{Textures Fun}

{Textures Fun}

03 February 2012

When I first learned about using texture for photography, I was like “huh?” But it intrigued me. So I learned and I am still learning (don’t you just love it when you have to learn something new? I know I do…)

What I’ve learned is that there is no right or wrong in applying textures to your images. You can go subtle or harsh, mute or vibrant, dreamy or grungy. This is why I love using textures as they allow me to achieve different looks.

I met Nicole Rubin through Bloom Forum and I was flattered when she asked me to play around with her image to show how textures work. You can check more of her work on her blog (she just posted a fabulous shot of a couple who celebrated 50 years of marriage. Now that is awesome!), or you can like her Facebook Page.

So, now…the texture part. I used different textures included in the Artiste Collection by French Kiss Textures. Nicole sent me an image that has been edited in LR and one raw image and here’s my play. I need to point out that:
1. Working with textures requires patience. Sometimes you don’t like the effect of the textures and you have to try different textures. I do not see this as a frustration, rather as an enjoyment. I like to see how different textures work on images so that next time I want to use textures, I kinda have a sense which textures do what. :)

2. Don’t be afraid to try something new. When I first started using texture, I played the safe side. Meaning that I only used Soft Light or Overlay blending mode. As I progress, I like to experiment with different blending mode, such as Screen (one of my favorites), Hard Light, Multiply and even Exclusion. :) Give them a try and you’ll be surprised with the results.




My personal favorite...


If you would like to try using textures on your images, there are some amazing artists who offer textures for free. So you can always try and decide if textures are for you. If you happen to use the free textures from these artists, don't forget to credit them. ;)

My favorite texture artists:
Isabelle of Isabelle LeFrance Photography
Jerry Jones of Shadowhouse Creations
Kim Klassen of Kim Klassen Cafe
Rita of The CoffeeShop Blog

Hope you found this post useful. If you have questions, you can always leave comments or send me email through the {Say Hello!} section.

Thanks for stopping by! :)