There’s something so satisfying about crunching through fallen leaves, hearing them crackle as they’re pulverized underfoot. Yet next time you see a carpet of leaves, or even a smattering of just a few, take a look before leaping: You might spy one of nature’s ephemeral art displays—a decaying leaf, like this one, photographed by Giles Revell. He wasn’t far from his house when Revell discovered several of these botanical skeletons and decided to shoot a series. Ghosts of their former selves, the leaves “almost look manmade when they’re in hand,” he says. “They’re like organic wire meshes.” From their unpredictable folds and fine, labyrinthine veins, familiar forms emerge—landscapes, coastlines, rivers. Simply put, the leaves are “lovely things,” says Revell. See this article's accompanying photo gallery The British photographer’s subjects run the gamut—besides plants, he’s worked with seascapes, insects, bubbles, and even soccer data, to name...