Leaves have started to drop on some trees here, but Autumn colors are only just getting started. Some trees always seem to want to get a headstart, especially a few in our yard. While leaf piles have always been a favorite subject of mine, it is a bit too early for those yet. Besides, I have an itch to do something a bit different – and these images are maybe the attempt to scratch it.
What Else Can It Be?
As far back as the late 1920s, Edward Weston showed the world how photography can shift simple subjects into many other interpretations. Certainly, Weston was one of the earliest pioneers of such interpretive still lifes in photography as recognized by his well-known pepper series, photographs of shells, and a series on cabbage leaves.
“This then: to photograph a rock, have it look like a rock, but be more than a rock.”
~ Edward Weston
All of these were photographed in a way that highlighted the individual characteristics of the subject separated from their environment. From there, people interpreted them as they saw in their own minds, with the variety much to the amusement of Weston it seems. I’ve read some statements indicating he insisted he was only photographing peppers, but it would be hard to not recognize the ambiguity in some of the images combined with his other works. Photographing such objects on a dark field is reported to not be his original idea, but inspired by paintings he saw by other artists. As history reports, Weston tried a number of different backgrounds to study how the light influenced the subject.
An Idea + Opportunity
While photographing with black backgrounds isn’t foreign to me, I don’t use it very often. Quite rare to be honest. I tend to be more in situ for much of my work. But I happened to think of it while staring at the peculiar shape of some shriveled up leaves in my yard, thinking about what else they could be. The shapes and textures were quite varied from leaf to leaf. For this particular tree, a Crimson King Maple (Acer platanoides), they tend to curl up much more than our other trees when they start to dry out.
Much like what Joel Sartore is doing with wildlife and his Photo Ark project, I wanted to capture the individual character of these individual leaves without any other possible distraction. Only I am using subjects that don’t threaten to bite me, want to scurry off, and largely cooperate unless there is a stiff wind.
Appreciation of Leaves
People appreciating leaves on trees this time of year is certainly familiar. All the pretty colors right? When they drop is another story altogether. The beauty is now a burden – to some. The obsessive suburban ‘lawn culture’ frets over any stray leaf that suddenly becomes “litter” like some invading creature to their manicured space. A self-inflicted mental wall created to separate us from the natural world in futile attempts of hubris and control.
When in fact, leaves are natural assets. Yet cities spend a lot of money to hire diesel trucks and collection crews, and suburbanites spend back-breaking hours gathering up the natural assets they own, to dispose of at the curb. In the spring, they line up to buy bags of mulch and fertilizer, potentially composed of what was discarded last Fall. Lawn product corporations count on it. It is such an odd cycle.
To the Eyes of a Miser a Guinea is more beautiful than the Sun & and a bag worn with the use of Money has more beautiful proportions than a Vine filled with Grapes. The tree which moves some to tears of joy is in the Eyes of others only a Green thing that stands in the way. Some see Nature all Ridicule and Deformity, and by these I shall not regulate my proportions; and some scarce see Nature at all. But to the Eyes of the Man of Imagination, Nature is Imagination itself. As a man is, So he Sees. As the Eye is formed, such are its Powers
~ William Blake, 1799
Because of the increasing lack of habitat and other threats to pollinators and native species, there is an increasing number of campaigns promoting leave the leaves. This benefits over-wintering insects as well as provide nutrients back into the soil. Understandably this isn’t always practical to leave them be everywhere, but at the very least, mulch-in-place seems like a compromise if needed. That would likely be the eventual fate of these particular leaves, as we do have A LOT of them.
But before they part this segment of their life in pieces, I asked for a few portraits. Should you interpret them as some type of “undigested Freudian ferment“, well, that’s on you friend. They are just leaves. 🙂
This post has 4 of 10 images so far in this series. Watch this space for more.
Update: View more Leaf Creatures at my gallery page here.
These are beautiful. I am a member of a local group that promotes and provides educational resources on the benefits of planting natives. ” Leave the leaves” is a current topic of discussion. They are looking for a new seasonal cover photo for the fall season and are asking for submissions. With your permission I would like to submit one of your photos with credit of course being given to you as the photographer. I would like to ask you first if you would permit this? Thank you again for your beautiful work!
Hi Jackie – I do offer licensing for such uses – can you send me an email to give me more details?
Hi Mark, Wonderful images and post. Your leaf close-ups and technique showcase their beauty and individuality. And I love that you’re inspired by Weston. Glad I found your site.
Thank you Jane for the kind words and taking the time to comment. I wish I was a better student of pioneers like Weston and so many others. We can learn so much from paths they took.
Beautiful work, Mark, and so effective on the velvety dark background. It’s always nice to take a quick look at anything Weston did, too, so I like that you included that link to the cabbage photograph. I’m happy to say that I rarely have seen leafless yards here – people mostly “leave” them in place. Not everyone, but the thinking seems to be far more evolved in that realm than in other parts of the country.
And once again, the photos are beautiful. 🙂
That at least gives me hope Lynn for your neck of the woods at least. Over in my area, there is room for a lot of improvements. Thanks so much.
Your essay and photographs are compelling. Thanks for these, Mark. When I was a kid, my father argued that leaves left on the ground were good for the grass and other plants. I wish I could apologise to him now for my scepticism.
I wish that message was actually taught in schools as basic nature education. Thank you Linda, I am glad you like them.
It’s a bird flying! In my experience, people connect with botanicals more readily when projection is straightforward. A leaf shape rules it out immediately but if you hit a folded leaf from a different angle, that’s when people may start to see things and connect with them in a deeper way. I enjoyed the post going back to Weston with a citation from Blake. I wasn’t aware of the leave the leaves campaign. I don’t mind if the leaves are swept but I wish for abolishing the leaf blower! Beautiful photos as always, the colors here worked to enhance fiem and texture and did nit detract from the.
In the followup post I may show the black and white versions. But for these so decided I liked what the color brought to the surface.
That’s an interesting point on botanical perspectives, I’d like to learn more about that.
We have a neighbor that is quite obsessive with his leaf blower. It has a particular high pitched whine that really gets on my nerves.
My first thought was, for the feature image especially, that it is a bird of prey hovering in mid air before it’ll descend to strike.
The quote is new to me and it makes more sense to me than Minor White’s similar saying.
Thanks for this!
Yeah I saw a hovering in the air aspect also. The cellular structure of the leaf actually looks like reptilian skin close up – so that lead me in that direction. But hey – maybe a plucked eagle? 🙂
LOL!
I’ll vote dragon! I love these images, my friend, and well done. I also like the quote.
thanks Monte. I’ll mark another in the dragon column.
Very expressive. I’m not sure if the first one is a bat or a dragon, some sort of fierce leaf creature.
I lean towards dragon personally, but I don’t want to box anyone in on that interpretation. Thanks Tom!
Beautiful work Mark. I see a bat as well, but maybe that’s just because we are in the corona era. Very creative !!! And I too have read of the benefits of leaving the leaves.
Thank you. Maybe I can get Wuhan to buy some prints of it?
Prob not the top of their list lol.
Well, I see a bat and a manta ray and I’m sure with another purple mushroom I’ll make out the other two. 🙂 Those are beautiful, Mark! And the Blake quote is perfectly suited for them.
I forgot to mention these are generally best viewed in altered mental states. Thanks Joe!