http://www.michaelkenna.net/gallery.php?id=33
The photo is “Alley of Trees”, Damyang, Jeollanamdo, taken in South Korea in 2012 by Michael Kenna. It is a picture of many trees that are lined up on both side of the road. There is a layer of snow on top of each tree and the way the branches spread out makes it look like they are touching each other. Seeing all the trees covered with snow really gives off a cold winter mood. It also has a calm and peaceful atmosphere since there are no people or animals. The ground is pure white with no foot print which makes a clean road.
The trunk of the trees makes a vertical line and the branches make a diagonal line. The photo was framed in a way where the trees are cut off at the sides which makes the focus of the photo to the middle. There is a pattern of open space and the tree and there is a high contrast of light and dark. The trees are the darker contrast and the snow all around is the lighter especially on the branches. At the angle of the photo was taken in makes the road and the trees to seem endless. The high contrasts of dark and light help create a winter time mood. The trees on the edges help to highlight the snowed road to make the eye move from bottom to top. The pattern help make the mood of the road to seem endless. The line that the branches make the eye move from right to left.
As you point out, Michael Kenna’s world is not populated either with people or animals.It is amazing how the photographer gets the trees to line up and make a pattern both going back into space and the branches also all seem to line up.