Winters Shroud

This day had started as so many days have begun recently. I had planned to shoot a time-lapse of some big puffy clouds in the calm waters of a nearby pond. By the time I got to the location, the clouds had all shuffled off to who knows where, and some flooding blocked access to the pond. My plans were not to be on this day. I pulled my soggy feet out of the boggy water and started my hike back to the car. On my way back, I decided to make the best of my day by getting some still images. Honestly, I wasn’t too optimistic about photographing anything exciting. That is when I saw a fallen branch stuck in the underbrush. All of the leaves had died and were dried out and curled. The texture of the dried leaves was terrific. The differences in the shades of brown were mesmerizing. It was a small dead tree branch on the side of the trail, and I saw a playground of color and texture. Before I knew it, I had spent nearly an hour photographing dead leaves beside a muddy trail. I was having a blast and had forgotten about my failed plans earlier in the day.

It was a great reminder that there is always a bright side. No matter how badly the original plan may turn out, there is a way to salvage the day and create something worthwhile.