PhotograClare » texture

Stairs

Clare Topping — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 09:19:27 +0000

I wasn’t sure whether or not to put this on my blog. I like the photo, I think I have developed an obsession with steps (fortunately the useful kind, not the awful pop group), but I was concerned that the top left hand corner is a little too dark. But then, maybe the dark balances the light, I am not sure.

This was taken inside the Palais des Papes, on the bright, sunny Monday. I took it using my 50mm lens, 1/160secs, f/10, ISO100 (I told you that it was sunny!) and converted it into black and white in Lightroom.

When I go through my photos, one of the first things that I do is check that the pictures are sharp enough that I won’t be ashamed of them. All I do is zoom in to 1:1 and look at the picture closely. When I did this with the picture here I actually liked the texture on the stairs and so have also included an additional crop on this post. Although the size is about the same, I think it emphasises the textures more and is more abstract.

Form and Texture

Clare Topping — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 10:40:11 +0000

I am very aware that the majority of my pictures are of insects or flowers, but there are so many of them about! I therefore tried to take a slightly different picture last weekend when I wandered in the garden in the morning.

This time the picture is of part of a Hellebore leaf that had caught the morning sun. I like this picture because of the texture, the jagged edge of the leaf and the different shades of green – there is something almost reptilian about the leaf. It also shows how intricate so much of nature is – I am sure there is a reason for the patterns of veins on the leaf.

I had the camera set to shutter priority (to stop me accidentally wandering into the realms of camera shake), at 1/125secs, ISO200 and, because it was quite low light the aperture ended up at 5.0. (Needless to say I was handholding the 400D with my 100mm macro lens.)

Texture

Clare Topping — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 13:14:07 +0000

Tree Bark

I had another of those what to take moments on Boxing Day. We went for a walk at Kedleston in Derbyshire, the sun was shining, there was still some snow on the ground, the landscape was rolling, etc etc. I took some of the obligatory shots of the dales, and of the light coming through the trees, but, to me, it did not capture the essence of a walk in the woods.

This picture was closer to it. I think that the trees are individual and worth taking photos of in their own right, the leaves, the bark, even the bits left after they have fallen and are decaying with other flora and fauna making them home. I have no idea what type of tree this is, but the sun caught the bark and made it sparkle, just as I was walking past. The swirling patterns really caught my attention and made me stop. My companions carried on oblivious.

This was snapped with my Canon Ixus, 5.8mm, f/2.8, ISO 200, 1/100 secs.