1) Composition is easier, in my opinion. Macro shots of flowers require precision in framing. You can have much more fun with leaves. I'll illustrate below.
2) You're less vulnerable to the effects of camera shake - at least this is my experience. In other words, if you don't have a steady hand, you can still take great shots. Blurry flowers are not pretty. Blurry leaves, however, look like abstract art.
3) You don't necessarily need a macro lens. In fact, in quite a few cases, you can get away with a point-and-shoot. I'll cover a few exceptions.
Here are my favorite pictures from yesterday:
The first picture has pink in it. Pink is my favorite color. Need I say more? You don't need a macro lens to take this one, as an added bonus.
The second has this muted feel that I love. I think you can take a similar picture with a point-and-shoot, too.
The third - I love the raindrops. Note that this one would be hard to take without a macro lens, in my opinion. The details of the raindrops, especially zoomed in, would be harder to capture.
The fourth is nice because of the reflection. It's a bit bright, but I like the way it looks. This one doesn't require a macro lens, though it would make life easier because you can stand farther away.
The fifth one has a nice simple shape. I think it's really pretty.
The last one is interesting - I like the shape and the red in the corner. It's a unique look.
Some general tips for you:
1) Bump up your ISO settings if it's dark - 400 or 800. Switch to 100 or 200 if it's sunnier.
2) Automatic white balance should work.
3) As I always recommend, take many versions - but don't worry too much about the settings. Just move the camera around and be mindful of the ISO. The goal is to play with the angles and shapes. Taking nice pictures of leaves involves pretty shapes, angles, and textures. It's less technical than macro shots of flowers, in my opinion.
Till tomorrow!
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