Uprooted Sequoia
by Roger Passman
Title
Uprooted Sequoia
Artist
Roger Passman
Medium
Photograph - Photographic Prints/limited Edition Prints/licensing
Description
This image is a detail of the root structure of the uprooted Tunnel Tree. There is an entire landscape in the roots of uprooted sequoias. Colors, shadows, ridges and flat areas all join together to make for an abstract landscape as if from 30,000 feet above looking down.
In Grants Grove in Kings Canyon National Park a giant sequoia fell leaving a hollowed log with room enough for a grown man to walk through without bending down. At the far end the root system of this fallen tree survives in such detail as to make one wonder why the tree lost its balance and fell in the forest so many years ago. The browns, greens and grays of the root system represents both dead wood and growing organisms, mainly lichen, finding a home among the ancient roots.
Giant sequoias can live for over 3,000 years, outlasting all of their mixed conifer forest neighbors. What is it about giant sequoias that allows them to persist through millennia? Surprisingly, a major factor in in the longevity of giant sequoias is a chemical called tannin. The tannin, present in high concentrations in sequoia bark, gives the sequoia resistance to rot, boring insects, and fire.
The mid-sierra zone (5,000-8,000 ft) creates ideal conditions for giant sequoia growth. Mild winter and summer temperatures, deep winter snowpack, and a rich fire history have made it possible for the world's largest tree to get its biggest in these parks.
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A limited edition of 25 prints signed and numbered by the photographer are available directly from our studio. Sizes equivalent to any of the sizes offered as a print by demand through this online gallery are offered in this limited edition. These prints are only available directly from our studio gallery. Prints are delivered by US Mail rolled in a tube. For more information please contact me using the SEND PRIVATE MESSAGE option in the left sidebar of most of our online gallery pages.
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I processed the raw image file shot with a Canon 60D with an 28-105mm f 2.8 Tameron lens using Photomatix Pro 5, filters from Topaz Labs including Detail 3 and DeJPEG 4 as well as some minor tweaking in Photoshop including sCurve adjustments, brightness, saturation and the camera raw filter to produce this HDR image.
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Uploaded
December 1st, 2016
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