Fallen But Not Finished
In the woods, among large trees, the trail takes a turn, and in late afternoon the dappled light reveals a fallen giant. With massive limbs supporting the broken trunk, holding it high above the ground, it appears to be struggling to get back up, as if too proud to simply collapse to the floor. In time, it will weaken and decay, until its support gives way and it must at last crumple to the ground. I understand how it feels. In time, everything must succumb to the relentless force of gravity. But not yet, Mother Nature. Not yet.
Tech stuff: As is common in woodland photography, the sky was the enemy, its brightness overwhelming the dark, shadowed area of the woods. I used the highest perspective I could, to minimize the sky in the frame. Cropping to 16:9 helped by chopping off some of the bright patches of sky that were of no value. A 4/3-stop exposure compensation helped too, though of course it also darkened the foreground and subject, which had to be brought back in post. Judicious dodging and burning then helped to improve the overall balance of the image.