LAPC #226 – Textures – Cornwall in Colours

I am delighted to have been asked to host this week’s Lens Artists Photo Challenge and wanted to choose a subject that I am particularly interested in. Texture is one method of bringing life to your photos. While the structure of an object is its form, the material from which it is made constitutes its texture. You are aiming at translating texture visually, bringing life and energy to a photo through shape, tone and colour.

The texture still needs to be interesting if you want a good photo

Study the texture and forget about what it is you are photographing, imagine reaching out and touching a photograph. What would you feel? Is it hard or soft, smooth or rough? Texture becomes the subject here.

Along the coastal path you often find barbed wire fencing separating the path from farmland, here I was attracted to the many different textures in this scene. Old rusty wire vs new, two types of lichens on the rotting fence post, the wood silvered by the elements. Along with the spiky grass, soft flower heads and the brown seed-heads picking up the rust colour.

Whenever I am near a harbour and see the boats I get distracted by the minutiae of all things nautical. Flaking paint, rusty chains, fraying rope – there are so many different textures to catch the eye. Getting in close is important for seeing textures as is looking for unusual patterns or contrasting colours.

Fishing boat hull showing layers of paint over the years along with a casually tossed coil of twisted rope. Sometimes texture isn’t just a detail of a photo, it is the whole point of the photo as an abstract or semi-abstract idea.

Stepping away from the manmade objects the beach is also a place where texture abounds from sand as soft as icing sugar to boulders smoothed by the ocean waves, sharp mussels and barnacles, frothy foam and slimy seaweed.

Huge boulders on this beach have been smoothed into rounded shapes by the ocean storms. They are very tactile.

Slimy ribbons of kelp entangled on the shore. Sometimes known as Tangles. Imagine sinking your hand into this.

Furbellow kelp (Saccorhiza polyschides) is a kelp species with a distinctive large warty holdfast. How do you think this feels?

The spiky, silvery leaves of Sea-holly give this plants its common name. It can be found along coastlines and in sand dunes. These leaves are covered with a waxy cuticle to help the plant retain water in the arid conditions in which it thrives. Definitely not one to pick up.

And finally this wouldn’t be a complete Cornish post without a look at a Cornish hedge (never a wall or hedgerow) which is always a treasure trove of textures.

More distinctive lichens. The bright orange is **Caloplaca marina** the **Orange Sea Lichen** is a crustose, placodioid lichen. The green is a fruticose which looks like a little shrub.

And although I have chosen a very personal Cornish theme for my take on the subject you can choose anything you like including art, nature, food, textiles, architecture or even common objects around the home

We are very much looking forward to seeing the different textures you can find in your world. Please link to my original post and use the Lens-Artists tag. If you’re new to the Lens-Artists challenges and would like to participate, here’s a link describing how you can join us.

Sincere thanks to Anne Sandler for a marvellous challenge last week. Your sightings of Wildlife Close to Home took us around the globe and showed us the wonderful variety of wildlife in and around your area. Next Saturday at noon, Tina will be our host for LAPC #227, so be sure to visit her amazing site Travels and Trifles for inspiration and details. Until then, stay safe and be kind.