When we see an image of an old weather-worn building, we often get a sense of how rough the wood feels. Our memories of how objects feel is ingrained into our subconsciousness, and just the sight of them can evoke a sensation of touch. By making a strong statement about texture, you can add a tactile dimension to your photos.
Angled light captures the shape and imperfections of an object’s surface and creates a pattern of highlight and shadow to produce visual texture. The rough surface of a weathered building is best emphasized by strong, direct sidelight.
Framing is important too – it’s a good idea to get close to a subject when you want to emphasize texture. And very often, converting an image to black-and-white enhances the graphic qualities of your subject and eliminates the distraction of color.
(c) Lynne Eodice
Editor's Notes:
- Check out Lynne Eodice's excellent courses at BetterPhoto's digital online photography school:
- The upcoming book by Jim Miotke and Kerry Drager - The BetterPhoto Guide to Creative Digital Photography - focuses on composition, color, and the elements of design.
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