Hello ,
The textures we see and feel while walking around all day are included as elements of composition in our photographs.
But here's the compositional challenge; how do we visually represent a three-dimensional experience of texture into a two-dimensional representation of texture in our pictures.
What's
Texture?
Texture is a description of how something seems when we feel it. To describe the texture, we use words like rough, dry, wet, soft, hard, smooth, bumpy, dull, sharp, shiny, etc.
Are There Different Types of
Texture?
Yup, there are.
And some of 'em are mentioned above.
But here's a couple of examples.
Smooth
Smooth surfaces have few, if any,
irregularities.
Imagine something like a chrome car bumper, the surface of a calm body of water, a mirror
surface, glass, etc.
Smooth objects like those are reflective, and we'll see reflections and/or specular
highlights (pure white point-like reflections) on smooth surfaces.
Rough
Rough surfaces have a lot of irregularities.
Think tree bark, brick surfaces, sandpaper, a coconut shell, etc.
Where Can We See Texture in Photographs?
Like seeing during our three-dimensional experiences, we can see the texture in our two-dimensional photographs.
However, unlike our three-dimensional experience, we can't physically feel the texture of objects in a photograph.
But here's the interesting part.
Suppose we recognize the objects in the photograph, and they're illuminated to show us their texture. In that case, we can imagine how they feel physically. It's kinda like a Jedi mind
trick.
And like form, the texture is seen two-dimensionally as changes in
tonality.
And shadow plays a big part.
Seeing texture in a photograph depends on the subject and how the characteristics of the illuminating light source.
Is the light source direct or diffused?
What's the direction of the light in relation to the subject?
In general, diffused light reveals less texture than direct light.
And front or back-lit subjects reveal less texture than light from other directions.
How To Study and Practice With Texture
A good study and practice would be paying attention to things with different textures and photographing them.
Make a note of the illuminating light sources' characteristics, especially in terms of direction and diffusion.
We can notice this as we're viewing anything.
And if we can move around the subject or move the subject, we can see how the relative changes in the light's direction change the texture's appearance.
And on a cloudless sunny day, we can easily observe how diffusion affects the appearance of a subject's
texture.
All we gotta do is view the subject in direct sunlight and then move it to see it in the
shade.
And remember, we learn and become better by doing, so make sure to practice by making at least one picture today.
That’s all for now; thanks for reading!
Sam
Study and practice photography with me.
And if the timing
doesn't work for you in any of my scheduled group classes, we can schedule a one-time lesson or a series of in-person or online one-on-one private instruction that cover the same things as any of my group classes.
