Texture is a powerful but often underutilized element in product photography. It adds depth, dimension, and a tangible feel to your images, making them more engaging and visually interesting.
With any type of product you photograph, incorporating the right textures can take your shots from simple pictures to compelling visual stories.
In this guide, we’ll explore how using textures in product photography styling can create images that not only highlight the product but also enhance its design.
From choosing the right textured backgrounds to mastering lighting techniques, you’ll find actionable steps you will be able to use in your own product photography. So let’s get started.
Understanding Texture in Photography
What is Texture?
In photography, texture refers to the visual quality of a surface that gives it a particular feel, such as smooth, rough, soft, or coarse.
When captured correctly, texture can bring a product to life, offering a sensory experience to the viewer that transcends the two-dimensional nature of a photograph.
It’s not just about the surface itself; it’s about how that surface interacts with light and shadow that creates visual interest.
Texture in product photography isn’t merely about capturing what something feels like—it’s about using those visual cues to influence how a product is perceived.
For example, the coarse grain of a wooden surface might suggest rustic charm, while the smoothness of polished metal might convey sleek, modern luxury.
Understanding these associations is key to selecting the right textures for your product shots.
The Role of Texture in Product Photography
In product photography, especially when selling online, you lose the ability for customers to physically interact with the product.
Texture becomes the bridge between the viewer and the product, providing the tactile feedback that can’t be experienced firsthand.
For instance, a well-captured texture can emphasize the quality of a product—think of the intricate weave of a fabric or the fine grain in a piece of wood.
On the flip side, it can also be used to create contrast within the image, making the product stand out against its background.
By skillfully highlighting texture, you can direct the viewer’s focus and influence their perception of the product’s value.
Textures can also evoke emotions and create a mood that complements the brand’s identity.
A rough texture might evoke feelings of ruggedness and durability, making it ideal for outdoor gear, while a soft, velvety texture could suggest luxury and comfort, perfect for high-end products like jewelry or cosmetics.
Choosing the Right Textures for Your Product
Matching Texture with Product Type
Selecting the right texture for your product photography starts with understanding the nature of the product itself.
Different products lend themselves to different textures, and matching these correctly can make your images more cohesive and impactful.
- Tech Gadgets: For sleek, modern electronics, you’ll want textures that enhance the product’s clean lines and futuristic appeal. Smooth, reflective surfaces like polished metal or glass can complement these products well, highlighting their precision and sophistication.
- Natural and Organic Products: Products that are marketed as natural or organic, such as skincare items or food products, often benefit from rougher, more earthy textures. Materials like wood, stone, or unpolished metal can reinforce the product’s connection to nature and authenticity.
- Luxury Goods: When photographing luxury items like high-end jewelry or fashion accessories, textures that exude richness and opulence are ideal. Velvet, satin, and fine leather can add a tactile sense of luxury that aligns with the product’s brand image.
Color and Texture Pairing
Just as important as selecting the right texture is pairing it with the appropriate color scheme.
The combination of texture and color can dramatically affect the mood of your photograph and how the product is perceived.
- Complementary Colors: Pairing textures with colors that complement each other can create harmony in your images. For example, the cool tones of a polished marble texture might be paired with metallic accents, enhancing the feeling of modernity and elegance.
- Contrasting Colors: Sometimes, contrasting colors can be used to make textures stand out more. A bright, colorful product might pop against a neutral, textured background, drawing the viewer’s attention directly to the product.
- Mood Setting: The texture and color combination should align with the mood you want to convey. Earthy tones and rough textures can create a rustic, natural feel, while smooth textures with bold colors can evoke energy and vibrancy.
Practical Example: How Texture Can Pop a Product in a Minimalist Aesthetic
Looking at the image below, it is an excellent example of how texture can offset a product without overpowering it.
This photo of a beer bottle, with a minimalist aesthetic was taken against a Duo Board base and background.
Our bottle appears to be sitting on concrete, giving it a neutral base, you feel it, but it almost disappears as you look at the photo.
A mottled blue backdrop provides extra depth to the image, while staying in the background and allowing the bottle to be the star.
With the lighting, the photographed bottle seems three dimensional, like you could reach out and pick it up.
With the apparent texture of the base and background, they create a nice contrast with the smooth, glossy texture of the glass bottle.
Using these textures adds depth and a tactile quality to the image, making the product appear more tangible.
Styling Your Products with Textures
Background Textures
Choosing the right background texture is an important step in product styling.
The background should complement the product without competing for attention, and it should enhance the product’s features by providing a contrasting or complementary surface.
- Selecting the Perfect Background: For products with intricate details, a simple, neutral background—like a smooth white or grey surface—works best to keep the focus on the product itself. If your product is more straightforward or lacks intricate details, a textured background can add the needed depth and interest to the image. Materials like linen, concrete, or wood can introduce a tactile quality that elevates the overall composition.
- DIY Textured Backdrops: Creating your own textured backdrops can be a cost-effective way to achieve a unique look. Simple materials such as MDF boards, joint compound, and paint can be used to craft custom backdrops that align with your brand’s aesthetic. These backdrops allow you to have complete control over the color and texture, ensuring consistency across your product images.
Using Props to Enhance Texture
Props play a vital role in product styling by adding context and reinforcing the texture theme.
When choosing props, it’s important to select items that enhance the product’s texture rather than distract from it.
- Textural Complements: Props made from materials like wood, metal, or fabric can be used to highlight the product’s texture. For example, a rustic wooden prop can bring out the natural elements in a skincare product, while a piece of fine silk can emphasize the luxury of a high-end perfume.
- Practical Tips for Prop Selection: When selecting props, consider the product’s story and the message you want to convey. For instance, if you’re photographing an artisanal soap, props like a rough-hewn wooden dish or natural loofah can enhance the organic and handmade qualities of the product. The key is to ensure that the props align with the product’s brand and do not overshadow it.
Layering Textures
Layering multiple textures can add depth and visual interest to your product photos.
However, this technique requires a delicate balance to avoid overwhelming the viewer and detracting from the product itself.
- Creating Depth: Start by layering a few complementary textures that gradually build from subtle to more pronounced. For example, you might place a smooth linen cloth over a rough wooden table, with the product itself resting on the linen. This layering creates a sense of depth and complexity while keeping the focus on the product.
- Avoiding Visual Clutter: While layering textures can be visually engaging, it’s important to avoid overcrowding the composition. Stick to a few well-chosen textures that complement each other and the product. Too many competing textures can create visual clutter, making the image busy and distracting.
Lighting Techniques to Highlight Texture
Lighting Basics
Lighting is an important element in any style of photography, but especially when it comes to highlighting texture in product photography.
The way light interacts with a surface can either enhance the texture, making it pop, or flatten it out, losing important details. Understanding how to manipulate light allows you to bring out the best in your textured surfaces.
- Soft Lighting: Soft, diffused lighting is ideal for capturing textures in products like fabric or skin care items, where you want to highlight the texture subtly without creating harsh shadows. Soft light can be achieved by using natural light from a window, diffused with sheer curtains, or with a softbox in a studio setup. This type of lighting spreads evenly across the surface, bringing out gentle texture details.
- Hard Lighting: For products with rough or highly detailed textures, such as leather goods or rustic wood items, hard lighting can be used to create pronounced shadows and enhance the depth of the texture. Hard light can be created using a direct light source, like a spotlight, placed at an angle to the product. This technique can give your images a dramatic and dynamic feel, with textures that stand out prominently.
Soft vs. Hard Lighting
Deciding between soft and hard lighting depends on the effect you want to achieve and the nature of the product’s texture. Here’s how to choose:
- Soft Lighting for Subtle Textures: Use soft lighting when you want the texture to be present but not overwhelming. This is perfect for products where the texture should support rather than dominate the visual narrative, such as in beauty products or delicate fabrics.
- Hard Lighting for Dramatic Textures: Opt for hard lighting when the texture is a key feature of the product and you want it to be the focal point of the image. This technique is especially useful for rugged items like outdoor gear or hand-crafted goods, where the texture conveys quality and durability.
Directional Lighting
The direction of your light source plays a significant role in how texture is perceived in product photography. By altering the angle of the light, you can emphasize different aspects of the texture, adding depth and interest to your images.
- Side Lighting: Lighting your product from the side is one of the most effective ways to bring out texture. The light creates shadows and highlights across the surface, accentuating the depth and dimension of the texture. This technique is particularly useful for products with deep grooves or rough surfaces.
- Top Lighting: Lighting from directly above can flatten the texture, which may be desirable if the focus is meant to be on the product’s shape or color rather than its surface details. However, this technique can still highlight surface textures in products like woven baskets or ridged containers, where the texture is subtle but adds to the product’s visual appeal.
- Backlighting: Backlighting can create a silhouette effect, which might not be the best for capturing texture but can be used creatively to highlight the edges of a textured surface. This is often combined with fill lighting from the front or side to ensure the texture remains visible.
Practical Example:
How Side Lighting Enhances the Texture of a Woven Basket
The basket in the image below was not the focus (or in focus) of this shot, it still provides an excellent example of how lighting affects texture.
By placing the light source at a 45-degree angle on the side, I created shadows within the weave, emphasizing the details of the basket’s texture, which contrasted against the smoothness of the hand dipped wax candles.
This technique brings out the texture and adds a three-dimensional quality to the image, making the basket appear more tactile and the image more inviting.
Camera Settings and Equipment for Capturing Texture
Best Camera Settings
Getting the camera settings right is pretty darn important to effectively capture texture in product photography.
The right combination of ISO, aperture, and shutter speed will help you bring out the details and make the texture the star of the shot.
- ISO Settings: Start with a low ISO setting, typically around 100 to 200, to minimize noise and maintain the sharpness of the texture. Higher ISO settings can introduce grain, which might obscure fine details, particularly in close-up shots where texture is key.
- Aperture: A smaller aperture (higher f-stop number, like f/8 or f/11) is ideal for capturing texture. This ensures a deeper depth of field, keeping more of the product in sharp focus. A wide aperture (lower f-stop number) can create a shallower depth of field, which is useful if you want to isolate a particular part of the texture, but for most texture work, a smaller aperture is preferred.
- Shutter Speed: Since you’re likely working with a tripod to stabilize your camera, you can afford to use a slower shutter speed if needed to compensate for the smaller aperture. This will ensure the image is well-exposed without sacrificing detail.
If you are fairly new to photography, or even if you’d like a refresher, I recommend you check out my article: Introduction to Camera Exposure Settings.
If you are new to product photography, I suggest you check out my article: Best Cameras for Product Photography.
Macro Photography
Macro photography is one of the most effective ways to capture intricate textures. A macro lens allows you to get up close and personal with the product, revealing details that aren’t visible to the naked eye.
- Choosing the Right Lens: A dedicated macro lens (typically 50mm to 100mm) is designed to focus closely and produce sharp, high-resolution images of small subjects. For product photography, a lens with a focal length of around 90mm is ideal as it offers a good working distance while still capturing the fine details of the texture.
- Focus and Depth of Field: When shooting in macro mode, even slight movements can throw your focus off, so using a tripod is essential. To maximize the depth of field and keep as much of the texture in focus as possible, use a small aperture (e.g., f/16). Consider using focus stacking—a technique where multiple images are taken at different focus points and combined in post-processing—to ensure the entire texture is sharp.
Post-Processing for Texture
Post-processing can enhance the texture in your product images, making it more pronounced and visually appealing. However, the key is to use these tools to enhance the natural texture rather than creating something that looks artificial.
- Clarity and Contrast Adjustments: Increasing the clarity slider in editing software like Adobe Lightroom can make the texture more defined by boosting the mid-tone contrast. This makes the details pop without altering the overall exposure. Adjusting the contrast can further enhance the texture by deepening the shadows and brightening the highlights.
- Sharpening: Use the sharpening tool to enhance the fine details of the texture, but be careful not to overdo it, as excessive sharpening can introduce artifacts and make the image look unnatural.
- Selective Editing: If the texture is the main focus of the image, consider using selective editing techniques to enhance it. This might involve using adjustment brushes to increase the contrast or clarity in specific areas, drawing the viewer’s attention to the texture without affecting the rest of the image.
Case Studies and Examples
Before and After Comparisons
One of the most compelling ways to illustrate the impact of texture in product photography is through before-and-after comparisons. These comparisons can clearly show how introducing texture can transform a basic image into one that’s visually engaging and rich in detail.
- Example 1: Without Texture vs. With Texture
- Before: A haircare product on a plain white background. While the product is highly visible, the image feels flat and lacks visual interest.
- After: Introducing a textured linen cloth under the products, along with a rustic wooden tray, adds warmth and depth. Warmer light also brings out a relaxing feel and brought out more color in the packaging. The textures create a more inviting and luxurious atmosphere, making the products stand out more effectively.
- Example 2: Different Textured Surfaces for Jewelry Photography
- Before: Costume jewelry was photographed on a three different surfaces. You will notice that the background can sometimes distract from the texture and intricacies of the jewelry.
- After: Placing the jewelry on a textured velvet or satin background enhances the product’s luxury feel. The soft texture contrasts with the sharpness of the metal, highlighting the product’s elegance without the distraction of added “noise to the image.
- Click on image to enlarge.
Case Study
Here is an example to further emphasize how texture is used effectively in product photography across different industries.
Here are a couple of case studies:
- Case Study 1: Textured Backgrounds for Jewelry.
- A client selling specialty jewelry wanted images that reflected the natural and earthy qualities their brand enspoused. By incorporating textures like drift wood, sand, all natural props and setting, the product images conveyed an authentic, organic feel that resonated with the brand’s identity. The textures highlighted the products’ look and craftsmanship, which helped in communicating the brand’s message to its audience.
Next, I changed the styling and used a smaller aperture so the depth of field would be greater. This allowed me to keep more of the necklace in focus.
During editing, I decided to use Photoshop’s AI generative fill to add surf washing up to the jewelry. The results:
- Case Study 2: Industrial Style Products on Concrete and Metal Textures
- For a client in the industrial tools sector, capturing the robustness and durability of their products was key. Using rugged textures like concrete as backdrops, the photography emphasized the strength and reliability of the tools. The textures and editing not only added a gritty feel to the images but also complemented the brand’s focus on toughness and endurance.
How Textures Enhance Product Storytelling
Incorporating textures into product photography doesn’t just enhance the visual appeal—it also plays an important role in storytelling.
By carefully selecting and styling textures, you can tell a story about the product’s origin, its use, and its value.
- Creating a Narrative with Texture: For example, using a weathered wooden surface and natural fibers can tell a story of artisanal craftsmanship and sustainability, making the product feel more authentic and grounded. On the other hand, sleek metal textures paired with glass can create a narrative of modernity and innovation, ideal for tech gadgets or luxury items.
- Engaging the Viewer: Textures can draw the viewer into the image, making them almost feel the product through the screen. This sensory connection is particularly powerful in e-commerce, where the tactile experience is missing. By visually simulating touch through texture, you create a stronger connection between the product and the potential buyer.
Remember …
Incorporating texture into your product photography is a powerful way to add depth, interest, and a tactile quality to your images.
Whether you’re selecting the perfect textured backdrop, using props to enhance the texture, or experimenting with lighting techniques to highlight intricate details, these strategies can elevate your product shots from ordinary to extraordinary.
Understanding the role of texture and applying the tips and techniques outlined in this guide, you can create visually compelling images that not only showcase your products, but also tell a story that connects with your customers.
Remember, texture is more than just a visual element—it’s a tool for storytelling.
By mastering the use of texture in your photography, you’re not just capturing an image; you’re creating an experience for your viewers, one that invites them to engage with your product on a deeper level.
So, grab your camera, experiment with different textures, and see how they can transform your product photography.
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