Off of the interstate highway now to the gently curving roads that wind their way through the rural countryside. Homes, both new and others, have faded and abandoned and given way to the relentless forces of weather and gravity. Farms dot the roadside with crops in varying stages of growth, creating bright green swathes that follow the undulating curves of the land. I take this road almost weekly, driving to our getaway place on the Cumberland Plateau.
The world's grip eases with each mile, and I breathe more deeply. This openness, with a big sky, is something I rarely see, as where I live and have lived most of my life, I have been in the company of trees. I love having the trees around me; it's an intimate feeling, but sometimes I long for an open view, a place where my eyes are not constrained and I can sense the broader landscape.
My favorite spot along this road is a small farm with two of, maybe the largest, oak trees I have ever seen. I can barely get a good view of them when driving because of the deep curves of the road, and there is no place to pull off safely. The main tree of interest is standing alone in the field. Its presence is majestic and awe-inspiring. It moves me deeply each time I pass it, and I often think about it. I've seen it in every season and a myriad of light conditions. Each time I pass, I think I must find a way to photograph It, but the thought passes not long after I round the next bend in the road. One day, when I passed the oak and saw it in the most picture-perfect conditions, I decided then and there to see if I could find a way to find out who owned the farm.
I began looking at maps and satellite images of the road and found the exact tree using Google Earth! I then found out the owner of the property using another app and got an address. I knew this next step would be a long shot, but I wrote a letter to the landowner asking permission to photograph his oak tree. I explained that I was a photographer, loved trees, especially his giant oak, and that I would like to photograph it in different seasons. As a thank you gesture, I would make him a small print each time I photographed it. As I mailed the letter, I had little hope that he would respond. A few weeks passed, and I had forgotten about sending the letter. One day, after picking up the mail, I saw a handwritten letter and realized it was from the landowner. I nervously opened the letter, and to my utter surprise, he had written the nicest note saying that he would be happy to have me photograph the tree. He said he would follow up with his original letter with another, giving me written permission to photograph his Oak Tree and that I could put it on my car while on the property. This would also let the neighbors know what's happening when they see a strange vehicle in the property's driveway. I love this: neighbors looking out for one another. About one week later, the permission letter arrived. My next step was waiting for the right conditions to stop and photograph the tree. I continued making my mostly-weekly trips to our cabin, and each time I passed it, I looked for those conditions that would do justice to this tree.
On my most recent trip to our cabin, I looked at the weather conditions for the area where the oak tree is located and noticed that it was partly cloudy and had experienced some substantial rain the night before. This may be the day I would get to photograph the oak tree. I tried not to get excited about the possibility because ideal conditions are fleeting, but I was hoping against hope that this would be the day. As I got closer to the location of the oak tree, I rounded the final curve that would give me the best view of the oak tree, and there it was, bathed in perfect light with beautiful clouds and pristine blue skies peeking through. I passed the driveway to where I needed to stop to photograph the tree and scolded myself for not stopping. Still, almost as quickly as I had made this decision, I whipped into a church parking lot and drove back to the driveway to take a closer look at the tree. I got out of the car, engine still running, and my dog Cash calming, looking at me and seeming to ask, what are you doing? My adrenaline is pumping now; I stand there. I’m trying to calm down and think about what is before me. It was as if I was in the presence of something sacred and could barely take it in. The trees, covered in emerging leaves, had a reddish cast to them and were not quite large or filled out enough to disguise the beautiful form of the tree. Upon closer inspection, I noticed the tree's lowest branch reaching out horizontally, just above the ground, giving the appearance of an outstretched arm—a few branches touching the ground. I grabbed my camera from my backpack and carefully composed the photograph. I took a few more to ensure I didn’t miss this rare opportunity.
I reviewed the oak tree photographs as I got to our cabin. After some quick edits and time spent with them, I am pleased with the results. I reflect on this process now and realize how vital and rewarding this journey has been for me and how I stretched beyond my usual boundaries and comfort zone to make this photograph. How many other opportunities like this have I missed because I didn’t want to go to the effort? I hope that in the future, I will be more eager to take the necessary steps to investigate things that interest me. What things have you been passing by lately that interest you? I hope that this story will inspire you to pursue them. It is certainly worth the effort.
Beautiful photograph and story., Paul. Thank you for sharing.
And if that bull over in the corner bothers you…
Show him the letter!