The Wisdom of the Crooked Tree – 曲がった木 (magatta ki)

Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about my photography and trying to figure out a new direction for my work. Then, out of the blue, I stumbled upon this little book that collects the works of the Japanese poet Matsuo BASHO. This guy is a big deal from the Edo period and is often hailed as the ultimate haiku master. His poems just radiate beauty, you know? What really grabs me about haiku is how it connects with calligraphy. The brush strokes and shapes of Japanese writing totally remind me of trees: all crooked and bent, but somehow just really stunning.

During my next expedition with my large format camera, I hilariously discovered that I had developed an uncanny obsession with capturing crooked trees. It seems my artistic vision was firmly rooted in the “quirky” aesthetics of nature! Who knew that “less-than-straight” trees could offer such profound wisdom? I began to ponder: maybe they know it’s okay to not always stand tall and straight, just like my best attempts at yoga!

Crookedness is often seen as a flaw—something broken, bent out of shape, or deviating from the straight path. I feel like in nature and in life, crookedness carries its own beauty and meaning.

The Wisdom of the Crooked Tree- 曲がった木 (magatta ki)

Trees have been shaped by time, weather, and their surroundings, adapting rather than breaking. Their imperfections make them unique, their curves a testament to survival.

And we know that people too, can be crooked — not just in posture but in character. Some twist the truth to their advantage, bending rules to serve their own interests. Yet, not all who are crooked are deceitful. Many have simply been shaped by hardship, by circumstances beyond their control. A crooked path in life is not always a sign of wrongdoing. Sometimes, it’s just the route one must take to keep moving forward. In both trees and people, crookedness can be a sign of struggle, but also of strength. Not everything needs to be straight to stand tall.

A crooked path in life is not always a sign of wrongdoing.

It sparked a fire in me to realise that the crooked tree often outlives its straight counterparts. A crooked tree, overlooked for lumber, stands resilient against the fiercest winds. In its very irregularity lies a profound strength. Life often pushes us towards the straight path—to conform, to meet the relentless expectations, to chase efficiency. Yet, we know all too well that the rigid and inflexible are rarely treated gently by this world. Just like that resilient tree, those who bend and adapt possess the endurance to thrive where others crumble. The unconventional, the misfits, the brave outsiders—like the crooked tree—boldly carve their own unique space in the vast landscape of life. A person unafraid to wander off the straight line uncovers truths hidden from those who are shackled by convention.

What if being crooked does not equate to being broken?

Rather, it signifies being molded by life’s challenges, enduring hardships, and, perhaps, even thriving in the process.

The project

That was the way of my thinking. I would imagine that this can be a good project to get behind. I decided to use my large format with black and white film.I can tell you, I am finding myself to shoot black and white more and more. For this project monochrome will be the best choice. Once i have all images selected for the project I will print them as a contact prints in my darkroom. Printed on the photographic paper, all prints will be matched with written text, haiku and Japanese calligraphy. One of my goals is tho learn how to bind Japanese book myself . I should end up with one of beautiful collection of crooked trees bonded by hand in very unique book.

Stay tuned for more updates. 🙂

Do you have any tips or triks on how to hand produce the book . I will be greatly appreciate any suggestion you may have.

Hit me up and leave your comment below.