments: 44 Favorites: 26 (view)
I took a Milky Way photo a couple of months ago and the Milky Way was straight up and down in North America. Yours is side-to-side. Guess the earth really is round! Ha!!
Fabulous image and well done on coming first. The comments you made for it are also a work of art that has come from deep within you. Thank you for sharing.
Let me just say that this is such a beautiful shot. I am an amateur astronomer and I love how the Milky Way just complements the tree and oranges just makes it that much more captivating. A fantastic job, a picture wonderfully taken, and a story very well remembered. It literally put me there mentally.
Because I Can... with a Canon ;) But you cant canon with Nikon
Seriously... It's a lovely lens - one of the best. whish Canon would make one on par or better. been waiting to long for empty promises
Congrats on the win Rian!! I was one of your 9's, as this was one of my favorite shots of the bunch. Great photo and a great story to go along with it!
As Herman said.
Your beautiful shot tells exactly the story that you wrote. Your tree is timeless.
Reminds me of Nabokov:
"Everythingis is as at should be. Nothing will ever change. Nobody will ever die"
Ag, Rian dis 'n wonderlike foto. Dis ook maklik om jou verbintenis met die boom te verstaan. Baie dankie dat jy wel die storie bygesit het, dit verbreed die foto soveel meer.
Rian what a great shot, 10 no question. This is a new favourite for me, and a great story. Well done.I look out for trees like this and keep them in the back of my mind as well. This is a shot that I will remember. regards Keith
Growing Old Neath Timeless Skies
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