The Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest in California has trees that are up to 5000 years old. This makes them older than any other life on our planet. They grow gnarled and tough, capable of surviving the extreme winds and frigid cold that batter them 10,000 feet up in the mountains. Being in their presence fills you with wonder and awe as well as a deep respect for their ability to endure. I took this single exposure photo on a dark night with no moon as temperatures dropped below freezing. I had seen this tree the night before but was not prepared for the cold. I returned the second night bundled up determined to get this shot!

Sony a7riii, Zeiss lens 55 mm prime, manfroto tripod. Exposure time 28 min (single exposure). f6.3, ISO 100

virtually none. Just a dust and scratches filter in photoshop to get rid of hot pixel noise and a touch of clarity