Lonely Burren Tree

Lonely Burren TreeI must have driven by this lone tree at least twice a day for the first half a week I was in Ireland.  I don’t know why but every time we passed it I had the urge to step out and capture it.  Alas, I was one of five passengers in the car and didn’t want to inconvenience anyone so I never said anything.  Something about it just got my attention and wouldn’t leave me alone.  Finally, one morning, I let the driver know that there was a lone tree somewhere in the middle of the Burren that I had mind to take a picture of.  I got a strange look.  “Yes”, I said, “a tree.  A specific tree, and would you mind pulling over for me when I see it again so that I may capture it?”

Sure enough as we came down the road I started to recognize the landscape.  I mentioned that it would be coming up soon and shortly thereafter we made our stop.  At my tree.  I still didn’t know what it was about that tree that had me so captivated but I hopped out of the car, camera in tow, and began to snap away.  A lone tree surrounded by the surreal flaggy landscape.  If not for the stacked rock walls you’d think no man had ever set foot on this terrain.  Not a very large tree.  The only thing standing upright on the level horizon.  It leaned ever so slightly to the Southeast as if it had a mind to wander.  There was a gap in the wall big enough to frame it as the subject of my photograph, placing it neatly on the right third of a nice asymmetrically balanced composition.

If you don’t already think I’m crazy, try this one on for size.  I went on Google maps and I found my tree.  Yes, that’s right, I went to Ireland on Google maps and I found a tree: Link

5D Mk III with 24-105mm f/4.0L IS USM lens.  ISO 400, f/22, 1/125 sec.