Leaf on Snow (enlarge photo)

Simple beauty. Leaf on Snow is one of my all time favourites, and has been my best selling photo since I first showed it. Why? Simplicity.

The subject matter couldn't really be any more simple; a leaf, sitting on top of snow. Nothing more. What makes this simple photo special? Strong side-lighting, one of the real bonuses of the winter season at higher latitudes, has illuminated the leaf while at the same time casting a long shadow across the frame. The crisp, cold weather helped crystallize the grains of snow, while the deep blue sky is evident in the colouring of the snow.

For those wondering, this scene was photographed exactly as I found it. I resisted the urge to manipulate the scene; instead, I carefully laid in the snow, positioning myself low enough and close enough to capture the image and maximize the impact of the lighting. I chose a relatively fast shutter speed to ensure that my unusual body position wouldn't cause any blurring in the photo. I needed to compensate for the overly bright scene by over-exposing by approximately 1 1/2 stops the reading that my light meter was giving me.

Technicalities aside, this is a simple scene and a classic beauty (if I may say so myself.)