The black cherry tree, whose scientific name is Prunus serotina, is a beautiful tree that can make any landscape more interesting to look at. With its beautiful spring flowers, summer leaves, and fall colors, it’s easy to see why so many people like taking pictures of this tree all year long. This article will talk about some great ways to take pictures of the black cherry tree.
A Close Up of the Spring Flowers
One of the best times to photograph a black cherry tree is in spring when it erupts with white flowers, borne on drooping clusters known as racemes. The flowers have a faint almond scent and appear before the leaves emerge generally in April or May. To capture beautiful close-up shots of the blossoms use a macro lens. This will allow you to zoom in tight while keeping the flowers sharp and in focus. Try photographing the flowers straight on as well as from an angle to get interesting perspectives. Morning and evening when the light is soft creates ideal conditions for flower photography.
The Emerging Green Leaves of Summer
As spring turns into summer, the black cherry leaves open up into a lush green canopy. The leaves are dark green, serrated, and oval or oblong in shape. They are about 2 to 5 inches long. To bring out the color of the leaves, take a picture of the tree in the sun with backlighting or side lighting on the leaves. Experiment with wide angle and telephoto lenses for different effects. A wide-angle lens can show the tree’s whole shape, while a telephoto lens can pick out interesting patterns on the branches and leaves.
Capturing the Changing Leaves in Fall
One of the most spectacular times to photograph a black cherry tree is in the fall when the leaves transform into vivid shades of yellow, orange and red. The color change begins earlier in the northern part of the black cherry’s range, so plan some fall photo shoots accordingly. Using a polarizing filter can really boost saturation and make the fall colors pop. Try framing the tree against a blue sky background to complement the warm autumn tones. Focus on capturing the gorgeous color gradient as some leaves begin changing while others still remain green.
The Striking Bark Patterns in Winter
The black cherry tree’s unique scaly bark makes it a great subject for photography even when its leaves fall off in the winter. When the bark is fully grown, it has a rough, blocky pattern in shades of blackish gray. Get close to the tree and place it so that the sun hits the trunk at an angle, making interesting shadows and highlights. This will show off the texture of the bark. To really bring out the patterns and lines in the bark, change the pictures to black and white. Winter scenes with the bark standing out against the snow are also very interesting to look at.
Tips for Composition and Lighting
- When photographing the black cherry tree, pay attention to composition. The rule of thirds is a good guideline, positioning the tree off center so it doesn’t divide the photo in half.
- Capture the tree from creative angles, like lying on the ground looking up through the canopy or framing it through other vegetation in the foreground.
- Take advantage of “magic hour” light right after sunrise or before sunset for moody, golden hour shots.
- On overcast days, the even, diffused lighting allows you to capture all the intricate details of flowers, leaves or bark.
- Silhouette the tree against colorful skies at sunset or sunrise for dramatic high-contrast images.
- On windy days, you can get interesting motion blur effects on the branches and leaves.
Locating Black Cherry Trees to Photograph
The black cherry is native to the eastern and central United States, but it can be grown in places far from where it grows naturally. To find trees to photograph near you:
- Look along fencerows, forest edges and fields as these are typical habitats.
- Contact your local parks department or nature preserves to ask about black cherry trees on public lands.
- Drive or walk through your neighborhood and scout for yards with ornamental black cherry trees. Knock on doors and ask homeowners for permission to photograph their tree.
- Check with local nurseries as they may sell black cherry trees or be able to direct you to mature specimens in the community.
- Search for trees in bloom on websites like Instagram where people geotag black cherry.
Getting Creative With Black Cherry Photography
Once you understand the basics of photographing the black cherry tree, let your creativity run wild! Here are some fun photographic ideas:
- Composite images showing the tree through all four seasons.
- A portrait series capturing the tree at different times of day and night.
- Extreme close-ups of flowers, leaves, berries or bark abstracted into graphic art.
- Black and white infrared photography to give the images a surreal look.
- Setting a model, wedding couple or child on a swing under the tree’s canopy.
- Backlighting the tree on a foggy morning to create a moody, mystical scene.
- A time-lapse sequence showing the growth of the tree through spring, summer and fall.
The graceful beauty of the black cherry is a wonderful photographic subject. With its blossoms, foliage, fall color and bark, it provides year-round inspiration for nature photographers. Use these tips to capture stunning images and creatively make this classic tree your own.