The first photographs of the day were meh (img 2&3), it’s a tree, the play of light is interesting but… Picking up and crossing through a clearing I had to go back and make sure the wood wasn’t playing tricks. The screaming tree in the first image is the same tree seen in the other photographs. Had I passed through the clearing to its left this form would not have revealed itself.

We don’t all see faces in clouds or monsters in trees for that matter. This sweet chestnut tree revealed itself as I approached from the south end of the wood. It’s form reminiscent of a Merry Melodies opera singer holding a sustained note. A few moments later it had morphed into a deranged screaming demon. As far as trees go the sweet chestnut is really interesting and it is worth taking a little time to find it’s face. 

Loña do Monte is made up of five small villages in the mountains to the east of Ourense. Its altitude allows for temperatures some 10C cooler than that of the city in the valley below. The early morning fog that descends the mountains had given way to a scattering of clouds. The resulting dappled light is pretty, but a complete pain in the arse. Luckily about thirty seconds later the diffuse light returned. 

Setting up to calibrate the camera to my eye, or at least to narrow the gap between what the camera could capture and what was in my minds eye. The Obi-wan voice in my head was repeating “these are not the trees you are looking for” My mission was simple. Head up the road. Walk into the woods and take a color photograph of Genaro’s Tree and the Frightening Tree beside it. I probably should have taken that left turn at Albuquerque… I was lost and days are short.