Ah, great skeleton leaf! A favorite subject of mine, as well.

Kathryn: Thanks kindly, Dave. It is tricky to get them with such detail, isn't it?

In all her lace and filigree, Kathryn, he's lucky.

Kathryn: I think they both are lucky, Ginnie.

Oh, the places we find beauty.....you have captured it so well.

Kathryn: Thank you so much, Mary. I suspect it is all in how we define beauty.

Best explanation of why the word 'fall' is used in certain circles to describe autumn.

Excellent picture and composition

Kathryn: Thanks much, Louis and maybe an explanation of why we use the term "to fall for someone" to mean to love someone. Who knows.

Terrific capture Kathryn.

Kathryn: Thanks, Aussie I found that leaf and held her up to the sun to examine her beauty. I took the photograph into the direct sun and thus the details.

Good composition

Great capture. Just looks like lace!

Kathryn: She was wearing lace for Fall. Is Fall masculine or feminine in French...and which is leaf?

A very beautiful image, Kathryn. Well taken.

Kathryn: Thank you so much, Chris. There are so many things in my life that make me identify with leaves. I find them so beautiful in all their stages.

... and after her downfall she lay discarded on the ground at the mercy of time and the elements. Yet the same story repeats every year ;o)

Kathryn: Your post ...yet the same story repeats every year, reminds me of the German New Year's Eve tradition of watching a British comedy titled "Dinner for One." (not sure if you know it or not).

the refrain used over and over is:

" The same procedure as last year, Miss Sophie?" and the response "The same procedure as every year, James!"

It also brought to mind Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five-- "so it goes."

I would like agree with Ginnie's comment! - my first impression is destruction and decadence (Morbidität), destroying of a beautiful, with the highest art of nature like a cobweb weaved leaf, the B&W-composition intensifies this feeling of sadness and lost too, although we see the nature beautifully dying during Fall and we all know that Fall doesn't remains Fall, the resurrection in Springtime is following now!

Kathryn: Philine, I am with Ginnie too. I see it as a beautiful expression of love to "fall for someone." Look how beautiful she is in her falling? Fall is defined by her beauty--his effect on her and that beauty.

beautiful light and detail. mal

Kathryn: Thanks, Mal--the sun provided both.

Great beauty evident in the decaying leaf, and in your succinct verse, Kathryn.

Kathryn: Thank you, Ray and as you know succinct takes a little work for me. I am wordy.

great processing to this result

Kathryn: just a little B&W conversion and an increase of the contrast.

"to fall for someone"- I like the English idiom: "to fall in love" (we have unfortunately no aequivalent term in German).

Kathryn: Philine, I am the idiom queen. Southern American English is full of them!

i see her content at losing her self and in doing so creating him. altruism, Kathryn. i wish he'd appreciate it.

Kathryn: Maybe she is not losing herself, but finding and becoming herself, Terry. I don't think altruism is the right word

…she thought she is a soul catcher
Instead, she got herself entangled
in Mr. Fall’s well hidden net…

She does’t mind

Kathryn: She doesn't mind, although she wonders why Mr. Fall believes his net was so hidden.

We have the German idioms "sich Hals über Kopf in jemanden verlieben" or "sich in eine Liebe stürzen"- a kind of love-falling too.

Kathryn: Thank you, Philine. Ah the neck over the head in love. We have the saying "head over heels in love"

sich in eine Liebe stürzen...help me out here..to be based upon or grounded in love?

Great detail Kathryn - you've captured it well.

Kathryn: Thank you so much, Bernie.

Now that's a strong leaf shot! Good work!

Kathryn: Oh now that is a strong comment coming from Mr. Sharp. Thank you!

When I looked at this the first thing that came to mind was the Hindenberg and all that was left after the crash. A wrecked skeleton that once had flown so proud.

Kathryn: An explosion---that is so interesting, Bill. But isn't it sort of the leafs destiny to surrender to Fall?

fantastic image Kathryn, that one is going into the one to remember archives of what bit of grey matter i have left of a brain

Kathryn: Then my job is done, Tim. One of my photographs has taken up permanent residence inside your head!

Thank you for this comment. It is such a sweet one.

excellent, really liking the detail...

Kathryn: Thank you so much, Sam. Fall provided the details, I am merely the messenger.

That's fantastic...wow!

Kathryn: Thank you so much, Dave! What a nice compliment.

Oh yes, that's lovely.

Kathryn: Thanks much, Ian!

Lovely composition.

Kathryn: I've been working on composition by copying off the master

Wow Kathryn, this shot really has impact. Super shot.
How on earth did you do it? (I've got my pen at the ready )

Kathryn: Thanks, Sheeplover. Nice to know you are impacted.

Directions for the leaf shot:
1. Get in your sports car on a winter day. Put the top down regardless of how cold it is. Turn on the heat and wrap up. The fresh air is good for you and so is the sun.
2. Drive to some remote place in the woods in Germany.
3. Take a nice long stroll in the woods, right around the time that the sun is getting low on the horizon.
4. Find a leaf who has succumb to the fingers of Fall.
5. Hold her up to the sun to look at the beautiful patterns of her lace.
6. Wonder if you could capture those details with your camera.
7. Prop her up on a tree branch so that she is directly in the sun.
8. Hold very still.
9. Click click, refocus, click click, refocus, clic click, refocus while shooting directly into the sun.
10. Place her gently back down on the ground where you found her and thank her for her cooperation and assure her she is beautiful.
11. In Photoshop, convert to a black and white, crop, increase the contrast.
12. Thank Mother Nature for being kind to you on that day because you have tried for ever and a day to capture the details of a leaf like her.

Strewth Kathryn, thanks. The only issue I have is that my sports car has no roof or heater whatsoever, and Germany is a hell of a long way.
Apart from that though, I'll give it a try
Cheers!

"sich in in eine Liebe stürzen" - to fall, to throw him-/herself /to immerse into his/her love, without any thinking over the possible consequences, blind, totally filled with passion, a sad end can unfortunately often be expected if the first ecstasy has vanished and the daily reality knocks at the door..., but lucky persons are falling very softly or/and are catched by the partner!

What a great photo! So fragile and delicate. Perfect choice for B&W.

Great detail, love the lith feel

My second comment on this shot - it's still very striking and interesting, but I find when I open the page with your photos, I'm disappointed not to see something new. Your work is always so interesting! I look forward to the next shot

Kathryn: Oh Jewlya how very sweet of you to leave me such an encouraging comment. I've been so busy preparing myself for my upcoming trip to the USA, that I simply have not had the emotional or creative energy. What I have had, I've focused on drawing. How are things with you?

So poetic and beautiful. I never said that about a decaying leaf before, but your picture really makes the beauty shine out.

Kathryn: Oh thanks, Kay. the death of a leaf is beautiful.