Leaves & Pods

From the delicate new growth that emerges in springtime to jewel-toned fall foliage to winter's brown husks, leaves unfurl, mature and wither in a life cycle that evokes our own. But a tree's leaves and the protective pods that cradle its seeds not only serve as metaphors for our lives: they actually sustain us. Each leaf plays an essential role, gathering nutrients for the tree and producing oxygen for the planet. Josie Iselin celebrates the diversity and beauty of these transitory objects with lushly detailed portraits of foliage she has gathered. As in her previous book, Beach Stones, Iselin arranges natural objects into striking images, which she produces on a flatbed scanner. In her introduction and captions, nature writer Mary Ellen Hannibal thoughtfully examines leaves and pods in all their variety, explaining why they look as they do and their essential role in supporting life on earth.