Brooke Shaden

Please, people, read the title as sarcastically as you can. There are so many countless people who use textures out there. Some people use them very subtly, some people use them dramatically and boldly, but nonetheless “texturing” has become an art in its own right. First let me start this by explaining the very basic technique of adding texture to a photo, for those who have never tried this before. First, you either create your own texture or download a free texture online. I will use Les Brumes from Flickr as an example here, because those textures are free to use and download and I have taken a particular interest in many of them myself.

You import the texture into your editing program (I will use Photoshop as an example as I am familiar with it) and drag that texture image onto your original photograph. Change the mode to “soft light” or some variation in that drop down menu, and viola! You have a texture overlay on one of your photos. I won’t give any more secrets out than that, and really that was a cop-out because that is no secret, tutorials are abundant online for that sort of thing.

Alright, so now that the concept of editing with a texture is universally known, let me get into the point of this post. Texture can add a lot of depth to an image and can really be of use when trying to create a specific mood or atmosphere. Some people use it to get that aged look, as I often do myself. It creates a timeless feel, as though that image could have been taken from any time. Texture can emulate the look of film, or sometimes of paper as if the photo was printed on canvas. Everyone has their own specific uses for texturing a photo. My top two reasons are as I just stated: 1) Creating a specific atmosphere, and 2) Making the photo appear timeless.

This is the sort of comment I get from time to time in reference to my use of adding texture, and it is one that I am finally responding to: “All I feel…is that you’re trying to cover up poor Photoshopping skills”. Okay, hold on now, one moment please…

I’ll bypass the part here where I complain that this person (and others like him/her) show a complete disregard for constructive criticism and jump to the point. Using a texture does not magically cover up mistakes, ask anyone who uses texture. I am sure that there are people out there who do use textures to cover up mistakes, as if you use a texture heavily enough it can do just that. But generally using a texture does not have this effect. Now, I happen to fall into the category of one who uses texture heavily. Could I use textures to cover up poor photoshopping? Sure, sometimes. Do I use texture to cover up poor Photoshopping? Never.

The editing process for me is heavily planned out from the start of the image. When I shoot the image I know what I will need to do to create the desired effect. I know that using a texture will be a part of the image. I usually get my textures from Les Brumes. The first step in my editing is to piece together my images. I usually have more than one, and so I work to stitch them together as flawlessly as possible. I won’t share my methods here, but rest assured (as I’m sure you were oh-so-worried) that I work on an image until I do not see any flaws in it, and I then move on to my texturing. My steps are as follows: 1) Stitching the images together, 2) Adding texture, and 3) changing colors/tones/etc.

I find it very important, so that images do not become repetitive, to change the texture per picture. I cannot think of an image where I left the texture as-is on top of the image. I always change the curves, and I often attack it with the heal tool or the clone stamp and play with it until the texture is unrecognizable from the original. Each image deserves a fresh look, even if it is with an old texture. I try to let the image decide which textures should be layered with it.

I usually know instantly if the image is one that deserves a more painterly feel, and so I choose my texture accordingly. I then have the “other” type of image, which is where I will use a texture that is reminiscent of dust spots. The only thing that I tell people when they ask how to achieve the painterly look is to play with textures..and that really is my only advice that I’m willing to share. Textures can do marvelous things to an image, it just depends on your outlook: you must be willing to manipulate the texture as much as the image.

I don’t mean to say here that textures are always a good thing, they certainly must go along with the style of the photograph. I find that my biggest pet peeve is when an image is clearly stamped with a texture or when someone goes overboard with a texture. I often cannot find the point in it. But each person, I am sure, has their own take on why a texture is there, and I have not found that it is worth criticizing.

I find it entirely naïve and insulting that someone would say that I, or anyone else, purely uses texture to cover something up.  It goes back to that little blog post I created earlier about the art of criticism. The statement purely shows that the person 1) does not work heavily in Photoshop, and especially not with textures, and 2) that the person has made no effort to look closely at my images. It makes me question the impact of my photos, for if someone sees the texture before the image as a whole has time to make an impact, the image is probably not very successful. I certainly do not take the above comment seriously, nor should anyone else, but it is a lesson in how ignorant some people can be.

The editing process is something very personal for me, as I assume it is for a lot of people. It is a personal space where I can create anything that I want. It is the equivalent of having my own little room where I can sit and think in peace. That is part of the reason why I am often hesitant to give out my Photoshop “secrets”, as I put a lot of thought and personal energy and influence into them. But this post is not about my views on sharing secrets in Photoshop (though the next one probably will be…) but instead I hope to shed light on the ins and outs of texturing, the pros and cons, if you will. There are so many uses for a texture, and I hope that all of the non-texture-using people (and especially my harsh commenter) reading this will take the time to import a texture and go for a test drive. You might be pleasantly surprised at the subtle differences a texture can create if used with restraint.