Like most photographers, I love the transition seasons of autumn and spring, even if they are shorter here than in most parts of the US. That said, I feel like it makes finding beautiful seasonal scenes in Southern California all that more satisfying. In some years you can even see trees with new “spring” leaves before all the leaves from the previous fall have finished dropping. “Surface Tension” was derived from an exploration of a nearly dry creekbed littered with fallen leaves decomposing in lingering pools of water. What drew me to this beautiful composition was the varied layers, colors, and texture of not just the water and surface leaves, but the huge lurking sycamore leaves submerged under the water.
This photo felt like the perfect fit to be the November image for my 2025 Photo Calendar, which you can get in my Etsy shop today. If you’d like to see more of my “Detail/Texture” galley click here. Also, you can save 20% off a print of “Surface Tension” if you purchase today.