AusBonsai

Better leave these little ones where they are but nice to think about what if

I think it really comes down to personal preference, likes and dislikes. Nature can create some fantastic specimens of really interesting and unusual trees, growing in unusual situations but on the other hand some growing in ideal situations looking as you'd expect them to, may look boring to some people. Perhaps incorporate natures "rules"- such as trunk line, taper and branching from different trees you find interesting (like the photos above) into your own work as suggested. We really are trying to imitate nature to some degree when creating bonsai.

I feel the "rules" of Bonsai are there more as guidelines- how to create a tree that is asthetically pleasing. However it sill comes down to personal preference as no matter how beautiful and "perfect" a tree may look, if your passion is for cascades, a wonderful formal upright just may not catch your eye.

Take examples from nature as ideas to incorporate in to your own designs- but only if you like it

Chipper5

very nice Brett, where is this<Mandurah, cheers Brett

I agree Chipper, The tree I had taken back in my mind was different to what the actual tree looked like. Bonsai does not have to be totally about real trees. I think it is very fine to create trees as you see them or even "want" to see them.
I think it is important to understand what you are looking at when looking at pictures of trees. I believe it was Rodger that pointed out to me that a Gum I had taken a picture of on a farm was once among many other trees in a Forrest and only in the later part of it's life was it free to grow branches lower to the ground.
Some other pictures I will show of big paper barks on a farm although very old and interesting may show a tree in it's "pre-mature" stage as Robert Steven puts it. The tree/trunk may be very old but after some event the branches show little age.

I think of the rules as techniques or tools

I think you need to get out more Mr Sand-groper Craig if ya don't know where Mandurah is
For all ya others it is about an hour south of Perth

Brett, i was asking if these pics were taken in Mandurah , Not where is Mandurah , Cheers

On the way home I took a few snaps of trees on a farm. Pity I had the sun mostly behind them and didn't feel like letting myself in to get better shots so I had to enhance some a fair bit.
There were many more but I ran out of time. Ah OK Craig I think it is called Herron Point but if you head out past Ravenswood there is much to see like this. If you do go make sure you take the time to have a beer over lunch watching a band at the Ravo

Brett
Wonderful photos. Fabulous trees. Wow. Thanks for taking the time to take them and share them.

For me, the bonsai artist doesn't need to 'copy' nature as a photocopier copies a document. It is about studying nature closely. Getting the feel for how branches leave the trunk and the direction(s) they follow. About the overall shape of the crown and how its many parts are arranged relative to each other. How smooth or rough the edges of the crown and how important that is to the feeling of that tree. What kind of variation there is within a species. Any trying not to make each tree more perfectly the same as the previous one.

Keep the images coming.....
Roger

I like your thinking Roger. I really enjoyed your talk on the subject last time I made it to a meeting.
Glad you enjoyed the pics

Hmmm,

Nice pics Brett.
It makes me wonder whether that old saying is true but the other way around, for example our European settlers went about the countryside chopping and burning forests leaving a few choice examples stranded mid field because they could not see the tree for the woods ......