Composition Class #2: Texture

This past Wednesday, I had my third Photography Composition Class, and the second where an assigment was due.  This week's assignment was Texture.  I had seen other photographers participate in Texture photo challenges before, and they were all quite inventive, so I was intimidated at first.  But, the teacher always shows examples of photos that fit the theme at the end of the lecture, and they were mostly pictures of everyday places and objects, but the photographers captured the texture using lighting at an angle which enhanced the contrast.

For the photo at the top and the ones above and below, I got up early and went down to Frame Park in Waukesha since I knew that their small botannical garden had stone walls, decorative pots, and wooden trellisses.  I really liked the different formations in the stone wall above, and the one below looked to me like a Frank Lloyd Wright stained glass window with the different lines etched into the stone.

Another reason I was happy to participate in the Cream City: Milwaukee photowalk to the East Troy Electric Railroad Museum was that I knew there would be a lot of texture to be found on the old rail cars.  The photo below was actually taken of a large door to the museum itself.

The photo below is my favorite one of the assignment.  I was on the Chicago Electric out to Mukwonago, and we passed this train with a lot of rust and chipped paint.  Unfortunately, since we were moving, I couldn't get a good shot at the time.  When we got back to the station to start the walk, I waited until the Chicago Electric pulled out again and started shooting.  The teacher liked this photo as well, and gave me my best compliment about my work so far:  He said that there was a lot to look at in my photos.  I hope that's true.

My class isn't being held this week due to it falling on July 4.  So, when we go back on the 11th, we have two assignments.  One is light and shadow and the other is lines and circles.  I'll have to think hard about the best places around town that offer both.  But, it's fun to go out hunting for shots, so I'm looking forward to the challenge.