Using Photographs

One idea I had was to use some of the photographs I had taken and use them in replacement of the collage. However overall there is very little difference, if anything the collage works better because the colours are much stronger. The first is using the bark and the bottom two are using leaves, using these 'real life' images creates inconsistency in the colouring which is more obvious on the second mock up using the leaves.

I reversed the image and illustration to see if this worked any better but the image over powers the illustration, I think perhaps I am going to try this with paper cut out trees laid on top to see if the affect is any stronger.