Texture

Recently I have not been out taking too many photos with my camera.  Instead, I have focused on adding textures to some existing photos that may not have been perfect “out of the camera”, but with some added texture, have possibilities. I have added textures to photos periodically in the past, but maybe due to the cold of past weeks or some other reason, it is absorbing more of my time now. Adding textures is a matter of taste and can be done in several ways in Photoshop using layers.  You can have one layer of texture or many layers of texture.  They can be added so the photo takes on the look of a painting or be subtle to add a little punch to an otherwise mundane photo.

I have found many other like minded photographers on Flickr with several Flickr groups just for textured photos. There are some very creative people out there.  I am sure that this phase will probably pass as soon as I am inspired to go out shooting again. But in the meantime, it has kept the artistic juices flowing.

I have added a few of my recent creations below for your perusal.

Mark Lenz

Along the West Texas Highway

The Old West

 

Fishing

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Worth a (Two) Second Look

How often do we fail to notice the beauty of the “small things” in Nature?

Such is the case with insects drawn to lights at night. Their flight (seeking what?) seems futile and beyond understanding – hardly worth a second look.

But, how about a TWO second look? That’s what I did to capture this image. Using a tripod and a telephoto lens and a 2-second exposure we are able to get a different look into the world of insects and their behavior.

Some of those random and, to us, pointless flight paths now are seen as almost ballet-like. Others could be the antics of an aerobatic pilot. Still others appear to be the frantic flight of beings possessed. The briefest of pauses as the wings change direction now appear as “barbs” along a piece of wire, perhaps.

There is so much to see even in the minute parts of nature. The more I study images like this one the more intrigued I become.