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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Ninety-two: Cruising the Inland Passage from Charleston to Jacksonville > Centerpiece of “The Castle,” Beaufort, South Carolina, 2014
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24-NOV-2014

Centerpiece of “The Castle,” Beaufort, South Carolina, 2014

Some of Beaufort’s oak and crepe myrtle trees are hundreds of years old. This tree anchors the garden of an 1850 mansion. The tree was growing there long before the mansion, known as the “castle,” was built. Today it remains the centerpiece of one of Beaufort’s largest private gardens. In my image, the tree breaks through the top of the frame, making it seem as if its height is unlimited. I intensify this scale incongruity by juxtaposing the huge tree against the relatively small urn of flowers at the base of the image.

FujiFilm X-T1
1/400s f/6.4 at 50.0mm iso800 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
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Phil Douglis04-Jan-2015 03:36
How many wars has this tree seen? At least two: the American Revolution and the American Civil War. It is indeed a witness to time, as you note here Rose. I like the way you compare the "short-lived blooms" to the timeless bark.
sunlightpix02-Jan-2015 22:57
The tree is like a living witness to time. How many wars has it seen?
The green evokes hope and the short lived blooms are a contrast in time to the tree. Lovely! V
Alina21-Dec-2014 03:07
Thank you Phil :) You are the master of expressive photography.
Phil Douglis20-Dec-2014 19:55
Thanks, Alina, for your delightful commentary. An expressive photograph should tell a story, even if that story comes largely from the imagination of the viewer. Your comment made me study the image again, and I see still another story emerging here -- look at the relationship between the tree and the Spanish moss vines that make themselves a home upon its bark. You mentioned that it begins on the brick path, and leads the way to the tree. And I now see the importance of the green vine, as it works its way up the trunk and gradually turns into hanging strands. The moss makes this tree a very special one, and shows us how different forms of nature depend upon each other.
Alina20-Dec-2014 10:58
I like the tree, it's majestic. The nearby urn of flowers makes the tree look even bigger so I like your juxtaposition.there is one more thing that makes this composition work. The raws of evergreen hedges lead the eye from the urn toward the tree.
The picture invites us to walk closer to the main subject. Brick path covered with moss looks tempting.
Well Phil instead of photographing just the old tree you created a little story here. I like it a lot.
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