Trees of the South:Through Leaves, a Longing
I’ve always felt drawn to trees—the way their branches catch the breeze or sunlight reveals the veins of life in their leaves. These trees have witnessed more than I ever will, and through this collection, I hope to share a glimpse of their grace, their resilience, and the dreams they inspire.
Living in the South, I’ve watched their seasons unfold, a rhythm I’ve carried with me. This collection captures trees from my travels between Florida and North Carolina over recent years. Using an 8x10 film camera and an 1860s brass Petzval lens with black and white film, I’ve given them a dreamlike quality—a timeless longing for nature. A young woman stands among them, showing scale and echoing that yearning. The trees and the woman together tell a story of reverence, of searching for light through the leaves.
The slow, methodical process of large format photography and darkroom development mirrors the trees’ patient growth, reflecting our own. “Trees of the South” is about seeing their grace and feeling our connection to something enduring. It isn’t just about the beauty of nature—it’s about what it reflects back to us. It’s about standing still long enough to notice, to feel the breeze, to see the veins of life shimmering overhead. Erika Masterson
oak tree, maple tree, hickory tree, beech tree, stewardia tree, crab apple tree, rhodedendron tree, leaves, Hand printed Fine Art Photography, Original fine art, photography, black and white photography, large format photography,
A Petzval lens, originally designed in 1840 by Joseph Petzval, is renowned for its distinctive optical characteristics. It produces sharp, detailed images at the center with a rapid fall-off into a beautifully soft, swirling bokeh in the out-of-focus areas. This limited depth of field and unique rendering of backgrounds create a dreamlike, painterly effect, emphasizing the subject while embracing a natural vignetting and subtle distortions. These qualities are intentional and integral to the artistic allure of photographs captured with a Petzval lens, enhancing their vintage charm and evocative mood.
