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Absence of Chlorophyll
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Absence of Chlorophyll

by Lori Lafargue

Gallery: Macro & Close-upPosted January 16, 2017150 views3 comments

Most think colorful leaves in the Fall are due to frost and colder weather "killing" them. Partially true...as the weather changes and deciduous trees and shrubs need to store nutrients for next year, chlorophyll is prevented from going to the current leaves in order to feed the new growth. Without chlorophyll, and it's cousins which all make different colors, the leaves transform  into the glorious show of colors we all love to see. Here, two leaves show all that transformation going on as a rainbow of colors! This is the 2nd year I have found a leaf like this, both on the morning after the first brush with frost. Maybe a coincidence?

Canon Sx 30 Is, 1/160 sec. f/2.7 4.3mm, iso 400

Comments

3 comments
Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on January 16, 2017 at 5:07 AM
Exceptional colours, artistic arrangement, and a frame-filling beauty!
IMO, the black frame is a little overpowering; a thin green or red frame might not draw attention away from the leaves.
Excellent image!
Sandy
Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments
Comment posted by Mark Seaver on January 16, 2017 at 9:14 AM
Lori, my first thought on viewing this was how much like leather the surfaces of the two leaves look.  The combination of colors and arrangement of the leaves looks great.  When I look at the larger view, I'm thinking that there's just a touch of overall softness and I don't understand where it's coming from as your settings look fine.  Does your processing include a final "sharpening" step?
Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments
Comment posted by Barb Pflaum on January 17, 2017 at 6:15 PM
There is an amazing variety of colors in these leaves!  I love your artistic arrangement of the leaves.  Very nicely done, Lori!
Registered on January 14, 2009, 316 Posts, 2724 Comments