Earl Moore Photography
Roots upon the bedrock - Stone Mountain Park, NC

As a human being I often look to collected sources of knowledge and teachings to answers everyday questions about existence, struggles and meanings. As a nature photographer I look at the characteristics of nature and see pertinence which applies to those same questions.

I’m amazed to the extent life will struggle simply to survive — long after most of us would have given up.

The trees in these photos have found a life among the rocks by conforming their roots to the surface of the bedrock below. With time they find cracks and use them to make purchase extending their own lives.

Earl Moore Photography
Boulder Roots - Stone Mountain Park, NC

Scenes like this make me realize we owe the gift of our lives the full value of our efforts to live them without reservation. Easier to say then do — I have to keep reminding myself.

Note: Paul Maxim has written a recent post on “Yesterday’s Light” of trees who struggle for “Life on the Edge.”


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John - Visual Notebook
12 years ago

A couple of appealing images – the first especially. You do what you can, what you have to, to get by and survive in life and that tree is an example of being tenacious. As humans, we’re much more likely to give up in ways -jobs, spouses, friends, life – I guess it goes with the territory of self-awareness and all, but these trees only have one goal: survive.

Ken Bello
12 years ago

It’s inspirational to think about these trees and survival with such complex, but efficient, root systems. Thought provoking. Great post.

Paul Maxim
Paul Maxim
12 years ago

Both images are great, Earl. I’ve seen so many trees just like these, finding ways to reach water and stability. There’s a tree I found in Zion, for example, that looks like your second shot – it just forced its way down through a very large boulder and eventually split the rock into two distinct pieces. It must have taken a very long time. I know trees are not “aware” and therefore can’t be described as “patient”, but the lesson is there nonetheless.

Monte Stevens
12 years ago

I’m also surprised when I see a tree with a bent or curved trunk and nothing around it to suggest any reason for it. Nature just has ways we do not understand.

Mark
12 years ago

I love the first root image Earl. Perfect example of a tree staking out its territory! :-)

Like Monte, I often wonder how a particular root systems “knew” to go in a certain direction for water. I am sure there is a very technical biological explanation for it – cellular reactions to humidity probably.

Don
Don
12 years ago

These are beautiful and a bit painful to see how these trees struggle to survive against all odds. Excellent pictures.

Earl
12 years ago
Reply to  Don

Hey Don, Thanks!