Collections: Texture
Collecting Texture
We all aspire to capture greatness, whether for a book, portfolio, social media presence, or just to shoot. We all know those images can be few and far between—some bad, some good, and, with some luck, a great one.
“Make your own luck”
Not all shoots can be portfolio day. I often spend days sharpening my skills. One way to hone skills is to create image collections, in this case, texture. Any city is full of texture, and Tokyo is no different. Texture can be literal, like grime on a brick wall or an abandoned bicycle leaning against an old building. I see the texture in a city as history—a layer behind all the beautiful things that make a great neighbourhood.
Collecting image Texture near Omiya station in Saitama.
Simple, full of character, and easy to frame up; add a person if you like. This is an image for posterity simply because you want it—nothing preconceived, nothing fancy, just something extraordinary, an image only for you.
Why do I collect images in the first place? The simple reason is that I like to. The abstract reason is that it makes me a better artist. The better artist I am, the better street photographer I can be.
How does collecting texture make me a better artist? The textures in Tokyo are as varied as the city itself. Finding something that follows the conventions of line, shape, balance, contrast, pattern, and harmony helps to sharpen my skills in seeing those conventions in other locations. Mastering these rules nurtures their breaking later.
For example, this image features muted light and a soft colour palette and looks fantastic. I want this image in my collection, knowing it will never see the light of day. Taking a few minutes to capture is worthwhile because there is a lot to see and learn from this mural. The complimentary colours, teal and orange, clash against the red and pink, creating layer one of texture. The sun dominates the snow-capped mountain in size and colour, adding another layer. The brightly coloured fairy flies above the kneeling white-clad angel provide more contrast. There is more, but the point is made. A throw-away shot holds a lot for the viewer and photographer to see.
This image may never be published, but that's the reason I took it. The purpose, as previously stated, is to make me a better artist and to see what's in front of me. What better way than to capture the very foundations of the city I photograph?
