discusmike
Omono
It must be a great feeling to know you kept this tree alive and well for over 30 odd yrs, I hope my trees are as fortunate one day, very inspiring to us young folk.
Shimpaku Continued
- Thread starter Vance Wood
- Start date
John Ruger
Shohin
- Messages
- 470
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- 2
You've done superb work on this this tree Vance, certainly one of the nicest and tasteful shimps.
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
I hope there is one thing that inspires you through this entire process. It does not matter how long you have been doing bonsai, if you expect your trees to change, you, have to be willing to change. If you grow you can make your trees grow and if you change you can make your trees change.
I can speak only for myself but I can see the same things in many people around here. You get stuck in a rut thinking you know as much as there is to learn so you get comfortable in this one little level. You start to think your trees are wonderful and you get pissed off is someone seems to suggest they may not be. Instead of considering something you argue why it is not so.
It may be that a critique is correct and the flaws in the tree should be considered, it may be that something else is at work. But: You have to know yourself and most of all, be able to consider the artistic impact of what has been suggested. If you do not understand the art everything else becomes esoteric, and if your reason for rejecting a suggestion is based on you concept of the art then you should be able to defend it.
However I am not suggesting that you jump in wiith pruners and chain saws in an attempt to conform a tree to someone else's vision, especially if that someone is stuck in a similar rut. Or, if that vision is beyond your ability to see or accomplish. If that is the case then you know there is something for you to learn; learn it. From all of this and from all the offers of advise try to glean out of them---concepts.
No matter how long you have been doing bonsai ultimately you are your best teacher. You can follow a bonsai master and learn everything he has to offer. What do you do after that? At some point you have to find yourself and your own vision. A great teacher can inspire you to do great things but a great teacher cannot, by his or her presence, impart "the magic touch" giving you the ability to produce really great bonsai without you having to do the work, or you acquiring your own vision. That really is the most valuable thing you can achieve. You can have all the skill, tools, books, wokshops, horticultural knowledge and a loving mentor, these things are all like boxes of serial in the store, that can be purchased, but they cannot give you a vision that is your vision. I have seen that around here. I have seen it in myself and I can see it in many. You can spend $10,000 on the most fantastic piece of Yamadori the world has ever seen and, without the vision of what to do with it, turn it into kindling in an afternoon.
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Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
The first picture was taken in 2008, the second just two days ago. As I mentioned earlier I have a video of this tree when I started working on it in 198something. If I can find a way to convert it from VHS to a digital format I will post that as well.
Here come a couple of others.
2003
2005
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Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
Always cool to have photos of your trees that go back a way. My first digital camera was in 2002, and it was pretty grainy. Anything before that was a paper 4x6 that I'd have to scan to share too.
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
I have the same problem and I might add that after researching the provenance of this tree I may have been off on when I acquired it. It may be 1995 not 1988. I remember joining the 4 Seasons Club in 1994. The first demo I did was the Hinoki Cypress and that was definately 1994. I did the Shimpaku the following summer.
If I can dig out the analog pictures I might be able to get them scaned and posted.
Have you ever tried scanning and digitizing an analog photo? I have and it sucks.
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Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
I have had decent luck with a newer print/fax/scanner.
Time consuming, but it can be effective to take digital photos of the old analog ones. The challenge is to situate yourself outside but without glare or shadows, and photos turn out pretty well.
Poink88
Imperial Masterpiece
I have about 15 years ago (1998) and my scanner did an excellent job. It was painfully slow (because of my settings) but at monitor size, the pics were decent. I am sure scanners now are faster and better...couple it with photoshop and you can easily match your old pic...even improve it.
I never scanned pics recently...just because all our pics are available digitally now.
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
I have about 15 years ago (1998) and my scanner did an excellent job. It was painfully slow (because of my settings) but at monitor size, the pics were decent. I am sure scanners now are faster and better...couple it with photoshop and you can easily match your old pic...even improve it.
You are making the assumption that I am competent to do this. I have access to a fairly decent scanner but my old photos may not be so good.
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
Yesterday the weather was foul enough that I got little done, our highs were in the 40's and it rained most of the day. Not really good bonsai weather if you do it outdoors like I do. This morning it was in the 5o's so I decided it was time to get some early morning photo shots of the tree before I put it under the scissors one more time.
There is just something about the morning light that cannot be duplicated easily---at least by me. It also shows off some things about the tree that my night time photos seem to smear together.
There is just something about the morning light that cannot be duplicated easily---at least by me. It also shows off some things about the tree that my night time photos seem to smear together.
