Specter

It’s a dead leaf floating in a pond. There's not much else to say about it. Except there is, for me, at least. One of my favorite things to photograph are small scenes, which a lot of photographers call “Intimate landscapes.” I am one of those photographers. I find the small things intriguing, and the pattern and detail found in small things can be mind-blowing. This simple dead leaf in a pond was mind-blowing for me. The contrast between the golden brown of the leaf and the dark water surrounding it. I could not help but stop and photograph this “Intimate Scene.” The way it curls and wraps around itself, it seemed like a fine fabric moving gently in the breeze. Almost like a specter moving through time. 

Another reason I enjoy this image is that it reminds me of a simple pleasure I experienced daily while working in Boston for a few weeks. This pond was in a small park near my hotel. Every morning, I would walk to the neighborhood dinner for breakfast, take my camera with me, and on the walk back, I would go through this park. It was a fantastic morning ritual that I came to look forward to each day. So, seeing this image reminds me that simple pleasures are often the best. This is something I do love about photography. It has the ability to spark memories of the past, to bring them to the brink of reality, and to give a gift of reliving a happy moment in time.

This specter of memory does just that for me. And that is why it will always be more than just a dead leaf floating in a pond.