Ailsa at wheresmybackpack.com has a weekly photography challenge called Travel Theme.  This week it’s Texture.  It’s been up about two days & already there are 183 links to people’s texture photos. On a short trip to Philadelphia last year I noticed these textures with pleasure:

This terrific gargoyle was on a building somewhere in the vicinity of Rittenhouse Square.

These textures are on the Church of the Holy Trinity, on Rittenhouse Square. Built around 1859, it’s a well known Romanesque Revival wonder, with the most amazing stained glass windows inside.  Some historical data I found online says the exterior is “Brownstone ashlar” and “Coarse sand mortar patchwork is visible in some areas, punched and gouged for textural effect.” I love that – punched & gouged for textural effect. Just don’t do it to me.

Incidentally, “Oh Little Town of Bethlehem” was written by the church’s second rector, the music by its organist.

Finally, looking up at dusk towards Philly’s skyline, the light shining on nearby tree branches seems to make a scrim through which the slick dark rectangles of modern buildings shine dimly.

Link to more texture photos:    http://wheresmybackpack.com/2012/09/14/travel-theme-texture/#comments