Sometimes, light and shadow will combine to create memorable rhythms and patterns. And when that light is translucent – passing through the subject itself – the effect can be even more striking. Thin, opaque subjects lend themselves to such lighting effects, particularly leaves. In making this particular shot, I looked for translucent leaves in front of darker backgrounds. I noticed that the light passing through some of the leaves also cast crosshatched shadows on the leaves in front of them. I used my spot meter to expose for the brightest part of the leaves, which made the shadows as dark as possible. The interplay of light and shadow on these delicate ferns is mesmerizing. The more we look at it, the more complex and beautiful the scene becomes.