Kat Eye Studio

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Understanding the Process

If “what do I want to say” is the question I ask myself when I put the camera to my eye, then “how do I want this image to feel” is the question I ask myself when I go to post-process.

In last weekend’s workshop, David talked a lot about making very intentional decisions at the time of capture to convey what we want to say. But we also talked about the role of post-processing and how he uses it. He shared some examples of images he’d edited and said, “Did it look exactly like that when I captured it? No. But this is how it felt to me.” Warm or cool, dreamy or contrasty, all of these are choices we have in our post-processing to further the expression of the image.

Explore with Me

This coastal scene from earlier in the summer is an example, edited early last week to prep for an exhibition submission. Was the light this pink on the evening I captured it? No. But the processing captures the emotion of the moment for me. The connection of mother and child is there in the bicycles and the figures in the background, and the warm feeling of that connection is in the tones.

This conversation comes at a time when I’ve already been thinking about my creative process and the relationship I have with post-processing. On my recent trip to England I realized how incredibly important post-processing had become to me as part of creating images. I didn’t quite know how important until I was without Lightroom, my primary tool for editing. Sure, I could make very, very basic adjustments, but it wasn’t enough. (Not to mention any edits were painfully slow in the netbook I had borrowed.) I felt, literally, like my hands were tied. I could see where I wanted to tweak highlights and shadows, maybe shift the white balance a bit. I could see where I wanted the images to end up. And I couldn’t get there. I couldn’t make the images say what I wanted them to say, feel how I wanted them to feel, without this step of the process.

The RAW files my camera captured have become just that… raw material. Incredibly important raw material — you can’t create a final image you love without the composition and exposure and choices at the time of capture spot on — but raw material nonetheless. Not finished. Not yet conveying what I want them to convey, feeling how I want them to feel. Not yet ready to share with the world.

This was an incredibly important realization for me to make. It’s a dramatic shift from where I used to be; where I thought I was. I’ve been learning photography for 12+ years but I’ve only used Lightroom for 1 year. I had no idea how integral it had become to my process. But because I now better understand my process, I can more intentionally express myself through my images. I can more intentionally tailor what I do to get the end result I want. I don’t have to follow someone else’s process or choices, I can stand up and say, “This is who I am and how I work as an artist.”

How I work right now, at least. It will change. A month from now or a year from now I’ll have some new realization. But right now…

This is who I am and how I work as an artist.

Yeah, that feels good.

How about you? Do you understand your process, and how it helps you create work that expresses yourself? Let’s discuss here in the comments.

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Focus on Strengths

If you choose to focus your attention on the strengths of others, on the virtues of others, on that part of others that strives for the highest, you run through your system the higher frequency currents of appreciation, acceptance and love.
— Gary Zukav in The Seat of the Soul

There it is again, the concept of focusing on the good. It popped up in my morning reading today, this time around seeing the good in others.

When we focus on what we perceive as faults, annoyances and shortcomings in others, that becomes all we see. It shapes our interactions. It sets up expectations. We look for the fulfillment of those expectations. Our perception of a person spirals down, down, down. One thing leads to another until our “reality” of that person is negative.

But look at it from the opposite perspective. If we focus on the strengths of others, we see things in a different light. We can look for things a person does well and that we appreciate. We can stop assuming motivations for actions. We can realize we don’t know another’s mind or intentions. Our “reality” of that person changes, because “reality” is subjective.

All it takes is a slight shift to one side.

Zukav goes on to say, “As you come to seek and see the virtues and strengths and nobilities of others, you begin to seek and see them in yourself also.”

Interesting concept, huh? We can’t forgive ourselves and sit in judgment of others at the same time. We can’t see the bad in others and expect to see the good in ourselves.

Don’t we all want to see ourselves in a good way? To see ourselves loving, caring and forgiving beings that want to move forward and grow? So many of us struggle to create a positive self-image. We see our faults and weaknesses and not our strengths.

Maybe we need to start by seeing the best in others, to see the best in ourselves.

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Here comes the sun

I’m heading out today! Leaving the rainy, grey skies of Oregon for hot and sunny Arizona. Yay! My sister’s 40th birthday is next month and we’re celebrating with a house full of her friends for a long weekend in Arizona. It’s been a long, crazy week of work and everything but here I am, at Friday already. It’s going to be a busy weekend, I’ve got a long list of things to do:
Soak up some sun and heat
Sit by the Pool
Get a Pedicure
Watch a few Chick Flicks
Drink some Margaritas
Talk long into the night
Nap during the day
Hug a few amazing women
Catch up with the Photo-Heart Connection

So I won’t be around here much but I will be catching up on the Photo-Heart Connection. I haven’t had time to visit you all this week, and I’m looking forward to it! It’s like my reward for a week of hard work. The Photo-Heart Connection link up is still open until May 7 if you want to join in and have me visit you from the poolside.

Today’s photo comes to you from the coast of Sicily. My sis called me earlier this week asking for a pic of Sicily. Her son was working on a project for school on Italy and wanted a photo to show the difference in the regions. I dipped into my archive and look which one popped out. It was a perfect image to share in anticipation of a sunny weekend! Enjoy!

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A Textured Finish

Texture of the Sea, Newport, Oregon

Texture of the Sea

We finish up Exploring with a Camera: Found Texture today! There will be a new Exploring with a Camera posted tomorrow – I’m moving the series to Friday starting this week. You can link in your final texture images today, or just spend some time exploring the found texture from other participants. Lots of great texture has been shared!

As we went through this exploration over the last couple of weeks, I started thinking and noticing the difference between tactile texture and color texture. The image above, a side of a boat, is a perfect example. The surface of the boat is fairly smooth, you can see the reflected light that indicates the smoothness at the top, but the color is not even as you move toward the bottom. That variation in color and shine creates the appearance of more texture than there actually was. The bottom part in the image is still fairly smooth, but visually it shows up with more texture. An interesting study of how texture shows up in images. Color and tone can show as much texture as something physically bumpy!

I hope you enjoyed this exploration into Found Texture! I look forward to starting a new topic tomorrow. See you then!

Oh, and don’t forget the giveaway! If you link in you have a chance to win a set of my “Texture” postcards. I’ll draw and announce the winner on the weekend.
Texture Postcard Set



FYI – Links will be moderated. Please use a permalink, ensure that your linked image is on topic, and include a link back to this site in your post through the Exploring with a Camera button (available here) or a text link. Thanks!

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Exploring with a Camera: Found Texture

Yay! It’s Exploring with a Camera day! After a week off exploring in Chicago I’m ready to explore with you all here on the blog. Today we’ll be diving into Found Texture in our images. At the end of the post you will find a link up to share your explorations of the topic over the next two weeks. There is a giveaway going along with this too! Keep reading to find out more.

It is no secret that I love texture in my images. I remember when I first started capturing images of texture for texture’s sake in Italy. I didn’t know what was going on, why I was drawn to capture images of peeling paint. It made no sense to me at the time! Now I know… it’s all about the texture.

In this exploration, we will be focusing on Found Texture, texture that is already existing and captured with your camera, not added texture in post-processing. Adding texture layers in post-processing is a popular and very fun way of changing your image, but that’s not the focus of this topic.

Let’s learn more about Found Texture…

What is Texture?

By my definition, a texture is found on the surface of a form. (Form is the representation of a three-dimensional object. If you’re not sure what I’m talking about, visit the past Exploring with a Camera: Finding Form post.) Here’s an example to help: Consider an object in the shape of a sphere. The sphere is the form, but the surface of the sphere may be smooth, like the tomato shown below, or rough, like the orange. If you are struggling with the concept of texture vs. form, think of this way: If you can imagine an object to have a different surface texture, but the underlying form of the object stays the same, you are distinguishing texture and form.

The surface holds the texture, and the texture gives an additional dimension to our photographs, making us want to reach out and touch. Even though we can’t physically touch the objects in an image, in our imagination we can. Texture adds a tactile nature to our experience of a photograph. We know what smooth feels like in real life, so the sensory experience of smooth is added to our experience of a photograph. The texture can draw us in as a participant in the image.

Texture is not only on the surface of forms in our images. Something large and flat serving as the background of the image, such as the wall in the lead-in photo, is also a surface that can have texture. In the case of the photo above, from Chicago, you see the texture of the brick.

How many types of texture are there? Let’s see if we can make a list… smooth, rough, gritty, sticky, crumbly, bumpy, velvety, leathery, prickly… add yours to the list in the comments below. We can capture all of this texture and heighten the sensory experience in our images.

Sources of Found Texture

When you start to notice it, texture is everywhere! Nature is a great source for random texture. Since my subjects tend to be in urban environments, I looked for natural texture while camping at the beach a couple of weeks ago. I found everything from the glass-smooth texture of the receding waves, to the rough-yet-soft texture on the trunk of a tree.

Humans have learned from nature, and covered our man-made world with texture. Some of it is purposeful and functional, to hide flaws in a wall joint or increase traction in a floor. Some of the texture comes as part of the process, such as in bricks. Some of the man-made texture in our world is purely for artistic beauty. The texture in the floor tiles below was created to be both artistic and functional.
The one thing I’ve noticed, however, is that man-made texture doesn’t have the same randomness as nature. Humans like patterns and processes, and our created textures usually have some sort of repeating pattern. Sometimes it is obvious, as in the floor image above, and sometimes not so obvious. Consider the texture that may be applied to a wall, there is a limit to the size and depth of the bumps you find. There is some randomness within the texture, but the overall texture is controlled.
When you add nature, in the form of time and weather, acting on the mad-made texture you get more natural randomness. I think that’s why I, along with so many other photographers, like to photograph “urban decay.” The added elements of time, weather and neglect increase the random texture in the images of everyday objects. It adds dimension and interest.
Capturing Texture

Now that you’re seeing texture everywhere, what is the best way to capture it? As in capturing form, texture will appear differently in different light. Bright sunlight will create stronger shadows and light/dark highlight of texture, while shady or diffused light will create more subtle highlights of the texture. This wall below, found in Chicago, is an interesting study of light and texture since it’s both in sun and shade. You can see how the sunlight enhances the texture.
You can see a similar effect in this image from Greece as well, as part of the wall is in sun and part is in shade. There are multiple textures in this image from more than just the light, however, with the texture of the wall, rope and door adding to the tactile nature of the image.

Along with light, color has a great impact on how we perceive texture in an image. Texture can be enhanced or overwhelmed by color. Color is useful to highlight texture when the light is non-directional or the texture is very subtle compared to the overall subject being photographed. In the case of the staircase in Portugal, the light is very diffuse so the texture of the wall is communicated by the color gradation. You can still “see” the texture, through the color variations.

Color can also dominate to the point that texture recedes in terms of visual information. Consider the image of the oranges shown earlier in this post. What do you notice first? Likely, the complementary color is the first thing you notice. The texture of the oranges, basket, vase and table are noticed second. To highlight or study texture, working with monochromatic images can help. The image of the driftwood below, converted to black and white, further enhances the texture of the splintery wood. The range of tones from light to dark are what provide the texture information, since the light is fairly even.

The image below from Burano has color, but it still monochromatic. This allows the form and texture in the image to be the subject. While diffuse, the light is still directional and highlights the texture and form.

Using Texture in Images

Now that you are thinking of what texture is, where to find it and how to capture it, let’s look at a few different ways of using texture in images.  One way of using texture is to capture it as the subject. This wall in Bologna was so interesting, I captured it just for the texture. Layers upon layers of different textures are visible.

The same with this wall in Greece, texture is the main subject. In both cases, I’ve included an architectural element to help ground the image in reality, but that is not necessary if you are capturing texture for texture’s sake. Textures create great abstract images.

Often, I find that I use texture as the “backdrop” in the image. The lead-in photo is one example. In the case of this scene in Burano, the texture of the wall is a backdrop for the scene with the chair and pot.
This textured wall in Torcello is the backdrop against which the tree, window and architectural fragment are arranged. The wall is not the subject, but the texture enhances the interest in the image and ties the elements together.

Creating contrast with texture is a great way to increase the interest in a photo. In the image below of the sea weed at the beach, the gritty sand contrasts with the smooth, rubbery surface of the sea weed.

The worn walls and steps contrast with the smooth, round pots, both in color and texture, in the image below from Varenna. The color and texture contrast, along with the lines of the steps, draw your eye directly to the pots of pretty flowers.
Summary

It’s time to start exploring Found Texture on your own! Here’s a quick review of the topics covered:
  • What: Texture is found on the surface of form, and gives a tactile dimension to images.
  • Sources: Nature, man-made and aged-man-made objects and surfaces are all possible sources of texture.
  • How: Light along with color (presence or absence) and tone can be used to convey the texture.
  • Ways to use: Texture can be the subject, a backdrop or used for contrast in an image.
There is so much more to texture, I look forward to learning from you as you share your images! You can link in below, the link up will be open through 3-November. As an added bonus, I am giving away a set of my “Texture” postcards! When you link in your texture image, you will be entered in the drawing to win.



FYI – Links will be moderated. Please use a permalink, ensure that your linked image is on topic, and include a link back to this site in your post through the Exploring with a Camera button (available here) or a text link. Thanks!

 

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Standing Tall

At our favorite place to camp on the Oregon Coast, Washburne State Park, there is a half-mile (~1km) path to the beach from the campground. I find it the most interesting path, because the forest changes dramatically 3 to 4 times along the short distance. It starts out in this stately forest and ends in grass covered dunes and an expansive beach. I love this forest, where the trees stand tall and the ground is covered by layers of soft and squishy pine needles and moss. It’s very quiet and peaceful, walking through these trees. It can also been very eerie, depending on the light.

Lucky me, the sun came out from behind the clouds and lit the trees up from behind, making them glow.  I tried black and white with this image, and it does look great, but I couldn’t let the green of the moss on the ground and the trees disappear. It’s too much a part of my experience of the place. Which do you like best?

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