The evolution of a photo. So the Japanese maple. What can I say? They are just beautiful trees, to begin with but in the fall and with the sun low in the sky they are even more beautiful. I like to get inside the canopy of these trees or even lay on the ground close to the trunk of the tree. This gives you a view of the snarly and fascinating branches. And if you get in the right place you can backlight the leaves. This helps the color to “pop”! It’s all in the composition and attention to the light, time of day, time of year, and location of your camera. I found this tree a year ago when walking in the park next to the Ballard Locks and knew immediately I would return. That’s often how a good composition evolves. Keep your eyes open and then plan for the other elements to align for your best shot. Fall = red leaves. Late afternoon = good light. Getting on the ground = backlit leaves and maybe even some blue sky forming part of the palette. I’d like to return again even a little later in the day, Perhaps work a little more with the fern at the base of the tree for more of a foreground. I also don’t like the sidewalk to the lower left of the tree. I might be able to do something with that in post-processing.