I posted this image to a motorcycle list asking the same question, while the answers have been varied couldn't repeat them on a family orientated list. believe it originated in Thailand
Ed

real

I'm stumped.

It would be a lot less work to do in Photoshop than in reality. Either way, somebody has too much time on their hands.

Cool shot. Thanks for sharing.

Cheers,

Originally Posted by thebigsky I'm stumped.

take a look at the condition of the bike. Then think of how long it would take for a tree to grow around a vehicle like that.

I say photoshop. There is no way the bike would have stayed in that good of condition.

100% Photoshop.
Not enough rust. I doubt if the bike is even old enough to match that trees age.
This can pretty easily be done (relatively speaking) in Photoshop by copying a similar shot a few times and the history brush.
The designer did a good job on this. It's still photoshop though.

Here is a shot using the same principals.
Momma was holding up baby. I duped the layer of another shot taken at the same time/angle and brushed away the parts that I didn't want to be visible.
You just need to have to be able to controll your layers and how they work w/ other layers.

I only spent about 30 minutes on this so it's not perfect. You can easily see that this is possible in photoshop though.

-Jon

Originally Posted by dragon300zx take a look at the condition of the bike. Then think of how long it would take for a tree to grow around a vehicle like that.

I'm still open to it being real. It depends on if anyone can ID that tree. Some trees have an amazing growth rate, like bamboo (12 inches a day at some stages). It is plausible that a type of tree with a fast growth rate could grow around the bike quickly, but I don't know trees.

A close multichannel inspection of a high-res copy of the photo may reveal inconsistencies in lighting, noise, or grain that would betray a Photoshop work, if someone has access to that.

Originally Posted by colourbox I'm still open to it being real. It depends on if anyone can ID that tree. Some trees have an amazing growth rate, like bamboo (12 inches a day at some stages). It is plausible that a type of tree with a fast growth rate could grow around the bike quickly, but I don't know trees.

Colourbox is correct about bamboo. So I may be wrong about the growth rate of the tree, and the age of the bike.
Anyone out there know what kind of wood this picture is sporting?

Originally Posted by colourbox A close multichannel inspection of a high-res copy of the photo may reveal inconsistencies in lighting, noise, or grain that would betray a Photoshop work, if someone has access to that.

Ummmmm I think I might have a better chance of having an oompa loompa decypher the davinci code, but if you can get your muddy little fingers on some native art. You can tell what I already know.
A simple thought. If the tree grew so fast, why didn't the bike just get lifted up into its branches?
It also looks like the owner also got a little sloppy around the front tire. You can't really see things unless you are used to creating them though.
Just like there are many shots that a better trained photographer could see that I am still striving to learn to see.

-Jon

Originally Posted by colourbox I'm still open to it being real. It depends on if anyone can ID that tree.

That looks to me like our very own Moreton Bay Fig Ficus macrophylla (or a fig very close to it) That sort of thing happens here with park seats & signs & over head wires all the time. I certainly believe it to be real as these trees are very fast growers & thats exactly what they do to something near them.

This seat is about a mile from my place. Everytime i see it ...a bit more has been eaten. Some more shots of them.

The other possibility is that somebody assembled the bike around the tree; senior pranks have wrapped cars around flagpoles and whatnot - it could be somebody's artwork.

BTW,Just knowing the tree...everywhere here ...i would estimate that the root growing over the forks is about 3-5 years old.

Originally Posted by gus That looks to me like our very own Moreton Bay Fig Ficus macrophylla (or a fig very close to it) That sort of thing happens here with park seats & signs & over head wires all the time. I certainly believe it to be real as these trees are very fast growers & thats exactly what they do to something near them.

I agree, we have a row of Benjamin Ficus along the front of our property,

This tree was about 3 years old when a lady swerved to miss a kangaroo late one night, she should have taken the empty UDL cans with her. after 10 years most of the surviving trees are good 50 to 60 ft high, as a few people have commented on the bike seems in relativity good conditions for its time in the elements. I just wish the seat on my BMW would look that good.
Ed

Originally Posted by ed_h I just wish the seat on my BMW would look that good. Ed

Mine does...


.

Originally Posted by gus That looks to me like our very own Moreton Bay Fig Ficus macrophylla (or a fig very close to it) That sort of thing happens here with park seats & signs & over head wires all the time. I certainly believe it to be real as these trees are very fast growers & thats exactly what they do to something near them. This seat is about a mile from my place. Everytime i see it ...a bit more has been eaten. Some more shots of them.

Gus, next time you swing by there. Check to see if that bench was/is bolted down.
I don't see any physical way for this bike to not be pushed up w/ tree growth and be nested w/ the birdies.
Example: I did a last minute science project in HS (just to get some extra cred) and threw a squash in a clamp device I rigged up that measured the pressure exerted on the clamp.
A freaking squash pushed up to 1200lbs until it finally broke the rig.
Now a tree w/ an incredible growth rate like this fig is going to let a little 500lb (I'm guessing) bike bully it and stay on the ground?

I dunno. That just doesn't add up.

-Jon

Originally Posted by SloYerRoll Now a tree w/ an incredible growth rate like this fig is going to let a little 500lb (I'm guessing) bike bully it and stay on the ground? I dunno. That just doesn't add up. -Jon

Looks like air roots may have been dropped around the bike as the tree grew
Ed
http://www.sfrc.ufl.edu/4h/Strangler_fig/stranfig.htm

Originally Posted by SloYerRoll Gus, next time you swing by there. Check to see if that bench was/is bolted down. I don't see any physical way for this bike to not be pushed up w/ tree growth and be nested w/ the birdies. Example: I did a last minute science project in HS (just to get some extra cred) and threw a squash in a clamp device I rigged up that measured the pressure exerted on the clamp. A freaking squash pushed up to 1200lbs until it finally broke the rig. Now a tree w/ an incredible growth rate like this fig is going to let a little 500lb (I'm guessing) bike bully it and stay on the ground? I dunno. That just doesn't add up. -Jon

They are certainly air roots...they drop down over stuff. We get it a lot here. They grow very very fast.

Originally Posted by ed_h Has this been photoshopped or is it the real thing .... believe it originated in Thailand

The real thing. Thailand is in suspended animation at the moment until the country can decide who is in charge.

Originally Posted by ed_h Looks like air roots may have been dropped around the bike as the tree grew Ed http://www.sfrc.ufl.edu/4h/Strangler_fig/stranfig.htm

Wow, Never heard of air roots before.
I've heard of arrowroot, but I used to be a chef.
Very interesting. I completely believe you, just hard to visualize since I'm from the US and where I lived air roots don't exist.
My opinion has swayed, but not been changed from thinking this is a fake.
I can do this in photoshop and I'm not even considered a pro.

-Jon

take close notice of the rear end of the front fender and the root's effort to slightly push it aside. That wasn't photoshopped.