Romancing The Stone
Photographic Story ~
Nature sure has a way of paring things up. From Wolf 21 & Wolf 42 in Yellowstone, to the colors of a sunflower bursting in bloom. She just seems to know where things belong.
I had been exploring a heavily wooded area one late fall day. There was still much color in the surrounding trees. The exploring was getting rough as I ventured down through a low area strewn with rocks large and small scattered throughout the base of the trees. Some rocks were covered with fallen leaves while others the wind had blown clean.
Standing up on one of the larger stones I gazed down and around the base of a colorful sweetgum tree nearby. Roots were showing and poking up from the earth. Abstract patterns emerged from the design of roots, rocks, and leaves.
Then, just to the right I spotted this large stone. Somewhat larger than the others nearby. It had interesting patterns of color that seemed to go well with the fallen leaves. But laying upon this large stone was a single sweetgum leaf. Just laying there. In an instant I knew it was a photograph. That is if I could manage to position myself in a way to capture it.
Over the next 30 minutes or so, I did figure out how to get in position to photograph it. The more time I spent with it, the more I realized the delicate and talented touch Mother Nature had on all things. A stone and a leaf. Maybe nothing extra special when placed apart. But when she lay this colorful leaf upon the hard multi-colored patterned surface, Romancing The Stone was born.
