Artist Statement

Life and death involve mystery and so did the making of these images.

After being told by the timber faller which direction each marked tree would be felled, I walked around the tree trying to imagine it falling. The process of pre-visualizing each tree’s fall was challenging and exciting. Obviously, there were no re-takes. I could see how tall the tree was, but where would the top be when it was at 45 degrees? How fast would it be falling? Should I include those trees beside it or leave them out? Will those clouds move in front of the sun and change my exposure? After deciding on what I thought would be the most compelling view, I selected a lens and f-stop/shutter speed combination. Photographing motion is always a guessing game, and especially so with this work. A tree moves slowly at first, gaining speed with its momentum. A quarter of a second shutter speed shows only a little motion at the beginning of the trees’ fall and a lot of motion at the end of its fall. I used a 4x5 view camera, which meant I had to memorize the perimeter of my composition because once the film is loaded I could no longer see through the lens. I signaled the timber faller that I was ready and then waited for the tree to fall through my composition. After tripping the shutter, I immediately turned my attention to the clash and commotion above me. Flying limbs are called “widow makers” for good reason.

During the fourteen-hour drive to my darkroom, I relived each exposure and tried to imagine what my film would look like. I had no clue only hopes. Processing those twenty sheets of film was the most magical day in the darkroom I have ever experienced. The film was then scanned and printed digitally with no manipulation of content.

Biography

David Paul Bayles is an accomplished photographer who has been showing his photographs of trees and forests since 1982. His photographs examine the interdependence of forests and trees, people and communities. In 2003 Sierra Club Books published Bayles’ first monograph, Urban Forest. His photographs are in collections around the world including the Portland Art Museum, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas, Austin and Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris.