Photographing trees

I'm on a mission, now that the leaves have fallen and branches are bare. A mission to find those perfect specimen trees to photograph.

There's one in my neighborhood, just a couple of miles from home. A towering maple tree, which stands straight and full in a corner of the pasture, protecting an ancient wooden barn. It's gorgeous in the autumn in yellow and orange, and in spring wearing bright green. But I've never photographed it in winter.

The best stretch of trees I know is in the wide greenbelt of I-90, between North Bend and Snoqualmie Pass. The trees are spectacular here, all kinds from maples to Douglas fir to alders and vine maples. I never pass this way without wanting to stop and pull out my camera. Unfortunately, the roadway and traffic would be in every shot.

These lone specimen trees aren't all that easy to find, at least not trees that are good candidates for photography. I think the search would be a good project for winter.