After leaves have completed their monochrome green summer work, they take time to celebrate before departing for the year. I love the woods painted in the flashy shades of autumn, but I also enjoy studying the incredible variation in individual leaves.

When I created this photograph I was camping at a tiny lake in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Fall had just begun, and I was thrilled as always to see the first transitions from somber greens to the explosion of yellows, oranges, and reds that comprise the Midwestern autumn. Using artists' pastels, I drew a vivid purple background. Then I selected six diverse Bigtooth Aspen leaves, arranged them on the background, and waited for the wind to stop and a cloud to cover the sun. Why a purple background? I tried several other colors but liked the energy of the purple and the way it simultaneously contrasted with and complemented the leaf colors.

Lee Rentz