Tree Portraits — Nichole McDaniel

Drawn to the nature around me as a child, I found myself fascinated with trees. If my parents called my name when I was a child, I was likely playing outside in my “Shade Tree.” This large beautiful maple tree grew on the side of our yard. I loved climbing it to sit and bask in its stillness, all the while observing the world around me. My family later sold the side lot and the tree was cut down.

Trees, like a number of things, can be observed everyday without a second thought. When one has time to observe the trees and world around us, life can be very fascinating. Each tree is different and adapts to its environment. I often wonder when a tree was planted or just how that tree had to adapt to its surroundings to survive. Trees can continue to grow in some unusual places, some continue to do so even after the devastation of a natural disaster. My purpose for this series is similar to a human portrait, to capture a particular moment and appreciate the individuality of what I am seeing.