Long-Exposure Infrared Photos of Trees

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London-based photographer Martin Stavars has a beautiful series of photographs titled, “Portraits of Trees.” For each of the photographs, he set his infrared camera up in front of a large tree and opened up the shutter for anywhere between four to ten minutes.

The combination of the “infrared look” and the blurry grass and leaves gives the images a dreamy quality — the stationary tree trunks are the sharp subjects that ground each picture.

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Here’s what Stavars says about his interest in photographing the outdoors:

I’ve always been fascinated by landscapes – places that are absolutely desolate, where I can stay one on one with nature. For me, the growing joy right before pressing the shutter button as well as the possibility of interacting with the world filled with inspiration is as important as the creative act itself. This initial fascination has rapidly grown into obsession that eventually took control over my life.

Since the beginning of my adventure with photography, every landscape has been an unforgettable experience, thanks to which I’ve learned how to interpret light – the single most important (and the single most waited for) factor that shapes my images. On the other hand, lighting is directly connected with another key element of photography – luck. Proper weather, interesting cloud patterns or even a couple of sunrays breaking through the clouds, have many times decided that after a couple of failed attempts I was able to reach a satisfactory effect the moment nature displayed her most unpredictable face.

You can find more of Stavars’ work over on his personal website.

Portraits of Trees [Martin Stavars]


Image credits: Photographs by Martin Stavars

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