Texture can be used to enhance images. This article shows how texture can be used with logs, plants, and trees to create impressive images.

Logs

Logs are one of the easiest objects to use for creating texture images. This is because they have two characteristics that lend themselves to texture photography: contrast and curves.

The first thing to look for when scouting out logs for texture photography is the contrast. It is necessary to start with a log that has enough contrast to grab a viewer’s attention. This usually means that a log must have a grain that has contrast. The second thing to look for is a set of curves. These can be either leading or non-leading curves. The important thing is that the curves add to the image in some way.

An image of a log can frequently be enhanced by including something from the environment that surrounds the log. The most likely objects for this will be flowers or vegetation.

Often, side light works well to help emphasis the contrast in the grain. However, side light is not always necessary. This is particularly true if some drama can be added to an image in some other way. For instance, when old logs get wet, the wood can sometimes become darker and take on a more moody feel. This works great for texture photography. In addition, when objects (such as the flowers or vegetation already mentioned) contrast in tone or color with the wood, this may add all the drama that is needed.

Plants

Plants are great for texture photography because they are everywhere. That means that you don’t need to travel someplace to get some great shots. All you have to do is visit your backyard.

There are so many characteristics of plants that can be used to create interesting texture images. Of course, the first thing to look for is good texture. This is usually pretty easy to find in a garden. However, you don’t want to stop there. After some plants that have good texture have been found, you should look for other aspects of the plants that can be used to create an even better image.

One of the things for which one should look is any interesting curves. Often, this comes in the form of curves formed by the edges of leaves or curves that result from plant stems. The next thing that should be considered is color. Color demands a viewer’s attention. Thus, the more saturated the color, the more interested people will likely be in an image. Even better than color is contrasting color. Contrasting color can really make an image come alive.

The best light for plant photography is usually a diffuse light. That means that great plant shots can be captured on overcast days or early/late in the day when the garden is in shadow.

The seasons play an important part in plant photography. Spring produces beautiful, lush greens. Autumn can produce stunning fall colors (depending on where you live). Unfortunately, summer and winter are less ideal for plant photography as the plants are less vibrant at that time.

Trees

Trees provide a rich variety of texture photography opportunities. Great texture images can be created from the leaves, bark, or roots. When using the leaves as texture photography subject matter, the guidelines pretty much follow those covered in the Plants section directly above. In other words, one should look for interesting curves, color, and color contrast. Furthermore, the best light is often produced by overcast conditions that create a soft, diffuse light.

The bark of trees often has great texture. Furthermore, the texture commonly forms an irregular pattern. This can create some great subject matter for texture photography. Of course, in this case, it is necessary to move in close enough to concentrate on the bark. However, there is one problem that can occur when photographing the bark. As mentioned in Part 1 of this series, while patterns can often capture a viewer’s interest, simple patterns can sometimes fail to hold that interest for very long. Consequently, it is best to figure out a way to add some interest to the pattern. This is often fairly easy with tree bark. All that may be necessary is to break the pattern. This can be done by finding some irregularity in the bark (such as a knot).

With some trees, roots can be the most interesting part of the tree for texture photography. This is because of the interesting patterns that roots can form. The key here is to find a tree with exposed roots. These roots can form jagged, irregular curves that can add a sinister or menacing mood to an image. Side light may help to strengthen this mood. However, this sinister/menacing mood can sometimes be captured even with diffuse light.

Summary

If this article gave you any ideas, it is time to grab your camera and held out to capture some eye-catching, texture images. For more information on texture photography, see Texture Photography.

The point of any photo is to draw the attention of the viewers. Now, there are numerous ways to achieve this. Some images depend on dazzling color. Another method that is very popular is the use of leading curves. Other images rely on dramatic scenery. On the other hand, there exists a method that is quite often overlooked. That method is the use of texture. Thus, the purpose of this article is to cover the fundamentals of texture photography.

Let’s start off with a definition of texture photography. For this article, texture photography is defined as any photography that uses texture to add impact to images.

Types of Texture Photography

There are three principal types of texture photography that will be dealt with in this article: detail, drama, and information.

Detail: With this type of texture photography, the detail in the surface of the object being photographed is the most important aspect of an image. The actual object is of lower value. When this technique is employed, the image is often taken as a macro shot in order to move in very close to emphasize the detail or as a partial object shot where only a section of the object is photographed. An example of this type of texture image would be a close-up of the patterns observed in aged rock formations.

Side light usually works very well with detail texture images as it improves the detail.

Drama: With this second approach to texture photography, the texture is utilized to add drama to an image. Here, the texture is not necessarily the most significant element of an image. Rather, texture is just one aspect of an image that helps to enhance the image.

A key point is that, typically, the contrast or color of the texture serves to seize the viewer’s interest. So, it is essential to select a subject that has good color or contrast.

Images of cliffs along the beach offer one example of this type of texture photography.

An important point is that side light works well with these images.

Information: The third type of texture photography utilizes texture to help communicate information about an image. In an information texture image, the texture tells part of the tale of the image by communicating something about the image. For instance, the aged, weathered wood in a ghost town building clearly communicates the age and history of the dated structure.

When creating information texture images, it is important to compose the photo so that the texture can properly convey the story of the image. This will help to create a stronger image.

One last point is that the texture in an information texture image should help support the center of interest not overwhelm it.

Synopsis

The subject of texture photography is much broader than what this brief write-up can cover. A great deal more can be learned about texture photography. To further explore the field of texture photography, click Texture Photography.

A number of great techniques for creating abstract images are introduced in this article: blur, zooming in, partial image, and Photoshop filters. Once the techniques have been learned, they may be applied to a variety of subject matter to produce amazing abstract images.

Blur

The first technique is the deliberate blurring of objects. Not all photos work well with this technique. The images that do work best are the ones that possess a dreamy feel. Therefore, it is important to select the subject matter carefully.

This technique can be carried out in a number of ways. Perhaps the simplest way is to use a soft focus lens. However, this is also the costliest method. Affixing a soft focus filter to a regular lens creates a similar effect. An inexpensive method is to just stretch panty hose over the front of a lens. Of course, the blur can always be added during image editing with Photoshop (or any other editing software).

Zooming In

To make use of this technique, a zoom lens is required. This technique utilizes a long shutter speed. While the shutter is open, the focal length of the lens is changed. A lot of photographers start at a wide angle. Then, they zoom into a narrower angle.

With this particular technique, there are a few essential points. When using this technique, a tripod is really required. Without a tripod, the photo will be blurred by camera motion. A strong center of interest is needed. If the image has a week center of interest, the image can end up just being a blur of lines. Keeping these points in mind can help to enhance your abstract photos.

Photographing a Partial Object

This technique does not photograph an entire object. Rather, the photographer isolates just a section of an object. Then, that section is photographed. The objective is to isolate the most intriguing part of an object.

Abstract Images with Photoshop Filters

Another solution is to add the abstract effect in the computer. For this method, Photoshop can be used. The filters in Photoshop are a good way to do this. Simply use the Filter menu to access the filters. The key here is to experiment with the different filters. Then, you can pick the filter that produces the best results.

Summary

These techniques are very useful in creating beautiful abstract images. The next step is to get your camera. Then, you just need to head out to create some wonderful images. These techniques are merely the start. If you would like to discover more about abstract photography, just click Abstract Photography Methods. Good luck with your abstract photography.

This article presents four techniques (selective focus, light and shadows, curves, and texture) that can be used to create abstract images. These techniques work well with many different types of subject matter.

Focusing the Attention with Selective Focus

If you are looking for an easy but powerful abstract photography technique, selective focus is the technique for you. This technique narrows the focus to a small area. Anything outside of that area will not be in focus. To create a limited area of sharpness, a large aperture is required. The camera is then focused on the center of interest of the image. Everything else will be out of focus.

There are two things that can be done to make your images even more impressive when using this technique. First, the color of the background should be different than the center of interest. This will make the center of interest stand out. Second, curves can be used to help direct the viewer’s attention to the center of interest.

The Use of Light and Shadows

As photographers, we are often instructed to concentrate on the light. We may begin to think almost solely in terms of the light. This is an incorrect view for shadows are essentially the other side of light. Shadows are not simply a dark mass that borders the light. Rather, shadows are an entity as alive as the light. It is the shadows that shape the light, that draw attention to the light, and that integrate with the light to produce striking photographic opportunities. The interplay of light and shadows plays an especially important role in many abstract images.

The shadows’ primary role with this technique is to intermingle with the light in such a way as to emphasize the shapes of the forms. Consequently, it should come as no surprise that the more interesting the objects in an abstract image, the more likely that the image will be successful. The shadows can then be used to make the forms stand out from the rest of the image. One example of this technique would be to surround an object in an image with shadows so that the object really attracts the eye of a viewer of the image.

The Power of Curves

When creating abstract images, the proper use of curves can add significant impact to a photo. The more dominant the curves are in an abstract image, the larger the impact the curves will have. In some images, the curves become the most important part of the image.

The curves must be either graceful or dynamic. In addition, all of the curves must work in harmony. Curves that run through an image in a careless manner do not enhance the image.

One last point is that, when using curves in this manner, it is usually best not to have very strong, saturated, or contrasting colors in the image because this would detract from the curves and weaken the image.

Texture

A technique that is very similar to the use of curves is the use of texture. Indeed, it is not uncommon to find texture and curves used together in the same image. When used to create impact in an abstract image, the texture must be a very strong characteristic of the main subject in the image. Furthermore, the texture must work in harmony with any curves that are present.

In Conclusion

With these four techniques, you have a good start on creating some interesting abstract images. On the other hand, there are many more abstract photography techniques. The next step is to read Creating Abstract Photography.

Abstract photography can be a lot of fun. Furthermore, it can result in some impressive images. However, some skill is required to create great abstract images. Composition is one of the most important of those skills. Composition determines how the form, color, and curves are placed in an image. There are many ways to approach composition. Performing a systematic review of the field of composition is beyond the scope of this article. However, three aspects of composition will be covered.

* Rule of Thirds
* Golden Triangle
* No Rules

Rule of Thirds : One of the most common approaches to composition is the rule of thirds. This rule involves dividing an image into thirds both vertically and horizontally. The center of interest is then placed where the dividing lines cross.

Golden Triangle Another approach to composition is the golden triangle. With the golden triangle, a diagonal is drawn from one corner of an image to the opposite corner. Then, lines are drawn from the other two corners such that they intersect at right angles with the diagonal. The center of interest is located at the intersections of these lines.

No Rules: While these two approaches to composition can create impressive images, one of the wonderful things about abstract photography is that, sometimes, the rules can be ignored. At times, you can just go wherever your imagination leads you.

Applying the Art of Subtraction

People respond to abstract photography on an instinctual or emotional level. So, when creating abstract images, one needs to remove anything that does not strengthen the viewer’s emotional reaction. This is referred to as the art of subtraction.

So, how does one create an image that conveys an emotion? A basic three step process works well: 1) identify the emotion, 2) identify the components that reinforce the emotion and include them in the image, and 3) remove everything else from the image.

So, why this is important? Well, items in an image that help communicate the emotion strengthen the image. Any other item just dilutes the image. Basically, any component that does not strengthen the emotion of an image detracts from the image.

In Summary

Great compositions lead to great abstract images. Of course, there is a lot more to learn about abstract photography.

Interested in learning more about abstract photography? Check out Ron’s in-depth abstract photography article at Abstract Photography.