Might you have also run into depth of field problems given being close to the subject? Even with wider angle glass, you could have easily gotten into a very shallow depth of field with resultant critical focus concerns up close.
Otherwise, kneel and also use your elbows for support; with this type of photography and wide angle glass the monopod may be best suited as a cane for getting yourself back to vertical after the photo 🙂
You probably got into the same exposure situation that is common when shooting macro, trying to find a combination of aperture that allows sufficient depth of field while choosing a shutter speed that avoids motion blur from camera shake without sending ISO too high. I have hiked extensively in that beautiful part of the country and a huge part of the beauty is the deep shade of the forest which isn't always the best for easy photography. What were your exposure parameters?
With sports, I am often down or sometimes on the ground for shots but it definitely isn't my preferred shooting position. I took my daughter fishing to a nearby river earlier in the week and was nearly on the ground to shoot this shell. I had the camera with me and boredom had set in 🙂 Lack of sunlight wasn't an issue, 5DS R with 24-70 f2.8 @ 64mm, f7.1, 1/800, ISO 100
Rodger
I was all over the road, experimenting with settings. Most were on AV with a few on Bulb, TV, Manual and Auto. I was pretty much satisfied with the photos except for the blur due to shaking. Lens was set between 18 and 55 mm. Tried to track down a photo for an example but they are downloaded in a place i can't access directly with the image icon on the tool bar here. Edit- For some reason, it downloaded the photos to my landscape folder. Comments are welcome.
"... here are the settings- 1/40, f/10, 55mm, ISO 100."
For where you appear to be these settings are probably not the best. I usually use ISO 200 for "general" outdoor stuff. Most cameras seem to like it better than ISO 100 if that is the lowest ISO. Cameras don't like the lowest ISO or the highest. I typically avoid them if I can. So first, just use ISO 200 on the next outing.
For shots like the leaf the difference between Av and Tv is minor. Use the one that you think needs the preference. I use Av or P almost all the time. Tv very much less and full manual even less. Keep in mind you do not have a macro lens. There will be a limit to how well it will do at very close focus ranges.
However, all that said your shot can be improved a bit in post edit. It is a bit small, you don't have to make them that small to post them here. But some can be recovered in post.
This is a simple "levels" adjustment (one click) in Photoshop. Your WB (white balance) is way off, to me, so that is corrected too. A little amount of unsharp mask and your shot is pretty nice. Don't you think? 
@Tintype_18 wrote:FD, many thanks for sharing your techniques. I like to take multiple shots so I can pick out the best ones. I started with the 75-300 lens but found it didn't work on the close up shots; changed to the 18-55 for the rest of the day. I ran out of time yesterday. There is more to see on up the creek (don't need a paddle lol) that would make some great photos. Got it on the to-do iost for the nexr few days. Would like to take t he wife to handle t he camera and fish a bit. Landscape photos, flowers and plants, and fish...what could be better.
My wife has lots of flowers at the front of the house. Would like to practice in still and breezy conditions to experiment with fast settings.
I like to experiment with different settings. My jpg photos on Explorer will pull up data as date, time and all camera settings. Yesterday, I reviewed them and mentally noted what I had done.
You are very welcome. I just hope that my experience as a "shaky shooter" can help, even if it's a small bit. We all do different things to achieve our visions and faithfully reproduce what we saw, at least, that's my goal.
I sometimes shoot in the Appalachians, about 100 miles north of where you shot the leaf. Lighting can be tough, so I understand.
I don't suggest that you use these settings, but it's what I had to do to reproduce the scene and compensate for my shakes. It took very little in post.
Tv 1/400, f/5, ISO a whopping 4000. It was very dark under the forest canopy with dappled sun and I wanted to reproduce that feeling. Camp Creek State Park, just north of you about 100 miles.
