# 8470
I’ll make an admission to you if you promise not to tell anyone else; I used to arrange leaves on the forest floor to photograph. I know, it’s the photographic equivalent of being an outlaw but now my Parole Officer keeps me well in line. Had I placed this orange leaf in this composition I would not have put it over the green leaf. Nature put it there and I pressed the shutter button. It took me years of rehab to get to this point but I feel good about it. However, I won’t blame you if you decide to unsubscribe.
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I’ve always felt that Mother Nature isn’t a photographer, so sometimes she needs a little creative assistance. You might not want to bring Aspen leaves back to Webster, but I don’t think anyone will object to a little assistance.
Nice photos, whether you arranged them or not!
Thanks, Tom. Nature can be pretty messy and sometimes that doesn’t translate to a nice looking photo.
I think it is always best to leaf them where they are:-)
That made me laugh out loud….
Next time I’ll make like a tree and leaf.
This is shocking news, but I admire your being able to admit that you had a problem, seek help for it, and move on.
Thanks, Mel. It’s a long, uphill battle everyday but I have reached that moment of clarity.
I understand your struggle, and hope for your continued success.
I confess, I’ve been guilty of the same crime. There’s even been times when I’ve moved things out of the way! But, I don’t have a parole officer to reel me in so my destructive ways continue…
Nice series!
Thanks, John. Look me up when you get your “moment of clarity”. I can help.
I used to arrange leaves too, but now i favor flowers…
Nice, moody shots.
Thanks, Alessandro. Do you arrange flowers or re-arrange them?
I promise.
Thank you.
Leaf well enough alone, I always say.
I’m curious . . . when you photograph powerlines, do you rearrange them as well?
Not power or telephone lines. Just the cable company’s lines. It’s all part of the service.
My name is Mark, and I am a leaf mover. There, I said it. I blame it on my simplistic brain and when my muse disappears to enable me to make order out of the chaos that nature hands me. But there are times when I do spot it just as it is, and relish in the fact I was in tune with my surroundings enough to spot it. If that parole officer is available for rent, maybe we need to make a deal.
Thanks, Mark. I know that took a lot of courage. That’s half the battle. Now if we can get you to attend our weekly meetings you will be well on your way to recovery.
Maybe I can attend remotely via Google Hangout or something… 🙂
Wow! I don’t know how to take this admission … I’m shattered, Ken. Oh well. I suppose that everyone deserves another chance. I’m going to see if I can get past my self-righteousness and forgive you … though I have been known to rearrange a scene or two myself, moving ‘errant’ twigs and such, but leaves???. 😀
Thanks, Paul. I’m sorry if I let you down but you’ll be happy to learn I’ve turned over a new leaf.
LOL!!
And btw, wonderful images, Ken.
And… I will not unsubscribe 😉
Thanks, Malin. I would hate to lose you!
And I would hate to lose you too. 😉
I have to admit … I have done the same thing… but I can assure you that no leaf/leaves has been harmed. And I just want to stick together with other like-minded people. 😉
I love this style of up-close leaf photography – as you might guess from my own work.
I should have known, Andy. I liked the color against what seems like a gray background.
I once arranged leaves on a flight of stairs. But I slipped on one of them and tumbled to the bottom. I swear each of those 12 steps left a bruise. I haven’t arranged a leaf since then.
I really like the way you processed these – the nearly mono patches amongst the colourful leaves work really well, and I suppose might not even be due to post-processing magic since they look natural. Only problem is, I have not seen this arrangement in nature, so I am thinking you might not be totally cured of arranging leaves.
I guess that’s a 12 step program you can live by!
I did not de-saturate the background (very much) and it’s what attracted my attention in this part of the woods. Flat lighting helps, too.
I may not be totally cured of my leaf placement problem but I’m trying real hard.
We don’t have many deciduous trees in this area so maybe that is why I am not familiar with dense dark mats of leaf compost like that. Sure goes well with freshly fallen leaves.
I’m a twig mover, so I can’t pass judgement. I think these photos are great. If they have not been….arranged…..so much the better I guess. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Thanks, Charles. Maybe you could join our 12 step group. But you have to want to change.
I think I am guilty of that a time or two… ):
Your secret is safe here, Roberta. Hardly any one reads this blog.
Ok! I feel better and don’t want to go to rehab or anything..lol!