Angel Oak Tree, Johns Island, SC

One of the places I knew I wanted to photograph when I headed to the Charleston, SC area was Angel Oak Tree on Johns Island. This incredible tree is estimated to be at least 1500 years old. It is at least 65 feet tall with a circumference of over 25 feet. In other words – it’s a huge tree.

When I visited in the spring – I arrived at the same time as two busloads of people. So I took one look at the crowds – and said – I’ll come back later. Later ended up being several months later when I returned to Charleston in the fall.

As I photographed Angel Oak, I realized I could do one of two things – try to capture the whole tree or at least large portions of the tree in one photo – and spend hours photoshopping out the people and the signs – and end up with photos that looked pretty much like hundreds of other photos of Angel Oak.

Or I could try to capture the feeling of being under and near this incredible tree – the size of the branches, the vast open areas under the branches and how wonderful it was to look up into the tree. So that’s what these photos are – an impression of being under Angel Oak Tree – rather than just photos of Angel Oak.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And just in case you’re wondering what the whole tree looks like – this was the more or less generic photo that I took that day – that I really don’t like!

Angel Oak Tree is one of the locations I’m planning on revisiting during my Springtime in the South: Savannah, Charleston and the South Carolina Low Country photo tour next spring. If you’d like to photograph Angel Oak with me – you can find more info about the photo tour on my website at http://beautifulflowerpictures.com/springtime-in-the-south-savannah-charleston-and-the-south-carolina-low-country/