I had a huge leaf obsession for over a year, during which time I took most of the photos in this book. I still love looking at fallen leaves when I'm out walking the dog in my San Francisco neighborhood of Bernal Heights (and sometimes the Mission District and beyond).

I make sure to include the urban backdrop of streets and sidewalks, asphalt and cement, graffitti and manholes and gutters. Sometimes I play with textured and layered interpretations, sometimes I don't. Either way, I focus on finding the quirky, idiosycratic, colorful soul of San Francisco, which is infused even into the lives of its leaves.