Giant Sequoias 3200 Years Old---Stunning photographs of 3,200-year-old giant sequoias as high as 20-story buildings on Sierra Nevada slopes: National Geographic Magazine's December cover story includes the remarkable findings of League scientists who are studying how redwoods can survive sweeping environmental changes.
The feature includes incredible photos, such as a portrait of "the President," a 3,200-year-old giant sequoia, and the interactive gallery, Tree of Life. Research team members of the League's Redwoods and Climate Change Initiative helped National Geographic photographer Michael Nichols and Deputy Director of Photography Ken Geiger to capture these images. Geiger told us about the experience.
The portrait of the President tree is a composite of 126 images. Geiger revealed that a year of preparation took place before the two-week shoot in Sequoia National Park. They set up an intricate rope system that allowed them to scale the 247-foot tree and lower the suspended camera rig from the canopy to the ground, capturing images all the way.
Heavy snow posed the greatest challenge. Geiger said it took more than a week to get useable images. Nonetheless, he recalled the experience with reverence.
"It’s an amazing and magical place, especially in the wintertime," he said. Geiger spent about 120 hours painstakingly stitching the 126 images together to create the portrait. Thanks to the hard work of Geiger, Nichols, and the rest of the team, we can finally see the magnificent giant sequoia in its entirety.
The feature includes incredible photos, such as a portrait of "the President," a 3,200-year-old giant sequoia, and the interactive gallery, Tree of Life. Research team members of the League's Redwoods and Climate Change Initiative helped National Geographic photographer Michael Nichols and Deputy Director of Photography Ken Geiger to capture these images. Geiger told us about the experience.
The portrait of the President tree is a composite of 126 images. Geiger revealed that a year of preparation took place before the two-week shoot in Sequoia National Park. They set up an intricate rope system that allowed them to scale the 247-foot tree and lower the suspended camera rig from the canopy to the ground, capturing images all the way.
Heavy snow posed the greatest challenge. Geiger said it took more than a week to get useable images. Nonetheless, he recalled the experience with reverence.
"It’s an amazing and magical place, especially in the wintertime," he said. Geiger spent about 120 hours painstakingly stitching the 126 images together to create the portrait. Thanks to the hard work of Geiger, Nichols, and the rest of the team, we can finally see the magnificent giant sequoia in its entirety.
