Macro Leaf Photography for Late Autumn

 

Last week I discussed just a few of opportunities for photographing the dead and decaying leaves that are the

Oaken Flame

inevitable result of another brief but spectacular autumn. As part of that effort I reviewed years of late fall images. I found many, previously neglected pictures of leaves decorating fields, streams and stone walls, but, as I wadded through the foliage, I discovered that my favorites were intimate compositions of just a few leaves and close-up views of individuals. Leaves are remarkable natural sugar factories that somehow, in a brief season, are able to supply the energy to support and grow massive living things. Macro images can show the remarkably intricate detail of these structures. As the leaves decay the chlorophyll disappears revealing the delicate underlying matrix that supports the mysterious photosynthetic process.

What a great use for my new 100mm macro lens, but first I had

Simple Set-Up

to wander around the yard looking for likely subjects. I started very simply. First I needed something sturdy to hold the leaves in place, but many of my first images were captured with the leaves secured by a large paper clip to a rudely bent metal coat hanger. This worked reasonable well, but eventually I upgraded to a more substantial clamp which, by some miracle, fit perfectly into my old Manfroto tripod. Initially I planned to use a Speedlite to

Matrix Revealed

back illuminate the leaves, but I found that a Tensor light from my studio worked well. I would have loved to have been able to direct the light more precisely. Barn doors or a snoot would have been nice, but I found the the extraneous light mild, and easily managed in post. My background was easy to obtain, using a sheet of my black mat board. I may experiment with different backgrounds, but for now I love the black. My macro performed beautifully, with great edge to edge sharpness and clarity. The lens goes to 1:1, but I also experiment with extension tubes to increase the magnification. I 'm just beginning to get to know this equipment and this was a wonderful chance to play in a comparatively uncomplicated setting.

In the wind-free, controlled environment of my studio, I was able to maximize depth of field, stopping down to f 20 to f25. I tried to arrange the leaves as close as possible to the same plane. I tried gently pressing some of the leaves, but only the most supple withstood the process without crumbling. Still, I needed to use focus bracketing (or stacking) to get reasonable sharpness throughout most images. Photoshop's Auto-Merge function generally work well in this situation, requiring only spotty touch-ups. I have found that Auto-Merge works best when there is a continuous and uninterrupted range of depth, rather than when there are overlapping areas of widely different depth.

Electric Maple

Focus was extremely critical. Using Live View I was able to precisely walk the focus across the leaves to get a good range of focus images. Given the small aperture, I could depend on the final images to show much better DOF than was apparent on the Live View. I could have used the DOF preview, but the LCD was far too dark to be of much help.

Once merge to a single layer the images were easily finished in Photoshop. The sharp contrast between leaves and background

Christmas Cactus

made selecting and masking trivially easy. I first cloned out any major areas of flare and then adjusted the background to an even deep black tone. The back lighting brought out brilliantly electric tones in the foliage requiring little adjust in post. Often My only adjustment was to step back on the native saturation and apply a touch of sharpening.  The leaves were beautiful but I couldn't resist foraging around the house for other subjects.  Our Christmas Cactus has been exploding of late with luscious fountains of red. 

 

This was great fun. It was great to find a new source of photographic inspiration for this usually barren time of year.   I was only slowed by the fact that I had to use my last sheet of black mat board to finish some holiday prints for Pocket Full of Rye in Keene. My order is in and in the meantime, I'm still looking down for that perfect leaf. 

Dead Leaf Photography

Frozen to the Ground

 

Brook-side Color

As I stare sadly out of my window at the stark grays and browns, I mourn the loss of our leaves, but are the leaves really gone? Happily they are gone from my yard, but as we await the winter snows, the leaves are still around and they can provide some interesting photographic opportunities. Our earth bound leaves are now undergoing their annual evolution from brilliant colors, through rusty browns to their inevitable decay, but before they are buried in white, take a look down.

Shortly following the drop, the leaves retain their color and can

Carpeted Wall

create entertaining patterns on the ground. Much of the same rules apply for leaves on the ground as for tree bound foliage. A polarizer is still a critical piece of equipment to cut reflection and saturate colors. The brilliant leaves can provide a much needed splash of color to various drab late autumn subjects, such as streams, stone walls and tree trucks. Broad views of the landscape carpeted  with color can work well,but more intimate compositions of just a few leaves can more effectivelyy celebrate the contrasting colors and intricate detail of these remarkably delicate but complex sugar factories. Naturally, these arrangements can be enhance by a little gentle manipulation, but the trick is to maintain a sense of natural randomness while improving on nature. Of course leaves, in great numbers, can be just plain fun, and provide one of the best opportunities for children, young and old, to frolic in the deliciously earthy piles.

 

 

 

Four year old Abigail on the left

As winter approaches the leaves continue their decent into the ground, but as they settle into pools of water or become frosted and frozen, they offer new photographic opportunities. The compositions become much more dependent on patterns and detail than on color. Before they become completely buried, the early snows often create a striking contrast with the fading reds and golds.

Icebound

 

 

New England's late fall "stick season" is general fairly short and we are usually anxious to see it pass away, but the the season offers photographic opportunities that are available at no other time. Last week I discussed the unique attractions of autumn waterfalls and there is no other time of year when our scenes are carpeted with such riotous color. So get out there and start looking down. Just don't stumble into a tree!

Last Winter's First Flakes

 

 

Individual leaves are marvelously delicate and complex and their fascinating structure becomes especially prominent as they begin to decay and fade. I have been experimenting in the studio with macro photography of individual leaves. It has all been very rudimentary but I've found the results of trans-illumination to be striking. Next week I will discuss what I've learned and show you some of my early efforts. Now I have to get outside and look for some interesting specimens.

 

Electric Maple, Macro Photography