Sunday Stills – it’s all about the texture
What happens when you visit a beautiful private garden open to the public on a gorgeous spring day, with your sister and brother-in-law who are fabulous photographers?
This happens 🙂
A trip out to Forest Glade Gardens near Mt Macedon today, provided an excellent day of photography for all concerned! And it was very timely because texture is this week’s prompt for Terri’s Sunday Stills photo challenge.
Now if I’m honest, and I usually am, texture has always been hard for me to get my head around in terms of photography. I don’t know why, but it has, and so I took the opportunity of being with expert photographers to pick their brains and experiment with texture.
What is texture, especially in relation to photography?
I have asked this question a lot lately!
I asked because I didn’t really know the answer and I wanted to understand. I did some online research and it sort of became clearer to me.
When talking about photography texture refers to the visual quality of the surface of an object, revealed through variances in shape, tone and color depth. Texture brings life and vibrance to images that would otherwise appear flat and uninspiring. Source
I asked my sister and brother-in-law to explain what texture means to them, in just a few words, and here are their thoughts.
Tim – contrasts, pattern and dimension
Sharon – variances in shape and tone
So after all that, what have I decided?
I’ve chosen the words detail, vibrancy and patterns to describe what texture means to me.
I hope my photos of texture in nature, show some of the detail and patterns I wanted to capture. I’ve still got a lot to learn!
This is me!
Here is a photo of me in the delightful Daffodil Meadow, taken by my sister and used with her permission. I’ve sent a request to my husband to see if we can have a Daffodil Meadow in our garden!
I’ve enjoyed sharing these texture shots and the day out in these amazing gardens was fabulous. As I was wandering about the gardens, I was reminded of this quote by Aristotle.
Art takes nature as its model.
What does texture mean to you? I’d be very interested to hear your thoughts on the subject too.
Feel free to leave a comment below. I always love hearing from you!
On a similar subject my friend Suz from Global Housesitter x 2 has written a great post about photography where she asks – Are you a Photographer?
Deb xx
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All my Sunday Stills posts can be found here
Also linking up to Denyse’s #Lifethisweek with the prompt What I have Learned lately – my photography is constantly a work in progress with a seep learning curve!
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Thanks for the mention, Deb. Texture and capturing it via a camera lens isn’t as achievable as it sounds. Might have to ponder this further and think about how many times I include it when taking photos. Not many I am thinking. Pleased to be involved in another thought-provoking post. P.S. I think the Mathematician needs to say yes to the daffodil field, imagine all the photographs of your gorgeous grandchild sitting amongst them 🙂
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I love texture and appreciate when it is well-captured on a photograph. Just think of all the beautiful textures you’ll have once you get your field of daffodils planted and growing.
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Thanks Janis, my request for the daffodil meadow hasn’t been approved just yet 😂
A quick question for you – do you think my photos i used in the post reflect texture? I’m still a bit confused by the whole thing and would appreciate your thoughts!!
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I really love that you added some photo tips about texture into your post! You have some wonderful images, and it’s funny to just take a photo and perhaps not see the textures, which is what I end up doing. I also had to pop over to Global Housesitter and comment on her post…and yes, she is (and we are) photographers, just like we are bloggers 🙂 Thanks for participating in Sunday Stills, Debbie!!
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I totally get what you mean about texture and photography Deb – I think texture is so 3D and that’s why it’s hard to capture in a 2D medium – but you’ve done very well in the challenge so points to you!
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Thanks Leanne, I had fun learning and stretching my brain!! It is a hard concept at times but I’m happy with my shots.
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I know nothing of photography, but I have always had an affection for fern fronds. I have no idea what it is, but they way they unfurl is so beautiful to me. Great shots!
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I know what you mean, they are a beautiful creation of nature and photos rarely do them justice. Thanks for your thoughts Christine 😊
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Hi, Debbie – I agree that nature produces the best textures of all. Thank you for sharing these!
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Hi Donna, it was a real challenge to work out what I meant by texture but I’m happy to see the end result and believe I’ve learnt something new in the process. 😊
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Hi Debbie, as always a delight to read your posts. I enjoyed the search for definition and your choices. I am joining, thanks to you. You’re taking me out of my blogging’s block!
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This made me so happy Lucile!! You are a talented photographer and I loved your post too.
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Blushing all over the blogosphere!
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I love the words you used for texture in photography, Deb! To me it would be nature’s design, variation and compostion. Anything that takes your eye away from the actual form of something (flower, leaf, rock) and to the design, variation or composition within the object itself. When it becomes more than just the object! Those fiddleheads are lovely and a perfect example where you stop seeing the plant itself and wonder at the tiny hairs and the design they make. 🙂
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Thanks Shannon, I really appreciate your thoughts and agree with the words you’ve chosen too. Your explanation is brilliant and makes complete sense! I too love the little hairs 🙂
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Texture, light and all that depth of field goodness is something pretty spectacular. It’s amazing what the eye sees, and then to be able to capture that! The best.
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Thanks so much, it wasn’t an easy one to get my head around but I’m glad it worked.
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Wow, thank you for the photography lesson I have just about managed the one third…lol…My dream a bluebell wood I hope you get your daffodils 🙂
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Thanks Carol, I only try to make sense of what I’m trying to do!! I don’t begin to know many of the rules 😬 and just click on what I like as I’m seeing it. I loved the bluebell wood and the daffodil meadow, such a gorgeous sight. We had a fabulous spring day out.
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The same as me really, Debs I try really hard but some I win and some I don’t …lol…I hope you get your daffodil meadow 🙂
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Love this. I see patterns in nature everywhere now because of my great interest from art. I see mandalas in flowers, shrubs and even weeds. It’s a lovely thing to check out gardens as there is always something new. I got a surprise this afternoon to see that a cyclamen I had given up on had 2 new blooms. I always wanted a meadow…hope you get one.
Thank you for joining #lifethisweek. Next week’s optional prompt is Easy Meal Ideas. Denyse
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Thanks so much Denyse. Yes I can see how your interest in art would allow you to see patterns everywhere, it’s a real eye opener. I really enjoyed the challenge in this one. So happy for you with your surprise cyclamen blooms. I enjoy linking up each week and it helps get me into a routine. It’s also interesting to see what others are sharing.
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wow!!
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The daffodil meadow is gorgeous but I’d be afraid to walk in it!
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It was so beautiful! Thanks for your visit.
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