Texture

I did not use to notice and play with texture in my photography until very recently.

When I first picked up the camera, I was interested in color. Color juxtaposition, colorful walls, details, etc. Color, color and more color! Later I discovered portrait and became completely enamored with capturing expression. People, styles, the beauty within, emotion, etc. Then I began to learn more about photo technique, and lighting naturally emerged as my next big interest. Morning light, golden hour, back light, and flares. 

But texture has been making an appearance in my photos lately. I often catch myself looking for the right table to set my latte on (just so I can shoot it). I look for the right rug to step on, the right background to blur, etc. Texture can add a lot of spice to an otherwise seemingly uninteresting subject matter, and in some cases, it can also completely ruin a picture if it creates clutter. Our eyes like the effortless mix and harmony we find in nature. The smooth against the rugged. The lacey, sparkly, and furry, against the luciious soft skin. 

But my point is… The more we shoot the more we learn how to see, and the more we see, the better we can capture and express our feelings. Texture is just one more of these things we can incorporate in our photos to help us get our point across.

How about you? Do you notice texture? How much do you play with it in your photos? Are you are up for some texture play? Share with us some texture candy today?