Photographer: Heather Evans Smith

I'm in love with Smith's self-portraits. She uses a lot of sepia tones and darkness in her work, resulting in beautiful, vintage-looking shots. Everything looks like a master's painting, with lovely textures and subtle lighting. She's also a portrait photographer, and what I really like about her work there is how quirky and cheeky many of her portraits are, especially the ones she shoots of women. No docile housewives for Smith, no sir. Check out her Flickr 'stream and see for yourself. :)

Smith's website

Free Texture: Slate

Free for personal, non-commercial use ONLY. You may not sell or package the image with other items for sale. You may not repost the image or transfer it to another user. You can, however, post the link for those who would like to use the image themselves.




This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

Free Texture: Night Clouds

Free for personal, non-commercial use ONLY. You may not sell or package the image with other items for sale. You may not repost the image or transfer it to another user. You can, however, post the link for those who would like to use the image themselves.




This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

Free Texture: High Key Chopping Board w/ Crumbs

Free for personal, non-commercial use ONLY. You may not sell or package the image with other items for sale. You may not repost the image or transfer it to another user. You can, however, post the link for those who would like to use the image themselves.




This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

Michelle Black Actions

In addition to being a stellar photographer, Michelle Black offers some kick butt actions for Photoshop, including RAW presets, if you're one of them thar RAW peeps. I am a HUGE fan of her Soft Bleach-Out Glaze and Faux Soft Filter actions, as well as her High Key B&W action. Check those and more out at her resource site, which includes textures, templates, and business forms for photographers. Don't forget to read her blog, for eye candy galore and tons of examples of her actions and textures at work. :)

Black's website

Lakshal Perera

AKA the Mullet God for a longstanding joke between him and his friends, Lakshal "Lucky" Perera takes gorgeous nature shots, dramatic travel images, and wedding/portraits that are outside the norm in all the very best ways. His portraits look more like candids which also happen to showcase his subjects' best features, rather than posed shots. They're awesome and exactly the kind of shots I'd want to be able to take, if I did that kind of photography. He makes me want to learn that kind of photography, just so I can aspire to his level. :)

In addition to his professional website, which also features a great blog, Lakshal has a set of Photoshop actions he offers free, and I heartily recommend you take him up on it. They're really first rate actions, bound to make your processing easier.


Perera's website