The photos in Leaf it Alone are 8 mysterious photos hidden around the original Hometown map. Three are available right away, three after you open the garage, one after the Grill and one after the Greenhouse. Collect all eight to unlock Say Leaf!, held by 41.5% of Steam players.
What the Mysterious Photos Are
The mysterious photos are the collectible set of the first map. Players also call them Polaroids, postcards or cards, but the achievement names them mysterious photos. Your journal tracks them with a counter out of eight.
They tie into the game's mysterious ending in the secret room. The summary screen at the end even shows a subject number on the player's photograph. The photos themselves give no money or upgrades.
When Each Photo Becomes Available
Not every photo can be reached at the start, because some sit in areas that open later. You do not need the secret room for any of them. Here is how they unlock as you progress.
| Stage | Photos available | Areas |
|---|---|---|
| Start of the game | 3 | Shed, Porch, Court |
| After unlocking the garage | 3 | Garage, Swings, Basement |
| After unlocking the Grill | 1 | Grill |
| After unlocking the Greenhouse | 1 | Greenhouse |
Where to Find All 8 Photos
Every written guide and video we checked agrees on these spots. Pick up the nearby leaves first, since piles can hide a photo. Full directions are in our photo locations guide.
| # | Area | Exact spot | Available |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shed | Left wall inside the shed, on the pinboard (bottom corner) | From the start |
| 2 | Porch | On the porch railing, near the corner facing the trash can | From the start |
| 3 | Court | Behind the basketball backboard: stand in the corner and look up | From the start |
| 4 | Garage | On the ground by the right wall, just inside the door | After the garage |
| 5 | Swings | On top of the electrical box on the garage wall, left of the back door | After the garage |
| 6 | Basement | Shelf on the left as you enter, next to a big wine bottle | After the garage |
| 7 | Grill | Turn left on entering: on the foundation right of the house door | After the Grill |
| 8 | Greenhouse | Inside the scarecrow's coat | After the Greenhouse |
The Say Leaf! Achievement
Collecting the eighth photo unlocks Say Leaf!, described as "Collect all mysterious photos". About 41.5% of Steam players have it, making it one of the mid-difficulty Hometown achievements. Most players miss it only because of one or two hidden photos.
Collecting the photos is also one of the 14 journal objectives. That means you need all eight for Perfectionist, which requires every objective. Grab them before you finish the game to get both at once.
The Most Missed Photos
The Court photo hides behind the basketball backboard, so you have to stand in the corner and look up. The Swings photo sits on top of a high electrical box on the garage wall. Both are above eye level, which is why players walk past them.
The Greenhouse photo is inside the scarecrow's coat lining, and many players end up stuck at 7/8 because of it. Look at the scarecrow closely from the front. If you are still missing one, compare your journal with the list above.
Photos vs. Cards on the New Maps
The free 1.1 update added two maps, each with its own eight-piece set. Castle has playing cards for Poker Hand, and Sakura has battle cards for Gotta Find 'em All. The mysterious photos remain unique to the original map.
If you are looking for the new sets, see the card locations guide. For an overview of all three sets, see Leaf it Alone cards. Together they make 24 collectibles.
Do You Need Upgrades to Reach Them?
No photo needs a tool, but most need you to unlock areas first. The garage needs sprint from the Court or a speed bonus, and the Grill needs a clean Shed area. The Greenhouse needs a fully clean Pool.
Upgrades simply make that unlocking faster. The Medium bag costs $0.75 and the Large bag $3.49 in the shed. The Rake costs $7.49 and the Leaf Blower $49.99.
Video Guides for the Photos
Callam001's 42-second video, with over 26,000 views, shows all eight spots in a row. Gamerotti's short shows the same photos in about half a minute. J1M101 has a four-minute guide with a chapter for each photo.
TigerWhite529 calls them Polaroids in a tutorial video. Delval has a dedicated Say Leaf! achievement guide. All of these agree with the eight areas listed on this page.
The Photo Objective in Your Journal
Your journal lists "Collect mysterious photos" as one of its objectives. The counter shows how many of the eight you have, so you always know what is left. Since patch 1.0.14 the journal also shows how many objectives are done overall.
Finishing this objective is required for Perfectionist, along with 13 others. Many of the others involve loose leaves, so do those before the final clean-up. Photos can be picked up at any point.
Photo FAQ
Are the photos the same as the cards? On the original map, yes: players call the mysterious photos cards. Castle and Sakura have separate card sets. All three sets have eight pieces.
Can I miss a photo forever? No, every photo stays in place after the ending, and your save stays playable. You can return and grab any you skipped. The achievement unlocks whenever the eighth is collected.
Photo-Related Patch Notes
Patch 1.0.4 refreshed global stats at the ending so the subject number on the player's photograph panel is not outdated. Patch 1.0.12 split that summary number every three digits. These panels are part of the mystery the photos hint at.
No patch has moved any photo location. The spots in every 2025 guide still match videos from 2026. That makes the table on this page safe to follow on the current version.
Photo Hunting Tips
Collect the three starting photos early, because they cost nothing and you pass them constantly. Grab the basement photo when you clean the Basement, since it sits beside the vent to the secret room. The Grill photo is next to the house door as you enter the area.
If you are doing a speedrun, leave the photos for a separate run. The Need for Sweep route skips the Grill entirely. Achievement hunters can combine the photos with a Perfectionist run.