People are attracted to patterns, especially when patterns appear as a kind of geometric construction. Patterns can create a sense of harmony in a photograph. There are two types of pattern effects informal patterns and geometric patterns.
Informal patterns are used for decoration and can be used to add dimensions to an image, breaking up the flatness and dullness of the background or foreground. Think of items you see in nature that tend to not be symmetrical—such as leaves, rocks and mountains. Using informal patterns gives a feeling of freedom and unpredictability.
Geometric patterns occur when figures in a scene are distributed geometrically, such as arranging figures of a photograph into the vertices of a triangle. They can show up as circles, squares, rectangles, polygons, etc... Geometric patterns tend to be symmetrical. To emphasize these patterns, shoot straight on at right angles to the surface. Black-and-white and monochrome images will highlight the shapes and patterns more clearly. If you shoot down along the surface, you can create a sense of depth, because the patterns will change in shape as they recede into the distance.
Textures also create visual interest and depth in your photographs. People are attracted to them because they convey both visual and tactile sensations. With the right lighting, you can pick out rugged surfaces in sharp textual relief or reveal fine texture in surfaces that seem almost completely smooth to the eye.
To bring out the texture of an object, the light should come from an oblique angle so that it rakes the subject’s surface, highlighting each small relief and creating shadows within the indentations.