I spotted this solitary maple leaf hanging on towards the end of fall during a trip to Blackwater Falls SP in WV. It was overcast and had rained off and on during the trip so the colors were quite lush and helped the orange leaf stand out from the darker BG. I shot this at f 4.5 trying to blur the BG as much as possible.
As always thanks for taking a moment and leaving your thoughts.
Specific Feedback Requested
All C&C welcome
Technical Details
Is this a composite: No
Nikon D800, Nikon 80-200 @ 200mm, f 4.5 @ 1/200 sec, ISO 800, CPL, cable release & tripod
This is striking!! I love the color and texture in the leaf and the subdued BG colors. The jumble of branches works for me – the ones associated with the leaf are in focus and are well separated from the BG ones, which are pleasingly OOF and not distracting.
My only useful thoughts are possibly a little off the bottom – just enough to keep that lowest branch from taking a dive toward the bottom of the frame – or else burn it down where it becomes brighter toward the edge. Also wondering about a squeak more exposure, but that might lose the mood.
Beautiful, Ed.Love the isolated leaf, with its story and strong impact. I can see burning the curved branch leaving the frame along the bottom toward the left, but really minor stuff. This is great.
Hello Ed…
I love this image. I have always been drawn to that last leaf hanging on. So like life. The drops or water and that curly branch below leaf add more character.
The only critique I would have is to perhaps crop image a bit.
But it is quite lovely.
Ed, the clarity of the leaf, the water drops and the small branches surrounding the leaf look very good. I like the extra space at the bottom with it’s much softer, larger branches as those add to the sense of isolation. the subtle greens and oranges in the background add nicely to the mix of warmth and coolness.
