Sacred Trees II Photography

Press Kit

Unique Properties

This is an expression of spiritual essence of nature through photographs by illuminating those natural creations which are the oldest living organisms on the planet. The Animism Series is for the audiences to feel the warmth of the nature and exciting world of brightly lit illusion. These works are very unique and different from others because creating them requires one of the most difficult photography techniques, such as painting with several flash lights simultaneously at night in the dark

Dimensions & Packaging

24 inch X 30 inch

Tags

Animism, Sacred Trees, Landscape Photograph, Nature, Tree,

Production Technology

This series is Light Painting Photography.
These photographs were taken after sunset before total darkness or under the moonlight . I painted by flash lights with some color gels during　exposure for about 5 to 20 minutes.

Design Challenge

With respect to the technical aspect, it was very difficult to get right exposure and balancing between natural light and artificial light. The challenge was to show the color of light which I wanted to show. I was able to show such vivid color based on my accumulated efforts and repetitive experiments. The color of gels I was able to see with my eyes did not show the same color in the picture, the color in the picture differed depending on the color of the object, surface, light source (such as LED or tungsten). I had to control length of shutter speed, aperture, and artificial light.

Project Duration

The project started in May 2003 in California and finished in July 2019

Operation Flow

These photographic designs and images of nature are in printed form. The balance and harmonyof each color and object are carefullyarranged in a frame."Apicture tells a thousand words." Thesemysterious images and colors, which do not exist in nature, grab the audience's attention and gain interaction. By looking at the images, the audience will immediately create own storyand meaning of natural wonder and get inspired. The audience will enjoy seeingthe active lifemovement inside the two dimensional world of a color photograph.That is the power of photography.

Research

This requires a research of exposure, which is controlled by ISO, aperture, shutter speed, and intensity of flashlight beam. The 4 elements must be balanced perfectly depending on the external factors. The light of sun, moon, and streetlamps affect all measurements. The color of objects (trees) also affect. Objects absorb the light and change the light reflectance. A few experimental shots will be taken by a digital camera to collect data to find perfect measurements. This hard to achieve perfect measurement creates a one of a kind design which gives an audience a pleasant surprise.

Inspiration

When I learned about my Japanese family roots, I became interested in learning more about my roots, culture and history. I came to learn that people in Japan have, since ancient times, held a belief toward natural creations, such as trees, rocks, and water as the resting place of Gods. The giant trees and ancient trees we see today have survived various natural disasters, and people have worshiped them as extraordinary living things reflecting their appreciation and thoughts in various ways. I

Image Credits

Photographer / Yoshimi Sugiyama

Patents

Copyrights belong to Yoshimi Sugiyama, 2021

Colors of Sacred Trees II Photography