Not all nature photography needs to be done in such remote locations. This is probably the most photographed tree in the Japanese Garden in downtown Portland, OR. But that didn't stop me from having a crack at it.


Normally, I prefer to photograph natural features like trees under diffuse light, such as what you'd find on an overcast day, or during the very early or very late hours of the day. But in this scenario, I was able to photograph under full midday sun, which was diffused by the canopy of the tree itself. You might say the hard overhead light enhanced the moment by creating interesting shadows on the grass underneath the branches.