How to Create the Highest Quality Prints

Article and Photography by Ron Bigelow

Photoshop CS4 Used in this Tutorial

The end goal for many photographers is the print. For many photographers, the print is the most satisfying way of experiencing an image. There is just something very gratifying about seeing one of your images as a beautiful print that everyone can enjoy.
Not only do many photographers enjoy making prints, they are making larger prints than ever before. When I first started shooting digitally, I made 8"x10" prints. I remember when I got my first printer that made 13"x19" prints. I thought that the prints were huge. Now, I make 24"x36" prints. Panorama prints can even be larger.
There can be no denying it. Large prints can be more effective in grabbing a viewer's attention and communicating the photographer's intent to the viewer than small prints. On the other hand, large prints also make weaknesses in an image much more obvious. Things such as a lack of sharpness, a poor mask, poor resolution, inferior editing technique, and a lack of printing skill that might go unnoticed in a small print will dramatically stand out in a large print.
Thus, as prints become larger, ones workflow and editing technique must dramatically improve. With that in mind, the purpose of this article is to cover those aspects of workflow that will maximize the quality of prints. It should be kept in mind that these methods often require more time than simpler methods. Thus, these methods are not necessarily for all prints. Rather, they are designed for those times when a very high quality print is desired. For instance, these methods would be appropriate for a large fine art print that is intended for display. They would be overkill for a 5"x7" print that will end up in the family photo album.

Start with Raw

When a chef wants to create a gourmet meal, he starts with the best ingredients. It would be foolish for a chef to attempt to create an epicurean delight by starting with inferior ingredients. Similarly, any photographer that wishes to create the highest quality prints possible needs to start with the best data. That means that the image should be shot in raw.
Shooting raw has many advantages over shooting JPGs. However, one of the biggest advantages has to do with the number of bits in an image. JPG files are eight bit. That means that there are eight bits of information for each of the three color channels (i.e., red, green, and blue). Those eight bits can produce 256 shades for each of the three color channels. On the other hand, raw files contain more bits. Currently, most of the DSLRs being released are fourteen bit. Thus, there are fourteen bits of information for each of the three color channels in a raw file. Once the image is converted, that works out to 16,384 shades for each of the channels. So, what does this mean in practical terms? Actually, there are several ramifications.
First, in some cases, color transitions are noticeably smoother. Since there are a lot more shades of each color with images that start as raw, adjacent colors are closer together than with JPG images. Thus, with raw, the transitions from one color to another are smoother because it entails many diminutive steps instead of a smaller number of larger steps as is the case with JPGs. Now, notice that this paragraph starts off by stating, "in some cases". Whether or not the differences in color transitions between raw and JPG are noticeable or not depend on a number of factors such as the tonal region (e.g., quarter tones vs. three quarter tones), amount of editing, and size of print).

Second, there will be more shadow detail with images that start as raw files. This has to do with the fact that camera sensors are linear. Now, getting into a technical discussion of sensor linearity is beyond the scope of this article. However, in short, sensor linearity means that the sensor places most of the bits in the lighter shades and far fewer bits in the shadows. Thus, the shadows simply do not have nearly as many bits, and therefore shades, as the highlights. This is particularly a problem for JPG images. Since JPG images do not have a lot of bits to begin with, and more of the bits are allocated to the lighter shades, there are relatively few bits available for the shadows. Thus, there are few shades in the shadows, and detail suffers. With raw, the situation is significantly different. While raw files also have fewer bits in the shadows, there are so many bits that the shadow detail doesn't suffer as much. In general, a file that starts as a fourteen bit raw file will have sixty-four times as many shades in the shadows than an eight bit JPG file.
Third, images that start as raw files hold up to editing better than JPG files. When files are edited, some shades are spread farther apart. Other shades are lost due to quantization error. What this means is that the distance between one shade and the next can become larger due to the editing. If the distance between the shades becomes large enough, the human eye will be able to see the difference between adjacent shades. When this happens, posterization results. This is often seen as banding across areas of little detail (such as a featureless sky). Since the shades in images that started as raw files are much closer together than the shades in JPG files, posterization is much less likely to occur than with JPG images.
Fourth, images that start as raw files are much more suitable for large color spaces than JPG images. Large color spaces include more colors. The shades in an image must be spread across the colors in a color space. The larger the color space, the farther apart the shades must be to cover the entire color space. This is not a problem for fourteen bit raw files. There are so many shades that the shades easily cover the larger color spaces. However, JPG files have a problem. To cover all of the color space with only eight bits, the shades must be spread farther apart. This makes posterization much more likely -- especially if a significant amount of image editing is used (remember, image editing can spread shades even farther apart).
There are other advantages to shooting raw. For those that are interested, the advantages of raw are covered in detail in my three part article series Why Raw.

Choose the Best Raw Converter for the Image

Most photographers convert their raw files with Camera Raw (see Figure 1). Most likely, this is because Camera Raw comes with Photoshop (the most popular image editing software).

Figure 1: Camera Raw

However, there are other raw converters. For instance, another raw converter option is DxO Optics Pro (See Figure 2).

Figure 2: DxO Optics Pro

The important point here is that different raw converters have different strengths and weaknesses. What this means is that one raw converter might do a better job, with a specific image, than a different raw converter. The trick is to match the raw converter with the requirements of an image.

This is demonstrated in Figures 3 and 4. These figures show a crop (at 100% view) from an image that has a problem with chromatic aberration. These figures show the image after it was converted with two different raw converters. The first raw conversion has a problem with the chromatic aberration. The second conversion shows no chromatic aberration. To be fair, the first raw converter does have controls that can be used to reduce the chromatic aberration. The problem is that the image has different colors of chromatic aberration in different areas of the image. Correcting one color of chromatic aberration caused the chromatic aberration of another color to become worse. Clearly, the second raw converter is preferable for this image. On the other hand, the first raw converter has been used with other images because it did a better conversion, with those images, than the second raw converter

Figure 3: Raw Converter #1

Figure 4: Raw Converter #2

The point should be clear, choosing a raw converter based on the requirements of an image produces superior image quality. To determine which raw converter is best for an image, the image can be converted with each raw converter. Then, an examination of the conversions will reveal which converter will work best.

Edit in the Raw Converter

As much of the editing as possible should be done in the raw converter. This is because edits in a raw converter do not degrade image detail. Conversely, edits in image editing programs, like Photoshop, do degrade image detail. The reason for this is that raw converters work with analogue data. On the other hand, tools within image editing programs work with digital data. The issue here is that edits with analogue data do not degrade image detail while edits with digital data do degrade detail due to quantization error (for a more detailed explanation, see Nondestructive Editing -- Part III).
This can be seen in Figures 5 and 6. Figure 5 shows an image histogram after the image was edited in a raw converter. The important point here is that the histogram is very smooth. This indicates that there has been no image degradation. Figure 6 shows the histogram after a similar edit was performed, on the same image, in Photoshop. The gaps and spikes clearly show that the image has been degraded after the edit was performed.

Figure 5: Edit with Raw Converter

Figure 6: Edit with Photoshop

The lesson should be obvious -- editing in a raw converter produces superior image quality.

Use Nondestructive Editing

There are two types of edits:

• Destructive Edits: Destructive edits change the original image data.
• Nondestructive Edits: Nondestructive edits do not change the original data.

For those edits that can not be performed in a raw converter, nondestructive editing should be used.
There are many types of nondestructive edits. Some of the more common are:

• Separate image layers
• Neutral layers
• Adjustment layers
• Smart Objects
• Smart Object transformations
• Smart Object Filters
• Raw converter (which is a special case of nondestructive editing)

Nondestructive edits have three main advantages over destructive edits:

• Preservation of the original data
• Flexibility
• Image Quality

For this article, the most important advantage is image quality. Now, there are a number of ways that nondestructive editing improves image quality. While the details of how nondestructive editing creates better image quality are beyond the scope of this article, the end result is that images that are edited with nondestructive edits will have less loss of image detail than images that are edited with destructive edits (for a more detailed investigation of nondestructive editing, see Nondestructive Editing).
Now, there is one point that needs to be addressed with respect to nondestructive editing. Many people think that nondestructive edits do not degrade image detail at all. This is incorrect. With the exception of raw converters, nondestructive edits do cause some image degradation. To better understand this, it is important to remember the definition of nondestructive edits: Nondestructive edits do not change the original data. The definition does not state that nondestructive edits do not degrade image detail. This is clearly demonstrated by referring back to Figure 6. This figure shows a histogram after an image was edited with an adjustment layer -- which is a nondestructive edit. The gaps and spikes in the histogram clearly show that some image degradation has occurred even thought the edit was nondestructive.
So, why use nondestructive edits if they produce some image degradation? The reason is that, while nondestructive edits do produce some image degradation, they produce less image degradation than destructive edits.
So, when editing images, these rules should be followed in order to produce the highest quality images:

• Edit in a raw converter whenever possible since edits in a raw converter do not degrade image detail.
• Edits that can not be performed in a raw converter should be done with nondestructive editing.
• Destructive edits should be avoided at all costs since they create the greatest amount of image degradation.

Select the Best Interpolation Method

One of the last steps before printing is to interpolate the image to its final size. Now, there are many interpolation methods available. Photoshop has several methods. In addition, there are interpolation software packages that can be purchased that have additional interpolation algorithms (for a detailed evaluation of several interpolation methods, see Interpolation).
The main conclusion that I have drawn is that, for linear interpolations of around 200% or smaller, there is not a clear winner between Bicubic Smoother (a Photoshop method), stairstep interpolation (a method done in Photoshop using Bicubic), and the commercial interpolation methods that I have tested. What is obvious is that, for any specific image, one interpolation method may produce better results than another interpolation. Thus, in order to produce the best print quality for a specific image, it is necessary to select the interpolation method that best suits the requirements of that image. This is demonstrated in Figures 7 and 8.

Figure 7: Bicubic Smoother interpolation Works Best for this Image

Figure 7 shows an image that was originally interpolated using stairstep interpolation. However, this interpolation method resulted in halos around the very dark edges of the plant. Switching to Bicubic Smoother interpolation eliminated these halos and resulted in a significantly superior quality image.

Figure 8: Stairstep Interpolation Works Best for this Image

On the other hand, Figure 8 shows an image where the stairstep interpolation method produced superior results. The stairstep interpolation resulted in better image detail that required considerably less sharpening than when the Bicubic Smoother interpolation was used.
The only way to know which interpolation method will produce the best results for an image is to interpolate the image with different interpolation methods and see which one works best.
On a side note, for linear interpolations of around 200% or less, I use either Bicubic Smoother or stairstep interpolation since they can be done in Photoshop without the necessity of purchasing any additional software. In addition, they appear to me to produce results as good, at this interpolation level, as the methods that require the purchase of separate software.

Select the Best Printing Resolution

Figure 9: Image Size

One step that affects image quality that is often missed is optimizing the printing resolution. The printing resolution is the number of pixels per inch (PPI) at which an image will be printed. In Photoshop, this is set in the Image Size dialogue box (see Figure 9).
There are actually a number of factors that help determine which PPI will produce the best print for a particular image (for more information on printing resolution, see Optimizing Printing Resolution). Furthermore, a PPI that works best for one image may not be the best choice for another image. In other words, the printing resolution needs to be individually selected for each image. This can be seen be looking back at Figures 7 and 8. The image in Figure 7 printed best at 360 PPI while the image in Figure 8 printed best at 300 PPI even though both prints were made on the same printer.
What this means is that, for a particular image, separate prints need to be made, each at a different PPI, in order to determine which PPI will produce the best print. This means that multiple interpolations need to be made to produce the prints at the different PPI settings.
Once the prints are made, they can be examined to determine which PPI setting produces the best print.
Some points should be kept in mind when determining the best PPI setting for a print:

• Generally, the lowest printing resolution that should be considered is somewhere between 180 and 200 PPI. Below this printing resolution, image quality tends to suffer.
• In general, it rarely makes sense to use a printing resolution higher than 360 PPI.
• This provides a range of printing resolutions that should be considered. A photographer might print copies of the image at 200, 250, 300, and 360 PPI.
• It is not necessary to print the entire image. A section of the image that has good detail can be used to produce smaller prints for the evaluation. This saves paper and ink. For instance, for a 24"x36" print, a 6"x10" section can be used to produce the test prints.

Selecting a Good Printer

The last issue that needs to be dealt with is the selection of the printer. Obviously, the better the printer, the better the prints that can be made. Unfortunately, it is not so easy to just switch printers. A good inkjet printer can cost anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars.
While good inkjet printers are costly, they affect image quality in two main ways:

• Better printers produce prints with higher resolution.
• Better printers have larger gamuts. Thus, they can reproduce more colors.

For many photographers, the color gamut of the printer is a major concern. Older generation printers have smaller gamuts. As a result, they are not capable of producing as many colors as later generation printers that use newer ink formulations with wider gamuts.
I ran into this issue with my printer. I was unhappy with the printer that I was using because it was incapable of printing some of the more saturated colors. As a result, I was not able to get satisfactory results with some of my images that had fairly saturated colors. This was particularly true for images that I had shot in the spring (with spring's saturated greens) and the fall (with autumn's saturated reds, oranges, and yellows). Several of these images were among my favorites. Yet, the prints looked lackluster due to the rather subdued colors that resulted with my printer.
After debating the issue for about a year, I finally purchased a new printer. The new printer can print most of the saturated colors that the old printer could not. In addition, the new printer has a host of other improved features that result in substantially improved image quality.

Now, I am not suggesting that everyone run out and buy a new printer. However, every photographer should be aware that the printer has a major impact on the quality of the final prints. If a photographer's printer is not up to standards, the quality of the prints it produces will be sub-optimal no matter how good the camera or workflow that was used to create the image.
In short, just as we buy new digital cameras as the technology evolves in order to produce higher quality images, we need to consider upgrading our printers every once in a while in order to get the superior image quality that the improved printer technology delivers.

Texture Photography -- Part 1

Article and Photography by Ron Bigelow

Figure 1: Texture Photography

The point of any image is to draw the attention of the viewers. Now, there are many ways to do this. Some images depend on bold color. Other images utilize leading lines. Still others rely on dramatic scenery. However, an often overlooked method of capturing the viewers' attention is the use of texture. Thus, the purpose of this article is to cover the fundamentals of texture photography.
Of course, the first thing that needs to be done is to define texture photography. For the purposes of this article, texture photography is any imagery that depends, at least partly, for its impact on the texture of the objects in the image. Texture will be defined as the surface detail of an object. This detail can be composed of surface irregularities (such as the wood grain of an old plank) or of small forms on a surface (such as a mass of roots from an ancient tree).

Why Shoot Texture Photography

Perhaps, the first question that should be addressed is why shoot texture photography. The answer is quite simple. As photographers, we need to create images that have impact, and the proper utilization of texture can add impact to images. When used properly, texture can be just as powerful as bold color, leading lines, or dramatic scenery.
By adding the use of texture to our skill set, we expand our skills and become better photographers. Thus, texture becomes another tool that is available in our skill set that can be drawn on at any time.

Types of Texture Photography

There are three primary types of texture photography that will be covered in this article: detail, drama, and information.

Figure 2: Texture for Detail

Detail: With this type of texture photography, the detail in the surface of the object being photographed is the most important aspect of an image. The actual object is of lesser importance. When this technique is used, the image is often shot as a macro shot in order to move in very close to emphasize the detail or as a partial object shot where only a portion of the object is photographed (see Figure 2).
For a good detail image, it is important to select a proper subject. The best subjects will have either strong tonal or color contrast as the contrast enhances the detail of the texture. Without this contrast, the detail will not show very well, and the image will suffer as a result.
Another thing to pay attention too is the light. Often, the best light for this type of image is side light. Side light will bring out the detail in any uneven surface by casting shadows.

Figure 3: Texture for Drama

Drama: With this second approach to texture photography, the texture is used to add drama to an image (see Figure 3). Here, the texture is not necessarily the most important aspect of an image. Rather, it is one component of the image that serves to spice up the image.
Generally, the contrast or color of the texture serves to capture the viewer's attention. As is the case in Figure 3, the texture can also serve to direct the viewer's eye by the use of curves that the viewer's eye tends to naturally follow.
As was mentioned above for detail texture images, it is important to select subject matter that has tonal or color contrast. In addition, side light also tends to work well with drama texture images as it helps to bring out the texture -- thus enhancing the drama.
One more thing to look for in this type of image is that the texture must work in harmony with the overall image. For instance, the texture of some foreground rock may work harmoniously with the rest of an image of a large canyon. However, the texture of some old curtains (in the background) may not work well with an image of some fine, crystal glasses.

Figure 4: Texture for Information

Information: The third type of texture photography uses texture to help communicate information about an image. This can be seen in Figure 4. This is the window of the mortician's shop in an old ghost town. The old wood of the window frame, as well as the aged wood of the wagon (reflected in the window), clearly communicate that this is an old structure.
For information texture images, it is important to identify exactly what information the texture is to communicate and compose the image in such a way that the texture brings out the proper message.
One other important point is to make sure that the texture serves a subservient role in this type of image. In other words, the texture should help to enhance the center of interest of the image by adding information to the center of interest. The texture should not overwhelm the center of interest.

Composition

The general composition rules apply to texture photography just as they do other fields of photography (for a comprehensive article series on composition, see Advanced Composition). However, three aspects of composition tend to be particularly important in texture photography: contrast, curves, and patterns.

Figure 5: Composition -- Contrast within Texture

Contrast: Contrast comes in two forms: tonal contrast and color contrast. Either one works well for texture photography.
Now, there are a couple of ways that contrast can be used. The first way is within the texture itself. As already mentioned above, contrast enhances the detail in texture and makes it stand out. This can be seen in Figure 5. The color contrast of the white, yellow, brown, and green on the leaf makes the leaf detail more noticeable. In addition, the tonal contrast of the wood grain makes the texture of the wood stand out.

Figure 6: Composition -- Contrast with background

The other way that contrast can be used is to make an area of texture contrast with the background. This draws a viewer's attention to the area and makes it stand out. This is shown in Figure 6. In this image, the leaf sharply contrasts with the background. This draws the eye to the area of texture at the front of the leaf.

Curves: Texture can often take the form of curves. When this is the case, the curves tend to fall into one of two categories: leading curves and non-leading curves.

Figure 7: Leading Curves

Leading curves serve to lead a viewer's eye. Specifically, they lead the viewer's eye to the center of interest. This strengthens the center of interest. As a result, leading curves can be very successful in increasing the effectiveness of an image. The use of leading curves can be seen in Figure 7. The curves lead the eye to the bush (which serves as the center of interest in this image).

Figure 8: Non-Leading Curves

Non-leading curves do not lead a viewer's eye to the center of interest. Instead, they serve to add some type of feeling or information to an image. This is demonstrated in Figure 8. The curves do not lead anywhere. Instead, they serve to add a sense of the dramatic to the image.

When using curves, it is very important to be aware that curves add emotional content to an image by affecting the mood of the image. Vertical lines can communicate moods of: stability, peace, or power. Horizontal lines tend to communicate a feeling of permanence or lack of change. Diagonal lines are best at making an image more dynamic or communicating a sense of action (for a much more detailed coverage of the use of curves to communicate mood, please see Advanced Composition).

Figure 9: Vertical Curves

Consequently, it is very important to use curves that work in harmony with the rest of an image to communicate the main point of the image. For instance, Figure 9 shows the image of the ghost town again. Some of the strongest curves in this image (the lines/curves formed by the grain of the wood post at the right of the image) are vertical. They help to communicate a sense of stability in this image. In other words, this ghost town building has clearly been around a long time, and it isn't going to change much anytime in the near future. The vertical curves help to communicate this message.
On the other hand, had strong diagonal curves been used in the image, the curves would have added a sense of the dynamic to the image. This would have contradicted the rest of the image. The result would have been a weakened image.

Figure 10: Diagonal Curves

Figure 10 shows an example of an image that benefits from the use of diagonal curves. In this image, the diagonal curves help to communicate the graceful and dynamic nature of the sand dunes.

Patterns: Patterns are frequently very effective at catching people's attention. However, when used in photographs, simple patterns by themselves often don't hold the attention for very long. Therefore, it is necessary to be a little more sophisticated with the use of patterns when creating texture images. There are a couple of ways that patterns in textures can be made more effective: multiple patterns and breaking the pattern.

Figure 11: Multiple Patterns

When using multiple patterns, two or more patterns, that reinforce each other, are used. Figure 11 shows a use of multiple patterns. Here, the texture pattern of the center of the flower is matched with the texture pattern of the pedals.

Figure 12: Breaking the Pattern

The other option is to break the texture pattern. This is usually done by inserting an object into the pattern (see Figure 12). The inserted object should be carefully placed in such a manner that it enhances the composition. Often, following the rule of thirds (or a similar composition rule) in placing the object will give excellent results.

Texture Photography -- Part 2

Article and Photography by Ron Bigelow

Part 1 of this series covered the fundamentals of texture photography. Parts 2 and 3 will apply the concepts of texture photography to various subject matter.

Buildings

Figure 1: Building

Buildings are a rich source of opportunities for texture photography. This is especially true for old buildings.
When photographing buildings, there are a couple of ways to approach the subject: photographing part of the building or photographing the entire building.
When a part of a building is photographed, the camera is generally moved in close to isolate an interesting section of the building. So, it is necessary to start by identifying an interesting component of the building that will serve as the center of interest of the image. Most likely, this will be an object that has an interesting form. In addition, due to the camera being so close to the building, the texture will be a dominant characteristic of the image. Thus, it is critical that the texture also be interesting. Last, the light is important. Side light will usually be best as it will enhance the center of interest and the texture.
When an entire building is photographed, the situation changes. The texture will now be in a supporting role. It is still important to have good texture, but the shape and character of the building are the most important factors. Thus, it is crucial that the building be selected carefully and that the image be well composed.
As far as light is concerned, early morning or late afternoon light will tend to add personality to a building.
Last, the surrounding environment can be very important in this type of image. The environment can add information to an image that helps tell the story of the building.
Last, don't forget the sky. A colorless, featureless sky can ruin an otherwise interesting building shot. Look for either some clouds or some color that contrasts with the building to help make the building stand out.

Rock

Figure 2: Rock

Rock formations can be used to create great texture images. Of course, when selecting a rock formation for a texture image, the texture is going to be a primary concern. However, there are a few other things that should be considered: rock form, rock color, and curves.
The forms that are created by the various pieces of rock can help define the character of an image. For example, smooth rock will help to create a feeling of calm while jagged rock will create a feeling of tension or unease. So, the forms of the rock must work harmoniously with the rest of the image to create the emotion the photographer wishes to instill in a viewer.
The color of the rock can add richness to an image. So, if the rock has a strong color, it is usually best to capitalize on it. This can be done in a couple of ways. First, a polarizer can often be used to enhance the color. Second, the light for the image should be chosen carefully. This generally means that these types of images should either be shot during the magic hour (half hour after sunrise or half hour before sunset) or with reflected light. Either of these types of light will likely help to enhance the saturation of the rock.
Curves in rock can be used to add impact to an image. However, as mentioned in Part 1 of this article series, it is important to remember that curves add emotional content to an image (for more information, see Advanced Composition). For instance, graceful curves add a sense of elegance, horizontal curves create a feeling of stability, and jagged curves create an uncomfortable atmosphere. So, the curves must match the overall mood that the image is to project.
A couple of final points should be remembered. First, don't forget to consider having a strong center of interest to draw a viewer's attention. Second, if there is a background (such as a sky), it is usually best to choose a background that contrasts with the rock in order to accentuate the rock formation.

Logs

Figure 3: Log

Logs are one of the easiest objects to use for creating texture images. This is because they have two characteristics that lend themselves to texture photography: contrast and curves.
The first thing to look for when scouting out logs for texture photography is the contrast. It is necessary to start with a log that has enough contrast to grab a viewer's attention. This usually means that a log must have a grain that has contrast. The second thing to look for is a set of curves. These can be either leading or non-leading curves. The important thing is that the curves add to the image in some way.
An image of a log can frequently be enhanced by including something from the environment that surrounds the log. The most likely objects for this will be flowers or vegetation.
Often, side light works well to help emphasis the contrast in the grain. However, side light is not always necessary. This is particularly true if some drama can be added to an image in some other way. For instance, when old logs get wet, the wood can sometimes become darker and take on a more moody feel. This works great for texture photography. In addition, when objects (such as the flowers or vegetation already mentioned) contrast in tone or color with the wood, this may add all the drama that is needed.

Plants

Figure 4: Plants

Plants are great for texture photography because they are everywhere. That means that you don't need to travel someplace to get some great shots. All you have to do is visit your backyard.
There are so many characteristics of plants that can be used to create interesting texture images. Of course, the first thing to look for is good texture. This is usually pretty easy to find in a garden. However, you don't want to stop there. After some plants that have good texture have been found, you should look for other aspects of the plants that can be used to create an even better image.
One of the things for which one should look is any interesting curves. Often, this comes in the form of curves formed by the edges of leaves or curves that result from plant stems. The next thing that should be considered is color. Color demands a viewer's attention. Thus, the more saturated the color, the more interested people will likely be in an image. Even better than color is contrasting color. Contrasting color can really make an image come alive.
The best light for plant photography is usually a diffuse light. That means that great plant shots can be captured on overcast days or early/late in the day when the garden is in shadow.
The seasons play an important part in plant photography. Spring produces beautiful, lush greens. Autumn can produce stunning fall colors (depending on where you live). Unfortunately, summer and winter are less ideal for plant photography as the plants are less vibrant at that time.

Trees

Figure 5: Trees

Trees provide a rich variety of texture photography opportunities. Great texture images can be created from the leaves, bark, or roots. When using the leaves as texture photography subject matter, the guidelines pretty much follow those covered in the Plants section directly above. In other words, one should look for interesting curves, color, and color contrast. Furthermore, the best light is often produced by overcast conditions that create a soft, diffuse light.
The bark of trees often has great texture. Furthermore, the texture commonly forms an irregular pattern. This can create some great subject matter for texture photography. Of course, in this case, it is necessary to move in close enough to concentrate on the bark. However, there is one problem that can occur when photographing the bark. As mentioned in Part 1 of this series, while patterns can often capture a viewer's interest, simple patterns can sometimes fail to hold that interest for very long. Consequently, it is best to figure out a way to add some interest to the pattern. This is often fairly easy with tree bark. All that may be necessary is to break the pattern. This can be done by finding some irregularity in the bark (such as a knot).
With some trees, roots can be the most interesting part of the tree for texture photography. This is because of the interesting patterns that roots can form. The key here is to find a tree with exposed roots. These roots can form jagged, irregular curves that can add a sinister or menacing mood to an image. Side light may help to strengthen this mood. However, this sinister/menacing mood can sometimes be captured even with diffuse light.

Insects

Figure 6: Insects

Another opportunity for texture photography is to photograph insects. There are a couple of different ways that insects can be used for texture photography: macro shots and non-macro shots. Obviously, for macro shots, the camera must be moved in very close to the insect. This allows one to photography the texture of the insect. This texture can take many forms. For some insects, the texture can be almost grotesque as the insects appear as tiny monsters. For other insects, the texture can take on beautiful patterns. For instance, this is the case with butterfly's and some beetles.
For macro shots of insects, macro equipment will be needed. A detailed explanation of macro equipment and techniques is beyond the scope of this article. The only comment that will be made is that ordinary sunlight will likely not be sufficient for this type of photography. Some macro flash capability will be required.
However, a lack of macro equipment is no reason to miss out on insect photography. Great insect images can be captured without a macro lens. It is just necessary to back up a little bit. For non-macro insect shots, the best results can often be captured by showing the insects within their environment. In fact, for non-macro shots, most of the texture may come from the environment rather than the insects.
The best light for this type of image varies from one situation to another. So, it will be necessary to use a little bit of judgment to select the best light for each shot.