I am afraid the challenge for a "tree in the forest" just doesn't quite fit my locale. The Pine Ridge has suffered lots of fires over the past few decades, and there are huge chunks that are now sparsely populated by trees. These trees stand on the hills on an acreage my family owns along Squaw Creek that was deforested in a fire nearly twenty years ago. The fire started on forestry land, and the Forest Service refused to fight the fire. When it swept onto our private property they still hindered the fire fighting process, only allowing firefighters in to save the improvements. It was devastating to my parents who lost their trees and knew they would never again see them in their lifetime. I don't think I will see these hills repopulated with trees during my lifetime either. So, despite not quite meeting the intent of the challenge, this still tells the story of our little part of the Nebraska National Forest, or what little is left of it on our acreage. Edited in Lightroom, Color Efex and Topaz Textures ...
Jim @jnr Another attempt at the challenge. Time and location didn't work very well for me this week for the trees. I might try to get a repetition image before the challenge is over.
April @aecasey I think both photos met the challenge extremely well. The expression is "you can't see the forest for the trees" but often we are overtaken by the entire scene and don't look deeper for the components of the scene. You have photographed and shown the "deeper", and told the story. Well done!
