Textures in Black and White

There were some great owl shot entered in this contest, but this was my favourite. I like the profile view, which emphasises the different textures on show, from the very soft downy feathers to the smooth bill and glassy eye. I also love the way the feathers all around the head are slightly clumped and wet, adding to the textures and looking like this little fellow has just been caught in the rain. Great image, well done on your top ten placing.

This looks such a simple shot, but very rarely are these minimalalist abstract images simple to execute well. Lighting is the key here, with only the horizontal tread of the steps visible, along with a slither of light on the corner of the upper step which importantly connects it to the lower one, the remainder of the scene being in deep shadow. The light reveals the texture of the stone, and I especially like way the little chips in the stone along the edges of the step are revealed, all making the image a perfect choice for this textures contest. Well done on your top ten placing.

In choosing the placed images in this contest, I was looking primarily for three things - an image which was strong in terms of photographic skill, super capture of textures, and a shot which demonstrated effective use of black and white. This image scored well on all those aspects, and makes it my number one image for this contest. I like the close in viewpoint, which allows a great range of textures to be visible, from the softer to the coarser wool/hair, the rough ridged horn and the smooth glassy eye. The eye is in sharp focus, and everything is well exposed to reveal plenty of detail. I especially like the little detail of the wet tufts on the top of the head - makes me want to touch, but I am unsure how well received that would be!! Congratulations on your winning image.

There were a fair number of entries in this contest showing leaves, however this is one of only a few which achieved the objective of capturing texture - many seemed to confuse texture with pattern, which ended in a shot which whilst full of detail, was flat and gave no indication how the subject would feel to the touch. Your viewpoint and use of light and shade has enabled you to be successful in showing some lovely textures, from the largest to the smallest veins on the underside of this leaf. Very effective use of depth of field too - not to shallow, but not too much in sharp focus either. A lovely image, well done on your top ten placing.

This is one of those images which just makes me want to touch!! I like the abstract nature of the image, with no obvious focal point, but plenty of interest to hold the attention around the entire shot. Super level of details showing every single fibre making up the wool, and enough light and shadow to give depth to the subject and further emphasise the texture. Lovely image and great textures, well done on your top ten placing.

A simple but effective subject choice, very much on brief for the theme of this contest. A great combination of textures, from the skin on the hands and wrists, to the smooth dried clay, and the cracks and flakes, and areas at the base of the fingers where the clay is still wet. The lighting has been used very effectively, and the conversion to black and white has been very well done. Congratulations on your third place finish.

This is an unusual image and not an obvious subject choice for this contest, however the low key rim lighting makes it an ideal textural subject. Caught in profile, there is just enough detail for the subject to be obvious, whilst retaining a slight feel of mystery. The tiny hairs on the skin and curves of the profile contrast nicely with the rougher surface of the microphone, lit to perfection to show just enough detail in the surface to reveal the texture. Well done on your top ten placing.

This close-up view of some curly wool/fur has no real focal point, but that does not matter, as despite that, there is plenty to hold the attention as the eye can move around the frame to look over the slightly different shapes and patterns of the curls. The texture you have captured is great and an ideal subject for this contest. There is enough variation in tones for all the curls to be clear, and there is no doubt how this object would feel to the touch - just what I was hoping to see. Well done on your top ten placing.

There were quite a few entries where I would be very tempted to reach in and touch if only I could, but here I am not too sure I would want to! The slippery rubbery texture and the raised suckers have been very well captured through effective use of the light, which has just about avoided any burning out of the glistening wet highlights. The square crop and framing works well to contain the subject, and the black and white conversion has been well executed too, giving a full range of tones from black through to white. Great image, well done on your second place finish.

A great subject choice for this contest, and the inclusion of the hand not only adds different textures in its own right, but allows us to imagine more of how the sand would actually feel if it were our own hand in the image. Very well composed, with just enough of the hand in the frame, and the sand suitably blurred to give a sense of movement. Great image, well done on your top ten placing. (Hopefully you did not have to perform a sensor clean after this shot due to all the sand and dust flying around!!)