Scattered Leaves, Seeping Water

After a fall storm, this tennis court was one of the first things to dry. The water had painted dark halos around fallen detritus, making the usual random scattering seem quite purposeful. These leaves looked carefully arranged in the empty space, as though the late season rain had eyes, and hands.

It was surprisingly difficult to translate the chaotic arrangement into a photograph. For many frames, I could not find the balance between the objects and the empty space that had attracted me to the scene. Of all subjects, perhaps it is this randomness that is so elusive and difficult to capture.

The first birds were beginning to sing again just as I worked at making this photograph. Within half an hour, the striking circles were gone from the pavement, and tennis players were sweeping the court clean for another game.