Thursday, 9th June 2011
Under the Canopy
by Roman Johnston
This was a foggy magical morning in the gardens. I had waited 3 years to get this shot as I envisioned it. Everything came together that morning to maximize the colors and isolate this amazing seven foot tree from the rest of the gardens.
Portland, Oregon
Equipment: Nikon D2X @ 12mm
Roman Johnston
Beauty isn’t uncommon. Beauty is all around us. All we need to do is open our eyes to it. The pace of our world has gotten to a point that we concentrate on where we are going instead of slowing down and seeing what is right in front of us. That is where my work comes from.
Taking the time to slow down, visiting everyday events that amaze us. Our common getaways, like tulip festivals, or that hike back to a local waterfall. If you arrive a little earlier than normal, you can almost feel the vibe of the place before the buzz of activity comes in and divides your attention. Get a little lost….not everyone who wanders is lost, and not everyone lost is trying to be found.
So take a walk with me, discover a waterfall through the trees, or enjoy a foggy morning in the Japanese Garden. Slow down and breathe. Remember that you are supposed to be in balance with your world, and enjoy your day.
I shoot common places in uncommon times. They are easy to get to, easy to visit. You don’t have to hike all day and stay 7 nights to see what I record. Maybe just get a little off the beaten trail. Even a few steps off the parking lot. If my work gets you to explore even a little bit, it was worth recording it.
I like recording the Western US with a specific focus on the Pacific Northwest. The gear I use is standard digital fare for landscape photographers, and I am always trying to bridge the gap between the limited vision of even today’s modern cameras, and the full human experience of being there.
So take a little journey with me and hopefully the energy of what I capture can re-vitalize your day. And if you get just a little lost, I promise not to try and find you.
Under the Canopy by Roman Johnston was photo of the day on Thursday, 9th June 2011. It is tagged Autumn, Tree. You can leave a comment below.
83 Comments
Nduche Onyeaso
Great shot! You are right, beauty is everywhere and this picture enhances that message.
ggriffin
Oh Roman, that is AMAZING and well worth the wait! Some people don’t believe in God. When I see things like this in the world and wonder at the beauty; when I think about the variety of living things and the majesty of the sea, forests, deserts and mountains…the smallest and largest of creatures and how intricately they are made…it is impossible for me to believe they just happend! Thank you for capturing this wonderous piece of God’s beauty and handiwork!
Wilfredo Lumagbas Jr.
God’s creation are marvelous and this is one of his wonders. Amazing capture!
Jenny
I love Oregon. It has so many beautiful places. This picture is exceptional, I wouldn’t have expected it to have been taken anywhere but in Oregon.
Geana
This is positively magical! I can see this scene in a fantasy movie with a hobbit or some such creature hiding there. I live in the NW and have seen so much that I wish I had recorded with this much success.
Ziggy
Gorgeous sight. Amazing commitment on your part, too. Glad you were so magnificently rewarded. Trees are an amazing life-force with their own sense of time. We would do well to learn from them. Thank you.
Ziggy
Ps what kind of tree is it?
Samantha Goode
Absolutely stunning! Those colours are fabulous.
Rashid Mukoon
Hi Roman, thanks,what a marvellous shot, this is a personal satisfation for you when your patience is rewarded.Very striking colours,C”est les merveilles de la nature,bravo.
Gregory B.
This is just an amazing shot. No doubt about that. I’d like to know where exactly it was taken. You said it was in the gardens. Which gardens? What’s the name of this specific garden? I’m planning to go to Oregon soon and I’d like to visit this place. Could you share this info with us?
Thanks a lot. Oh, one more question. When this pic was taken? What month?
Thanks,
Greg.
Lucia
wonderful, thanks for sharing it with us and reminding us of our magical world of beauty
Justine
It’s like a blanket of warmth. Fantastic.
Laura Milholland
Your image radiates the beauty you wrote about! Truly gorgeous, and skillfully shot. Thank you for your persistence to capture your vision and then share it with us!
Mihai
wonderfull !!!
Teresa Teixeira
This is absolutely gorgeous! Nature is pure beauty!…
How can we not respect and worship it?
Gloria Degiorgio
What a beautiful ‘collage’ of colours, stunning !!
Helen
I loved the picture I found it quite moving, but the message that accompanied it was even more moving, it certainly made me think, here I am surrounded with beauty like this and when do I stop to see.
amontanha
very beautiful, almost surreal….
AlfonsoPaz
A true wonder. Beautiful light, captured with mastery. Thanks for sharing.
Pauline Jones
Wow the colors are amazing; I like the contrast between the hot in-your-face foreground colors and the subtle cools of the background.
Antonio
Bravissimo!!!
Ruben Vicente
Love the fractar structure of the tree. The warm tones of the leafes are just beautiful. Congrats.
Alex Patrick Houghton
Peter Lik has the same one but I like yours better!
http://www.peterlik.com/photography/35mm-horizontal
PopsDigital
This is a shot that was well worth the wait. Amazing image on so many levels.
smita
Beautiful shot! It’s one of the most eye-catching photos i’ve seen on this site…
Wanda Krack
Beautifully composed, both the words and the image. Japanese Maple?
Amy
I agree w/what ggriffin said. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your perseverence! This may be the most beautiful tree I have ever seen. God bless you.
VVV S Murthy
Fantastic photograph. Vry colourful with right timing. Great job. Thanks a lot for sharing to all the lucky ones, Roman.
Matt Anderson
Congratulations Roman!
One of my all time favorite shots!
Looks like your link isn’t working, I think it has an extra http:// on the front, this one here should:
http://www.commercialfineart.com/roman-johnston-shop/roman-johnston-shop.html
Beautiful image, Peter Lik ain’t got nothin’ on you….
Richard Dart
As a native of the Pacific Northwest of the United States, I thank you for this reminder of its beauty. I love the bonsai-like structure of the tree against its vibrant foliage and I love your statement about mindfulness and about discovery in one’s own backyard!!!!! Congratulations and thanks for this one!
Fernando Rodriguez
Roman, if you can what is the name of the Gardens? What can say that has not already been said. Ditto to all comments.
Fernando Rodriguez
Roman, if you can what is the name of the Gardens? What can I say that has not already been said. Ditto to all comments. Dwarf Japanese Maple I believe.
Roman Johnston
Thank you SO much everyone. This is a Lace Leaf Japanese Maple, at the Portland Japanese Garden. If you are ever in the Portland area, the gardens there are worth the visit. Each corner of the path you follow is a work of art. And mid to late October is eye candy. Keep exploring your world, there is so much to see!
Roman
Pat
Beautiful! Nice work!
Helen Hart
Glorious! wow, what a magnificent tree, I’m so glad you got your shot.
ChicagoBeth
How can this be real?!?!? Roman, simply breath-taking! Do you know what species of tree this is?
Libby Turek
I love pictures like this. It’s just so beautiful and awe inspiring. Roman, you did a great job!
Marc Adamus
It’s the most photographed tree I know of, but I’m not sure I’ve seen a single rendition I like more than this one. The atmosphere and perspective are just perfect here!
Arthur
Very nice. Did Peter Lik shoot the same tree?
Ms.Kee
Magical Fantasy Paradise here I come everytime I close my eyes. This is the place to be for me . Thank you for sharing.
Russ Bishop
A gorgeous capture Roman from one of my favorite gardens in the world. Congratulations.
Bill Bentley
Absolutely beautiful!
Rick Rouse
What an incredible image! The colors awesome and the composition is simply perfect. Very well done Mr. Johnston.
Dennis
Photography is art!
Mario Gustavo Fiorucci
This is absolutely gorgeous! Nature is pure beauty ¡¡¡¡
Congratulations.
Gouldkb
Beautiful – it was worth the wait!
Danette
Magnificent colors and shapes!!
mary blankenship
Wonderful shot,I would love to be under the tree!
Marie Dunphy Harding
“we often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude” ~Cynthia Ozick. So true, you are willing to share your wonderous works to help us do just that, Thank you. Your web pictures are magnificent!
Tazmin A Shariff
inspiring!
Moira Hoppe
I feel drawn into this shot, where the warm, protective shelter of the ancient branches cradle me safely in their plain beauty. This is where love is. Thank you so much. Your work and your words are very inspirational.
Breanna Klein
WOW!!! Beautiful!!! Worth the wait.
Thanks for the picture and the words that go with it!! 
I explored your pictures and you have some very beautiful shoots!!! I really enjoyed them all!!! North Moon Bridge was one of my favorites!!
Raquel Ruehl
This is THE most beautiful thing I have ever seen! Nice work!
Nikki
I want to crawl into this shot, curl up under that tree, and live there forever.
Bob Faw
I’ve been there, and your photo caught the absolute best of it all. Fantastic!
Barbara
This is an unbelievably beautiful shot. Well worth the wait I’d say!
madeleine j
this is so inspiring. want it as a desktop…love your site. beautiful……………………
shivonne
I love trees and this is absolutely gorgeous – the colours you have captured are so beautiful. Thank you for sharing your story on how you managed to capture this tree – I want to sit under it and enjoy the peace that places like this can bring to us.
Brenda M
Is there anywhere we can buy these photos…I enjoy them greatly and Trees are one of my favorite things to look at.
Melissa S
What vivid colors!
Rashid Mukoon
It is worthy waiting for such a long time,what a self satisfaction for you Roman,Nature always bestows us with incredible beauty.Fabulous photo,congratulation.
Andrew
Wow, unbelievable colors… Awesome shot!
Lisa
WOW! This is so amazingly gorgeous! Magical…a true feast for the eyes and soul!
JimAtkin
Like the others WOW
Roman Johnston
Wow…I am a bit overwhelmed with such kind comments and the amazing feedback. Thank you all so very much!!!
Kambiz Babapour
Sorry. That was a BIG WOW!
Zoya Zaidi
What an absolutely lovely shot, Roman! It was worth the wait…
Love,
Zoya
Roman Johnston
Thanks Alex. Peter actually went back and got a summer copy with EXACTLY my composition and got Honerable Mention in Outdoor Photographer. Check it out on the website.
Suresh
It’s a super shot.
Kelly Santos
I think this is the most beautiful photo I have ever seen! I dont know why but it brought tears to my eyes. Maybe because it reminds me that even with all the turmoil in the world there is still such calm & beauty around us. The reds,oranges & greens are so vivid, just spectacular. I want to put this on my wall and look at it every day! I have never commented on a earth shot photo or asked to purchase one but I must ask if it’s possible to purchase an 11×14 or 16×20 or poster size?
Jacqueline Deely
Mind bogglingly beautiful!
Roman Johnston
Kelly, thank you so much. I so appreciate your feelings and very kind comments.
Not sure of the rules for conversations about purchases in the thread. With that in mind, there is a link under the shot, or you can just google my name to take this conversaion further. Either source will get you in direct contact with me.
Again, thank you very much! And thanks to all the other posters.
Roman
sharon
Lovely picture my favorite season the colours are fantastic
Nina
This is so gorgeous! Any chance you’ll be selling it as a stock photo somewhere? I doubt the print will survive an overseas shipment to my country if i’d buy it already printed
Jaystar
Very beutifull and awsome, makes me want to go there. thanks for sharing it.
Rod Heywood
Very cool! Looks more like the size of a giant oak tree.
alishokri
Wonderful colors and composition, this tree are really beautiful
Leslie
So beautiful!
Cassandra
I have a picture I took of that same exact tree. No kidding. It’s not that colorful, but it’s the same tree.
Peggy Sue Seehafer
Beautiful words accompanied by a stunning image!
Debbie Corriea
Well worth the 3 year wait. Just stunning.
Cars
That tree is so vivid it almost looks like an animation or illustration. Absolutely beautiful. Will have to send this to facebook.
Kyra
This looks remarkably like Peter Lik’s Tree of Life. You both captured it very beautifully, Being from Portland I look forward to trying to acheive even a fraction of the beauty from this tree that you guys have