Disney World’s Tree of Life: A 2002 Throwback Transformation

Tree of Life

For this flashback Friday, I have decided to re-edit a couple of photos I captured at Disney World, Florida, in 2002. I captured these images almost exactly 22 years ago. Through software advancements in recent years, I was able to transform these 1.2-megapixel images into what you see here. If you notice any artifacts, JPG images, unlike RAW files, do not give the photographer much information. The camera’s internal algorithms rendered the photo after the shutter clicked.

This is Disney World’s Tree of Life, a sculpted fourteen-story (145-foot or 44.2-meter tall), 50-foot (15.25-m) wide tree in the Animal Kingdom park. This artificial tree has several interesting facts. According to the WDW Magazine, the tree was inspired by various mythologies, including Christianity and Norse mythology. If you think it looks like a baobab, you are correct. The same source mentions over 300 intricate carvings on the tree trunk. You can see some of those in the next photo.

Trunk carving detail

Another interesting fact is that the tree’s more than 103,000 translucent, five-shades-of-green leaves were individually placed. When the wind blows, the leaves move (The Disney Wiki).

Next time you visit Disney World, don’t forget to stop by this impressive tree in the Animal Kingdom section of the park.


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16 Responses

  1. Lovely edit effects!
    Thank you for sharing this knowledge about this tree .

  2. Writing to Freedom
    |

    It looks real at first glance!

  3. Tra Italia e Finlandia
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    Quanta creatività! 👌

  4. solaner
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    Wow

  5. Egidio Leitao
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    Thank you for the feedback.

  6. Egidio Leitao
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    Brad, that was my take when we walked by that tree. Only later did I find out it was fake.

  7. Egidio Leitao
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    Sì, tutto viene dalla mente della Disney.

  8. Egidio Leitao
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    It’s an impressive place.

  9. Anne Sandler
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    Beautiful Egidio. Even with 1.2 mg pixels. Just proves that it’s the photographer that counts and not the gear.

  10. margaret21
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    What an extraordinary creation! I assumed it was real till I read your text.

  11. You are welcome, Egidio.

  12. Aletta - nowathome
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    It is just amazing!

  13. Egidio Leitao
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    Thank you kindly, Anne. I hope you’re getting well.

  14. Egidio Leitao
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    Margaret, when I captured that image, I was not aware it was a fake tree. After the fact, I read about it.

  15. Egidio Leitao
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    It really is. Thanks for the comment.

  16. margaret21
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    Well, if it fooled you ‘in the flesh’, I had no chance!

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