Three Birches and the Path

Awfully good to see some new work from you. This is a beautifully detailed study with deeper implications as befitting a picture of a dark woods. The birches stand as sentinels guarding the path. Why you used green as the monochrome color is anyone's guess but it does naturally introduce an added layer of mystery to the picture, namely" why did he use green?"

 

Great lighting and shadow, I like the detail. Deep and sharp, somehow mystical.

Dear Jack,

Thank you very much for your fast, inquisitive & supportive comment. Can I first say that the original title did name the three birches as "sentinels" just like you remarked!

Below is a half-hearted attempt at translating the poem which accompanies this image :

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...

You may find what you are after
Only under full moon.
The path starts among rustling leaves
just next to the three birches with one thousand eyes...

If you are not scared of darkness as much as you did of death
and say you will not miss the luxury of light and the taste of deep breathes
Hurry up before the trees cover the path.

...

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(The above may no longer sound like a poem but I happen to like the original).

For the "green" I have no satisfactory answer at the moment. I envisioned (previsualised?) the image as a monochrome from the beginning, that is for certain. The scene was mostly dark green at the time (in a forest, just after sunset)... The dark hole or path contrasting with the three birches were so inviting that I had to stay for a while and shoot while my friends were waiting in the car... I am not sure if it is "too green" from a particular point of view. Still, I have no doubts about the color.  Somehow, it had to be green!

Dear Gunnar, 

Thank you very much your comment. I am happy you also see it as "mystical". 

Thanks for the poem which I enjoyed very much and the explanation which I thoroughly enjoyed as well. Now don't go missing again. You're too valuable to this community both with your pictures and your always generous and thoughtful commentary. I mean this sincerely. You have no idea how many of your pictures that I can recall precisely. They absolutely imprint themselves upon my memory.