I’ve been working lately with an app called Mextures, which allows me to add incredible effects and textures to photos. The above shot of St Lawrence went from being a “meh” daytime color shot to dark, atmospheric, and mysterious. I created a composition which contrasted the feathery texture of trees, the smooth architecture of the roof, and the cathedral spire on the right side to anchor and frame the whole thing. I was sure to include a cross to indicate the purpose of the building. For the sky, I used Mextures with a combination of textures and filters until I got the distressed, vintage, old-time look I was going for, without sacrificing any clarity in the roof line.