Grateful Dead, a photo from Sarawak, Est

Photographer's Note

Somehow this 'title' came to mind, Grateful Dead is the name of a band of yester years. A dead coconut palm still standing on the quiet beach, with a bare top and a green growth at this root, seen at Kampong Sampadi near the western end of Kuching. It was a fine noon day. Perhaps this was the end of life? Or is it just reaching out for heaven? Or is there a recarnation after life?...shot with a polarizer to enhance the blue sky, white clouds and sandy beach. Whatever you can imagine or make out for this isolated trunk, this is a place called Earth and it is home.

EXIF DATA
DateTime - 2008:04:12 12:39:26
ExposureTime - 1/40 seconds
FNumber - 13.00
ExposureProgram - Aperture priority
ISOSpeedRatings - 100
MeteringMode - Spot
LightSource - Auto
Flash - Not fired
FocalLength - 18.00 mm

cfreire, ribeiroantonio, crckt, kpav, ktanska, feather, jafadabret, lucasgalodoido, jusninasirun, ating76, kevinos, Kielia, patdeph, avene, zmey, Charo, zeca, jhm, mphotographies, serp2000, jlbrthnn, danos, skippy007, Truja, edytungkal trouve(nt) cette note utile

Critiques | Translate

cfreire (11741) 2008-05-25 10:33

Hi Bill
Beautiful capture of this coconut's trunk placed in beautiful diagonal across the picture. The colors, contrasts and framing are splendid. Well done! Regards, Consuelo

donluicu (24741) 2008-05-25 10:38

hi there!

excellent image with nice title for this palm tree without a hat!!

congrats

BennyV (34780) 2008-05-25 12:08

Hi Bill,

The title suits the image perfectly. Lovely emptiness and desolation. A great image.

Benny

comanu (902) 2008-05-25 12:17

a giant pipe smoking from the sky.
great pov.

siamesa (28231) 2008-05-25 14:17

Hi Bill,
Very interesting picture.Sorry for this palm that surely was beautiful someday.Nice composition.
Regards
Maria

crckt (7222) 2008-05-25 14:32

Hi Bill,
Fantastic POV! Like the way it is reaching for the sky. Interesting interpretation on your note too..
Well done,
Shaeri

azaf1 (15931) 2008-05-25 15:53

Hi Bill
Too philosophical for me but the capture is great. Those skies and cloud formation is my soft spot and this one just wonderful
TFS
Argiris

alftrek (3270) 2008-05-25 16:31

Interesting and appropriate title. A very clear and well exposed shot of the dead coconut tree set against the beautiful polarised blue sky, gives this tree a glorified dead too. Excellent

Alfred

kpav (5031) 2008-05-25 18:02

Hello Bill, amazing shot, excellent composition with the dead tree captured perfectly from a great POV. Very good use of the polarizer. Thanks for sharing.
Best regards,
Kostas.

foxy (3527) 2008-05-26 0:14

Hi bill,
...beautiful POV. well seen and captured.
The title 'graceful dead' ....what would I expect from the title to this picture....would like more sinister and sad feel to it. The weather is too nice...I would like to see thick threatening dark clouds in the sky. That's my imagination.
Anyway, on the whole......it's such a simple shot with so much thoughts running through my mind. Reincarnation after life....I should think so.
TFS, Loong

John_F_Kennedy (43797) 2008-05-26 1:21

Excellent capture, and the theme is fantastic.
Best wishes,
Achim

PixelTerror (0) 2008-05-26 1:40

Hi Bill,
An unusual view from the tropical paradise, but even so this one provides a powerful pointer to the sky.
Have a nice day JY

ktanska (45094) 2008-05-26 3:28

Hi Bill,
Impressive shot with a good title. It looks so isolated near the beachline. I wonder how long it takes before such dead trunks fall down.
Kari

Miha2ou7 (5162) 2008-05-26 3:45

Hey Bill,

Well, that`s a sight you dont see every day. Well worth capturing, and captured it was well. The perfect composition, great colors, cloud definition, clarity .. and so on and on. Great work.

Best regards.

ribeiroantonio (22730) 2008-05-26 4:18

I believe that is the end of the palm tree on the beach. However, it still is a good place for other plants to try a living. The picture is very nice with a wonderful sky and very good light filtered through the polariser. Well done.
Antonio

feather (51130) 2008-05-26 4:21

Isn't is interesting that although the palm is dead, life has found somewhere to root at the bottom. The single trunk has made a wonderful foreground to showcase the amazing sky. Excellent shot
Kath

jafadabret (56501) 2008-05-26 6:07

Bill, ce palmier mort debout devant un tel paysage fait une photo excellente. J'aime le relief de cet arbre qui semble implorer le ciel de lui donner une autre vie. Le filtre polarisant a parfaitement joué son rôle.
Jacques

gunbud (34066) 2008-05-26 11:48

Hi Bill,
Wounderfully unique vertical presentation of this old coconut tree making a final statement as it spirales towards the vivid blue tropical sky. Excellent clear colros and fine details to this beauty.
Regards, Tom

Rosa (0) 2008-05-26 15:46

Good evening Bill,
Beautiful catch of this died palm tree, which is drawn up majestueusement in front of this imploring immense sky I do not know what! POV, pretty contrast and beautiful colors, good clearness excel
Amitiés,
Rosa.

manojtnair (435) 2008-05-26 17:18

hi bill,
excellent shot. very good pov. nice patterns on the sky. usually such dead trees are home to lots of living beings. some birds also make nests in holes in the trunk. tfs.
manoj

ating76 (45) 2008-05-26 20:27

Hi Bill,

I'm thinking that this photo is also a good case study leading lines using the 1/3 or 2/3 technique. I see that the base of the tree is at about 1/3 to the bottom left of the photo and the tip ends to about 2/3 to top right of the photo. Am I correct in my observation? I'll also be using this photo as a reference in my future photo ventures.

TFS.

Regards,
Alvin

jusninasirun (17529) 2008-05-27 1:58

Hello Bill. Shooting a cloudy sky is hard enough without over exposing the white cloud. You have positioned the dead coconut tree in fine exposure is another thing. Shot like this one will lead to underexposure of the subject too. You have done brilliantly in both departments. Stunning perspective in tall format. Well done and thanks for sharing. Jusni

Kielia (24077) 2008-05-27 7:22

Hi Bill,

it really looks as if the tree wants to reach heaven. A great capture and a brilliant note. Thank you for sharing!
Best regards
Harriet

patdeph (35750) 2008-05-27 8:41

hello Bill
the sky is somptuous,the colours wonderful,and I like very much this great sensation of immensity!A very nice note too!Superb!
Cheers.
Pascale

ahmetgedikli (25609) 2008-05-27 10:20

Hi Bill,
Well seen, an interesting composition and nice POV. Superb light, colors and nice clouds.
Greetings.
Ahmet

lucasgalodoido (27698) 2008-05-27 14:54

Olá Bill,
interessante ver esse resto de coqueiro que sobrou assim, solitário no meio pra praia, com certeza foi atingido por um raio. As nuvens ficaram ótimas também.
Parabéns e Abraço!

zeca (19762) 2008-05-27 19:57

Hi Bill, my friend from Malaysia!
It's a nice capture, from a nice perspective of view and with excellent quality. When we find something like this, we must catch it! Well done!
Regards,
Zeca

Charo (51290) 2008-05-28 2:22

Hello Bill,
Impressive capture of this palm tree without head, the only vision under a beautiful sky. Excellent composition of this paradise with marvellous colors and definition. Good work friend.
Cordialmente
Charo

jhm (211738) 2008-05-28 5:09

Hello Bill,

Simple composition but the dead tree diagonal about the picture have absolutely charm.
The blue sky together with the cloud care for a nice picture.
Very well done.

Best regards,
John.

zmey (7335) 2008-05-28 5:51

hello bill

even though your capture is meant to be sad, it looks plain beutiful to my eyes... the sand, the warmth of light, the blue sky and the far mountainous background... and the lone trunk seves well to decorate the foreground.

my compliments
kristaps

sagar (2410) 2008-05-28 8:50

Bill I envy you for the beautiful sky that you enjoyed in your trip...the sky really looks fantastic. The POV here too fits very well..A strange , but wonderful shot.
Sagarneel.

mphotographies (1976) 2008-05-28 22:10

Hey Bill,

Dude its like a human being loosing his hair as we grow old. I like the 'image reading' of your work, though there is nothing confusing about it, I like the character behind the image. Gets our attention of what this is all about, our imagination speaks about it!

Regards,

:)

serp2000 (47063) 2008-05-28 23:21

Hi, Bill,

Good title, excellent colours and composition,
useful note! I like your POV to life.
TFS!
Serghei

jlbrthnn (76043) 2008-05-29 1:56

Hello Bill,
This image is strange and gravitational. This dead tree occupies a kind of desert, in a sumptuous decoration., as on a new planet. It is a beautiful composition and a good work of photographer.
Have a nice day
Cordially
Joël

rodgerg (55767) 2008-05-29 4:45

Hello Bill,

An original vew to a tropical beach ! Very impressive and very amazing shot
Regards of Belgium,

Roger

avene (12675) 2008-05-29 8:54

hi Bill,
I think it's the simplicity of the scene combined with strong colours that make the photo so powerful, I like it a lot. the strong line of the tree creates a lot of momentum that leads the viewer towards those gorgeous clouds, it's interesting how there's both calm and energy in this shot. very nice work, my compliments.

with best regards,
Kristine

danos (110407) 2008-05-30 2:04

Hello Bill,
nice shot of this 'Grateful Dead' of the coconut palm tree that breath it's last lonely in the beach.Excellent presentation with the help of polarizer to enhance the splendid blue sky to be background for the tree.Great title.Well done.

Regards,Danos

skippy007 (12510) 2008-05-31 5:04

Hello Bill, I don't think you could have placed yourself in a better position, POV is excellent. The sky for me is the fain feature & I like the way the dead palm tree appears to reach for it. Nice natural looking colour & good clarity. I also like your note.
Congratulation
Thanks
Santo
PS we are both referring to the dead.

Truja (4953) 2008-06-02 11:34

Hi Bill,
wowwwww a surprising and very different image that focuses our attention on the dead coconut palm. Impressive chromatic force of the sky, great election the vertical format and excellent depth. The palm crossing the image in diagonal by the part superior adds more depth to the image.

Have a nice day, Jordi

pboehringer (770) 2008-06-02 12:41

Bill,
it never would have occured to me to take such a shot and now that I can see and check on it at TE I must say that this was an excellent idea and broadened my photographi horizon to consider taking shots that at the first moment do not promise anything. Strong composition with the diagonal structure of the dead palm tree.
Peter

foozi (7101) 2008-06-07 4:21

Hello Bill,
i like the way you present you visions and views on trees. They are lovely and mind provoking.
Great colours, great angle and a very dramatic sky. Loveley composition to render your thought.
Brilliant presentation.

Regards,
Foozi

Tobias__Ortmann (2638) 2008-06-08 3:18

WOw bill
this is an beatifull capture
wow to see this sky with a destroyed palm
just great
that makes me remembering the zanzibar becah it was very difficult
well done
Toba

Bluejeans (64251) 2008-06-09 9:46

Ola Bill,
Magnifica esta palmeira sem folhas bem gigante ela , o céu esta muito bonito com um belo tom de azul gostei muito das nuvens , bom contraste de cores,parabéns!!!
Um abraço Gonçalo

edytungkal (4551) 2008-06-16 2:10

This one absolutely shown the beauty of nature, both subject interesting palm trunk and the sky as bg are the best combination. You compo make this simple subject special, i like the sky alot. Thanks Bill...

daniel

danyy (0) 2008-06-16 14:31

Bonjour Bill,
un paysage de rêve bien entendu, ces très longues plages et ce ciel si séduisant et qui dess fois peut se déchirer en cyclones.
Cet arbre soupe bien la photo et se rend interessant.
Regards.
Daniel.

mikeo (12129) 2008-06-28 7:08

Hi Bill!

This shot looks like very strange, are you sure, you didn't edit it in PHOTOSHOP?;) Just kidding - great shot! Great composition and so cool tree - part of tree! Very like it:)

Greetings from Poland,

mikeo

p.s. I'm watching in TV some program about huge buildings in your country - amazing...:)

shinchy_ (4) 2009-06-10 13:49

Hi Bill,

Im just new here and am browsing pics of fellow TE members, this photo is really captivating! Liked the contrast of the coconut tree to the blue sky. Last note on this photo's last year but still, I have to say, you are great!

Kudos! :)

Shinch