Today I will discuss something I look for in my photography - TEXTURE.  
I Love textures.    I used to really go overboard on textures and that is the reason I've re-edited some of my old photos.    When the photo is a photo of a texture or when there is plenty of texture in the photograph already it is not necessary to add any texture.    Texture should be treated like a fine wine.    A glass or two is perfect but if you get drunk you become an absolute mess.    Using texture is much the same (in my opinion).     Now I will add a caveat there are times for working on an abstract original a severe or obvious texture may add to the overall composition but these are rare instances.    Generally speaking texture is is like frosting on the cake.   You want some but you also want the cake also.   Okay maybe that's not the best analogy because I'm sure there are readers out there who would argue they could live on frosting alone (you know who you are).   LOL  🙂

I also love poetry.  I love poetry for it's ability to condense feelings, emotions, images, impressions into a few words - no need to write a novel.   At least I don't feel the need to write a novel.   :-).  Textures for me provide that same ability and can change a "feeling" or "impression" of an image just by adding some textures - the same that poetry does for language or storytelling.  
 
My newest texture was created using this photo below.  It is simply a photograph of paint/tar splatter on concrete wall under a roadway where homeless camp out from time to time.   When I photographed this I took the image with an intention of using it as a texture.   I didn't know how at the time but today it all came together.  

In Photoshop is opened the raw file added contrast etc because I wanted the "squiggles" to stand out more.   Then I began to add layers of the photo,  rotating and repositioning them as as what felt right.   Each layer I would either use the "exclusion" or "difference" function.  When I was finished I had a wonderful abstract mess that I could use as a texture.    The original was in color but I also converted it to black & white to use on monochrome photos.  

One of the things I like about textures is that they can bring out the feelings or moods of an image that lie just under the surface.    And I think this can take a bland image from the level of mere representation to "art".     See what you think.   

Below are two photos. The one from an abandoned factory; I haven't posted before because it seemed to be missing something, but when I added the color version of this new texture it seemed to come alive for me.   You can see hints of the texture but again it does not overpower the original image.    It enhances the crusty dirty feeling of what the location was really like.   I almost feel like I can rub my finger across the image and dust and dirt will come off.    

On the Winter scene below - I used the black and white version of the texture.   And to me it gives the image almost a vintage feel.    It adds to the snowiness of the overall scene making it feel even sharper and therefore colder even icy.    

Well those are my thoughts and look into the evolution of some of my images.   What do you think?   If anyone would like a jpeg or tif file of these textures color and/or black and white to use on your own work - use the contact form on this blog and I will email you a copy of the file.   This offer is for a limited time only.   Thanks everyone.