Photography Assignment - Textures
Texture
Lots of potential here.
Some random suggestions:
Macros of towels, toothbrush heads, rusty metal, peeling paint
Photographs of patterns in construction, bricks, pavers, stonework.
Grass. leaves (closeup or lots of leaves = different types of texture)
Meshes e.g. fences, waste bins, cheese graters.Any treatment is fine - natural colors, black and white, heavily edited or straight out of the camera. It's all good. One quick hint with regard to editing though: If the software you use has a local contrast option this can really give textures a 3D look. It has different names in different software. I know that it is called clarity in Lightroom.
Of course any photographs can be posted here - they don't have to relate to the assignment in any way.
These assignments are posted in conjunction with Friday Night Photography Open Thread.
This weeks Friday Night Photography Open Thread
Comments
Broken Pavers
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
various
Annoyed this is a bit out of focus but I like the pattern.
Hot Spring deposits at Yellowstone
Pennyroyal Riot
The pinecones
are interesting even if a little out of focus. I did a portrait shoot a few years back and the lens that I used had taken a knock which affected its ability to focus. I had to completely redo the session because all of the photos were just a fraction out. Luckily it wasn't a wedding. Now I always test my equipment the day before I intend to use it.
The Yellowstone photo makes for a very interesting abstract
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
Actually, you could say "The pinecones...
are interesting a little out of focus."
Doesn't always have to be in focus especially for texture. Is this in focus? (Of course, I have no idea how this little one will look on other people's devices. In full 9 meg size reduced to 1280x1024 it makes a nice wallpaper.)
People say this isn't a picture of anything but I like it.
The whole
sharpness debate (of which in or out of focus is a subset) is an interesting one. The manufacturers want us to believe that sharpness is the Holy Grail so they can justify extortionately high lens prices. Photographers views are more mixed though. I tend to agree with Gary Winograd:
In otherwords in focus/out of focus both are legitimate options.
I like the picture too - it is obviously of something - This begs the question who gets to decide what is a good subject for a photograph and what isn't? In my opinion that is totally up to the photographer - nothing else really makes sense.
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
Focus
stevej,
I concur. Here`s an example.
I shot this lobster boat from too far away so I textured it into an oil painting.
Lobster Boat
Then for more context, I added a foreground shot.
It seems to have one compliment the other, as two fishers complete each other.
Pelican Rock
Both shots were taken a day apart from the same location.
I`m already against the next war
I would never know
that wasn't based on a single photograph. I really like your composite work - and am a little jealous as I've tried my hand at it but never really come up with anything that I am happy with.
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
That's what pennyroyal looks like?
I grew up in KY, and had no one to ever point out something and say "pennyroyal". I learn good. I did a pine cone study and takeoff for a design course I never finished. (Broke elbow)
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
Yes...
the spikes sport tiny blue flowers which come and go. A few are visible. I find the aroma nice, and it is quite powerful - you can smell it merely standing in the vicinity.
Misc-Textures
What a difference distance can make - the paver closeup emphasizes the hard, roughness of concretes/stones textural surface, while your Yellowstone hots spring shot of rock and hot water makes everything look as soft and comfy as a lounge chair, wv. I do like the pinecones a lot, too.
wet rock
beached rope &line
iris closeup
lichen
coral
driftwood
wet leaf
log edit
after rain
squash blossom
"So it goes."
Kurt Vonnegut
Hi Sedna
wonderful assortment. The lichen looks like something otherworldly.
I tried to take an iris photograph from almost the same angle as yours about a week ago - your one turned out much better than mine.
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
It surprises me
how hard a time I've had getting interesting shots of flowers. They sit still and cooperate, but angle and lighting are critical, things I often just fail at. Have a yucca in my yard with blooms that defy being compelling images.
Thanks for the kind words and again for sharing your work and knowledge with us.
"So it goes."
Kurt Vonnegut
One of my missions
this year is to learn how to take good photographs of flowers - and I've discovered that it is a lot harder than one would think.
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
Flowers
I do have few techniques that fellow photogs might appreciate.
What I try & do is isolate the subject from all the distracting surroundings.
I have a bunch of poster boards from white to black & some colors in between, that I put behind my subject.
Shutter speed where only the subject will be in focus.
Here, a white poster board isolating the subject from the surroundings.
Same deal
Same again
Against a white fence.
Against stucco wall.
Here, I used my black hat as the background.
Here, the petals are the background.
With a flash at high speed.
Composite (obviously)
Close-up
Purple Wort
High speed flash
Flash
Reef Life
Hawkfish in reef
Dirty Posterboard
Orchid
I shoot my reef life subjects just like flowers, except flowers don`t swim around in & out of focus which presents another obstacle to overcome.
I`m already against the next war
Great minds think alike
(And fools never differ)
Sulphur Fungus
Green Rain Heart
Color & Bubbles
Poppy Explosion
Koi Feeding Frenzy
Snake Charmer
Meat Eater Plant
Context
Geodesic Cactus
Almost like Lichen
Wet Rocks with Jewel
Garden Jujubes
Fuzzy Wuzzy
Garden Sage
Live Coral
More Live Coral
Spider scents
Purple Haze
(one of my Anemones)
And Sat Down Beside Her
Sunset Yucca
I`m already against the next war
Wow Knucklehead
...just wow. So much to admire and study here - inspiring.
"So it goes."
Kurt Vonnegut
Beautiful as always
and a really good lesson.
They're all very intimate looking
I especially liked the lichen for its colours, range of focus and high contrast. I get lost looking at it.
Hi Steve, I would love this TEXTURE assignment
but I'm up to my neck in odourless mineral spirits, stand oil, oil paints and canvas. Two more sessions of oil paint and I'll be getting back to photography somewhat. My former group is having a show soon so I feel kind of bad not being a part of it. Photo groups are good for week to week critiques, then a theme and then a show.
To thine own self be true.
Hi Marilyn That's dedication
Once I tried acrylics I never went back to oils. The two mediums are very different though. Once had an interesting experience with turpentine in a small unventilated room where I was also sleeping - lots of very strange dreams and a fierce headache
I enjoy painting/collage because it is a much slower process than phtography - I've been sitting on a mixed project for a couple of months now - All of the stuff I need is in the studio - One day I'll start in on it - feels like it is incubating at the moment.
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
Painting
I haven't done painting in a long time but once I started with acrylics I never went back to oils either. It is much easier to clean acrylics off of a curious cat.
Two more pictures with textures.
A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world. Oscar Wilde
Heh oil paints and pets
- not a good combination.
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
You caught dehiscence there.
Early morning shot? Most anthers dehiscece early in the day. Explaining my dripping nose. Fall leaves are always good studies, spring nascent greens are good also, but hard to capture (so far, and now too late).
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
and off of
a dog's nose too, michelewin. Your photos are lovely - the pollen is such an interesting, delicate contrast to the bold shapes and colors around it.
"So it goes."
Kurt Vonnegut
Here's a few
Lichens show up nice as texture
Some more:
Except for the tiny white dot, the pattern on this mother's wing is just made up of the layers of hairy scales:
And this is the back of a regal horned toad (lizard):
This critter's skin feels softer than it looks.
“We may not be able to change the system, but we can make the system irrelevant in our lives and in the lives of those around us.”—John Beckett
What a variety of textures
am especially drawn to the textural contrast of the moth against the screen. Though closeups, your lichen shots look a lot like aerial desert landscape photos, the small mirroring something bigger. Love the horned toad detail too, they could be an alien landscape.
"So it goes."
Kurt Vonnegut
Brazilian Trim
I`m already against the next war
Cool um...
...trim shot, har har. Your sea life images are amazing, where did you take them? Thanks so much for the tips on using posterboard behind subjects - I've got plenty of that around and never thought to drag it along on shoots.
I have found that the windshield shade I use in my car during the summer works pretty well as a cheap collapsible light reflector.
"So it goes."
Kurt Vonnegut
Sedna
For my underwater marine shots, I take them all in my house where I have reef tanks.
Because my fish are constanly on the move, I obviously cannot shoot them that way.
I study their paths through the reef & pick a distance from the front glass & prefocus on that.
I then move to where I want to shoot & wait for the fish to swim into my focus depth.
"Click" Got it.
It`s not always as easy as I make it seem, but it`s much easier than chasing down a fish.
Here`s a few examples.
Six Line Wrasse
Green Mandarin
Another Green Mandarin
Six-Line Wrasse again
Moray Eel
Old Blue Eyes
Polka Dots
Creepy, No?
Peek-a-Boo
Tamale Tom
On the Lookout
Blue Brain
A Capella
Comet Flyby
Hiding Biter
Hey, I`m hiding here.
Tomato Fin & purple Tentacles
Fighting Colors
Taking a Little Peek
Marine Mating
I`m not Happy
Bite me, Fool
You just Had to go there, Right?
So this is my photo studio I`ve built over 25 years.
I never run out of subjects & they are a great motivator to take better photos.
This is a little sample of over 200,000 marine images.
I`m already against the next war
You've certainly
done a fine job building your studio and I can understand how you'd never run out of subjects, Nature offers abundance on so many levels. I had wondered if you were a snorkel or scuba diver because your Mandarin looks similar to some I've seen off the north coast of Kauai.
The photos of your water-family are truly enchanting and thank you again for the advice you've shared.
"So it goes."
Kurt Vonnegut
Our shed wall.
Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.
Wonderful photo
You seem to have a strong relationship with stone, and both subtle and contrasting light.
Agreed
The stark shadow contrast and strong horizontals of the mortar lines are both compelling and powerful. Your basalt cliffs photos is especially wonderful as well, Nature's columnar volcanic geometry always amazes me.
"So it goes."
Kurt Vonnegut
F words
and a few other subjects:
fire
flower (violet)
fungi 1
flower2
fungus 2
landscape/light/shadow as texture
undergecko
"So it goes."
Kurt Vonnegut
Textured colors
I woke up this morning determined to drink less, eat right, and exercise.
But that was four hours ago when I was younger and full of hope.
Like these SP
what are they?
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
Thanks Steve
There photos of milk with food dye mixed in.
I woke up this morning determined to drink less, eat right, and exercise.
But that was four hours ago when I was younger and full of hope.
wow
I've tried similar experiments but never even considered milk and food dye. Time to raid the kitchen...
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
One more
Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.
Bubbles
Hawkfish Bubbles
A hawkfish with Green Bubble Coral
Maroon Clown with Green Bubble Coral
Clownfish with Green Bubble Coral
Green Bubble Coral
6line Wrasse in Green Buble Coral
Comet with Green Bubble Coral
Copper banded Butterflyfish with Green Bubble Coral
Brittle Star & Clownfish with Green Bubble Coral.
Multiple shots with same subject.
I`m already against the next war
I have never see anything
quite like the bubble coral. Beautifully captured KN.
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
steve, it looks like we might have the same shades
on our windows.
Oregon Obsidian
Hi, janis
Your obsidian photo sure captures the texture of the landscape, is that at Newberry National Volcanic Monument? Visited there years ago when I was working for the forest service in Oregon.
Your window shade shot looks mysterious and captivating - like the first line in a story that invites you in to see what's inside. A simple subject that makes a fine composition and tells a story too.
"So it goes."
Kurt Vonnegut
Ours is the semicurcular fan type
cuts out a bit too much light but better than any alternatives.
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
From a Berkeley neighborhood today
"If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back" - Regina Brett