Tree Branches with Orange Leaves (Posterized)

Tree Branches with Orange Leaves (Posterized)
Originally uploaded by randubnick

This image began with a photograph that I didn't intend to take. This was during a quick walk in my daughter's neighborhood, just to walk the dog for a block or two. But the color of the leaves on this tree stopped me in my tracks (but had no effect on the dog), so I lagged behind for a minute while I pulled out my digital camera and took a quick picture. Even at the time, I saw that the leaves had been nibbled on a bit, and worse, I couldn't photograph this tree without also photographing a glimpse of someone's backyard in the background. But I loved the colors, so I took the photo anyway. Once I had the image in the computer, I opened it in Painter and did some cropping. Then I used digital pastel to repair some leaves and simplify some background areas (obliterating bits of a fence, a swimming pool, and some windows). Then I posterized the image. (Posterizing enhanced the color just a little bit, but this really isn't far from the original color.) Then I cropped the image one more time to get this composition. Sometimes beauty comes at you when you least expect it, and sometimes it is inconvenient to stop and look. But it is always worth it.