The Beauty of Adding Texture to Flowers
Wednesday, April 10th, 2013Texture Photography First Catches My Eye
I first noticed texture photography about 6 years ago when I joined BetterPhoto.com. I was new to photography back then, had very little Photoshop experience, and had no idea that what I was looking at was actually “texture photography.” All I knew was that I was seeing some wonderful images that caught my eye because they looked very much like fine art paintings. I had no idea how these images were created, but I knew that one day I would learn the process. That day has finally come.
Being “An Artist”
My grandfather was a wonderful artist. He could paint and draw magnificently. Somehow that particular gene skipped the next two generations. Neither my mother nor any of her five children were blessed with that same innate skill. We were all pretty bummed about that.
But I later learned there are other ways to be an artist.
Mine is through the lens — along with using Photoshop as my “brushes and canvas” to apply textures to my images.
Embracing My Inner Student
At this stage I am a texture student, learning as I go. Each day something new. Each mistake a lesson learned. Each attempt, a new possibility. Every moment, a chance for discovery.
Today is no exception. You never know what’s just around the next corner.
From Fading Flower to Fine Art
I spotted this Easter Lily this morning on my way into town to run an errand. I turned the corner onto another street and there it was in a neighbor’s front flower border. A quick U-turn had me driving back up the hill to get my camera and macro lens.
Upon closer inspection, I could see this Easter Lily was past its prime and fading fast. The white petals were just starting to wilt and featured a hint of brown. In my mind I had a vision of what this Easter Lily could become with the right texture, brushes, and opacity applied.
Fading Easter Lily
Backlit Crocus
I love to shoot small flowers at ground level. This crocus was a natural standout, as the angle of the sun produced wonderful backlighting to showcase the petal detail and tiny water droplets. I deliberately chose a texture color that would contrast with that of the flower. I also chose one with a pale center, as I wanted nothing to interfere with the sunlight through the petals.
Backlit Crocus
Solitary Siberian Squill
This is perhaps my favorite image of the week. This tiny Siberian Squill in the midday sun was a challenge to shoot due to its location. I knew the angle that I wanted — but it required a bit of yoga from me to capture it.
As you can see, the flower’s color and lines are beautiful, as is the delicate, curved shape of the petals. While I had used a shallow depth of field to produce the creamy background, I knew that I could change “pretty” into “beautiful” with the right colored texture and pattern. Again, a careful selection and application of the right Photoshop brushes and opacity helped me to bring my inner vision to life.
Solitary Siberian Squill
Texture Resources
There are many places where you can obtain textures, including creating your own (which I wrote about previously in another texture article of mine). Two resources I like to use are Joel Olives Textures and French Kiss Collections.
So there you have it. A bit of the story behind the images. If interested, they are all available as Fine Art Prints from Fine Art America.
~ Liz Mackney
New England Photography Guild Gallery
Not Available During the Day to Watch?
Adobe Lightroom
Julieanne Kost
Matt Kloskowski
Adobe TV
YouTube
Lynda.com
PhotoshopEssentials.com
Facebook
