Victrinia Ridgeway
Omono
That feeling should be ignored... Taking fantastic photos of developing trees will be something you'll be REALLLLLLY grateful for in the future. I PROMISE. 
v
v
First RMJ
- Thread starter fore
- Start date
october
Masterpiece
That is the exact opposite of what you should think. It is the progressions that are extremely important in regards to bonsai. Documenting the work and relationship between you and the tree is probably some of the most enjoyment you can have in the hobby.
Also, pictures show you things that you don't see. It has been discussed on here a couple of times. You see a tree, it looks good to you. Then you look at a picture and it might look out of balance or just off. I mean, it really is something you have to experience first hand to believe. I have had trees that looked good to my eye in person. However in pictures, they would look somewhat messy or off balanced.
Rob
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
That is the exact opposite of what you should think. It is the progressions that are extremely important in regards to bonsai. Documenting the work and relationship between you and the tree is probably some of the most enjoyment you can have in the hobby.
Also, pictures show you things that you don't see. It has been discussed on here a couple of times. You see a tree, it looks good to you. Then you look at a picture and it might look out of balance or just off. I mean, it really is something you have to experience first hand to believe. I have had trees that looked good to my eye in person. However in pictures, they would look somewhat messy or off balanced.
Rob
I agree 100% with this point of view. Though technology has changed drastically since my Fred Flintstone Microsoft Computer with not digital camera, I still wish I had some of the pictures I took back then that I could down load to compare with the same trees today, embarrassing as many of them would be.
Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
Me too, I have a big stack and 2 albums of 3x5 and 4x6 photos from '94-'02 (when I went digital), and I wish I had more. It's especially gratifying looking back at the trees I was proud of at the time, and seeing how much everything has changed over the last 5, 10, 15 years. Even better now that it costs nothing in dollars or space to have them.
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
I first started taking pictures of my trees back in the 80's. Believe me bad photography does not improve with age even if the trees do-----hopefully. If they had all been digital????
fore
Omono
That is the exact opposite of what you should think. It is the progressions that are extremely important in regards to bonsai. Documenting the work and relationship between you and the tree is probably some of the most enjoyment you can have in the hobby.
Also, pictures show you things that you don't see. It has been discussed on here a couple of times. You see a tree, it looks good to you. Then you look at a picture and it might look out of balance or just off. I mean, it really is something you have to experience first hand to believe. I have had trees that looked good to my eye in person. However in pictures, they would look somewhat messy or off balanced.
Rob
I agree Rob, I have taken a fair number of shots of the trees the last 2 yrs. But, I didn't take the effort for a 'good' photograph. Looking thru them last night, I now agree I wish I had taken the time to put them behind a bland background for better shots. I've learned now that there's a good reason to photograph as you mentioned.
Thanks for the side track thread guys re. photography. I needed a good kick in the ass! lol
coh
Imperial Masterpiece
fore
Omono
TheSteve
Chumono
pretty sure my trees look their best behind the backdrop.....
coh
Imperial Masterpiece
Mine do as well...
fore
Omono
Well it's pretty obvious to me now that I overdid the trimming. The new growth is very juvenile looking. 1. At least it's still living lol And 2, I've learned a valuable lesson.
fore
Omono
fore
Omono
FINALLY!!!!! Mature growth is returning! Wow, this took MUCH longer than anticipated. Prob. by end of next yr I should be golden.
I've learned that the rate of return is tree dependent. For instance, I bought two rmj's; those 'practice' rmj's I got this spring. Both got delivered to me this spring w. mature foliage. Within weeks, one completely reverted to juvenile, the other stayed mature. Nothing at all was done to these trees. Anyway, the reverted one now already is converting back to mature! And it's only been since May. Very very interesting to visualize.
Chris
I've learned that the rate of return is tree dependent. For instance, I bought two rmj's; those 'practice' rmj's I got this spring. Both got delivered to me this spring w. mature foliage. Within weeks, one completely reverted to juvenile, the other stayed mature. Nothing at all was done to these trees. Anyway, the reverted one now already is converting back to mature! And it's only been since May. Very very interesting to visualize.
Chris
tmmason10
Omono
The same happened to my RMJ. I bought it last summer I think, and it had mature foliage. It did however look to be recently repotted, so I wondered how long it had been since collection. This spring, it flowered and looked very weak, then nice green juvenile foliage broke out but is returning to scale foliage. I hope to work on mine next year as well! I think the key to its health has been using ne bonsai's form of boons mix, watering it heavily and letting it get as much sun as possible.
fore
Omono
Boy Tom, you had some luck there having it revert so quickly! I wish I had some of that 'golden touch'
This yr I switched to all organics. The entire surface at this point is covered with ferts. I'm wondering if this had something to do with it vs. using miracle gro...no idea. But this is the most aggressive I've been adding on organics and I just have to wonder if this is why so many of my trees are doing so well.
This yr I switched to all organics. The entire surface at this point is covered with ferts. I'm wondering if this had something to do with it vs. using miracle gro...no idea. But this is the most aggressive I've been adding on organics and I just have to wonder if this is why so many of my trees are doing so well.
tmmason10
Omono
Boy Tom, you had some luck there having it revert so quickly! I wish I had some of that 'golden touch'
This yr I switched to all organics. The entire surface at this point is covered with ferts. I'm wondering if this had something to do with it vs. using miracle gro...no idea. But this is the most aggressive I've been adding on organics and I just have to wonder if this is why so many of my trees are doing so well.
I should restate, it's STARTING to revert back. I expect after next spring it will have less juvenile and more scale foliage. Either way it's getting bushy and letting me know it's ready to be worked.
Dav4
Drop Branch Murphy
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My RMJs love reverting to juvenile growth following every little insult- repot, wiring, pruning.
My most refined one, which was finally 90% mature scale foliage got a VERY light thinning about 3 weeks ago...now we're pushing juvenile growth in spots. I think its their nature.
Edit: At least, it seems to be their nature outside of what one might consider their preferred climate, ie., the Midwest and into the mountains.
My most refined one, which was finally 90% mature scale foliage got a VERY light thinning about 3 weeks ago...now we're pushing juvenile growth in spots. I think its their nature.
Edit: At least, it seems to be their nature outside of what one might consider their preferred climate, ie., the Midwest and into the mountains.
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