# Holding on Among the Falling

**URL:** <https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/holding-on-among-the-falling/52758>\
**Category:** Image Critiques\
**Tags:** plant-life, weekly-challenge\
**Created:** [October 28, 2026, 5:45pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/holding-on-among-the-falling/52758 "2026-10-28T17:45:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Marylynne\_Diggs](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/marylynne_diggs/32/87403_2.png) [@Marylynne\_Diggs](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Marylynne_Diggs)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2026, 5:45pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/holding-on-among-the-falling/52758/1 "2026-10-28T17:45:55Z")

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![Original - IMG5DMarkIV_2325NPN3MB.jpg](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/e/5/e54c82f8dcc6fa9f46a00c1a51ca689d81528c0f.jpeg)

### Weekly Challenge

Decay and Renewal

10/25/26 - 10/31/26

**Critique Style:** Standard

The photographer is looking for thoughtful feedback on the image as a whole, especially around the areas noted below.

**Feedback Focus:** Artistic / Expressive

### About This Image

This photograph was made in the Stinson Flats area of Washington state during the recent PNW Regional Group meetup. I was original drawn to the beauty of the colorful leaf, but I stayed with the subject a bit longer because of the character in the dried up leaves behind it.

### Feedback Requested

I’m mostly participating in the weekly challenge, but I’m always open to any and all feedback. In particular:

1. Do the specular highlights distract too much? I felt they were central to the experience of the location, but I’m not sure they work in presentation.
2. What about the oof trees?
3. Do you see a better crop, maybe just the bottom 2/3rds in a more horizontal aspect ratio?

Thanks as always for any thoughts you have on my work,

ML

### Technical Details

Canon 5D4 with 100-400mm at 100mm

ISO 320, f/6, 1/40s

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mark\_Seaver](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/mark_seaver/32/231_2.png) [@Mark\_Seaver](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Mark_Seaver)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2026, 9:50pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/holding-on-among-the-falling/52758/2 "2026-10-28T21:50:12Z")

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Marylynne, the red/green combination in the leaves is a fine attention grabber. The dead leaves in the cluster add well to the “story”. I think you could have gotten closer with that lens to get a view just that of the main branch and it’s leaves, although that might have required a stack to get the entire collection of leaves sharp.