That Wanaka Tree

[Kyle Jones]

I spent 6 days in Wanaka, just 5 minutes from their photographic icon. That left me no choice but to head over and shoot it a few times. So here are some images from an amazing sunset with some windy waters, a calm morning where the sun never appeared, and another sunrise kind of in the middle.

Any thoughts are welcome - which works best for you?

1) Lake Wanaka with some great clouds and light

2) The Wanaka tree in the twilight glow

3) Calm sunrise reflections of the Wanaka tree

4) Sunrise ripples and sky at Lake Wanaka

 

[AlanLichty]

The twilight version in #2 is really nice but the reflections in #3 get the nod from me. Neat place.

 

[Jim Dockery]

All are nice in their way - would make a great sequence in a slide show with long dissolves. I prefer the composition without the shore & trees on the left though.

 

[Ben Egbert]

2 and 3 are my favs, but all are very good.

 

[lionking]

The 3rd and 4th stand out for me.
Beautiful work!

 

[JimFox]

Hey Kyle,

I am with Ben, #2 and 3 are my favorites. I like the color in the sky in #2, and I like the reflection in #3. Do you have any of #1 without that shoreline poking in?

 

[Kyle Jones]

Hey Kyle,

I am with Ben, #2 and 3 are my favorites. I like the color in the sky in #2, and I like the reflection in #3. Do you have any of #1 without that shoreline poking in?

The cloud was to the left and I couldn't really move without getting into someone else's shot. But I did try a vertical to get rid of it...

 

[Jameel Hyder]

Very nice series. 2,3,4 and 1 in that order for me.

 

[MonikaC]

#3 for me, only because the background shoreline is the least intrusive. It's too bad you couldn't isolate it more in 1 or 2. Was it sort of like Mesa Arch, with people elbow to elbow?

 

[Kyle Jones]

#3 for me, only because the background shoreline is the least intrusive. It's too bad you couldn't isolate it more in 1 or 2. Was it sort of like Mesa Arch, with people elbow to elbow?

There's definitely more room here than Mesa Arch. The first two were a sunset, though, which is always more crowded and the line was set pretty far back from the shore. This forced a longer focal length and made the mountains look larger. The other two were sunrises, and I always get to sunrises early enough to pick my spot (which I'd scouted the previous night).

Here's a behind the scenes shot from #3

 

[BarryHamilton]

What a cool tree with a grand view back. Nice images, all, if forced I might favor the 2nd.

 

[lightsgood]

Love them all Kyle!