Textures can completely transform the mood of a photo, elevating it from a simple image to a story with depth and character. In my last blog, I focused on creating a hyper-clear representation of the model with a soft, dreamy background, leveraging a wide-open lens (f/2.0). This time, let’s explore a different approach to texture and mood with a photo of the incredible Kit Kindred (@christopherkindred).

The Photo Breakdown

Here’s how I set up and captured this shot:

Model: @christopherkindred
Camera: @sonyalpha A7RV
Lens: 50mm FE f/1.4 GM
Aperture: f/4.5
Shutter Speed: 1/125
Studio: @spckrft
Lighting: @amarancreators 300c lights and Spotlight SE

For this photo, I opted for very different settings compared to the dreamy, goth-inspired look in my previous blog. Here, I closed the lens down to f/4.5, which created a lot more texture and detail in the image.

Why f/4.5?

I chose a more closed aperture for two key reasons:

Capturing Texture
Kit’s outfit is packed with intricate details—leather straps, woven fabrics, and metallic accents. A higher f-stop lets me capture all of those textures in sharp focus, emphasizing the grit and worn aesthetic of his retro-superhero look.
Skin vs. Outfit
There’s no visible skin in this shot, so I wasn’t concerned about highlighting wrinkles or blemishes. For portraits with skin, I often use a lower f-stop for that dreamy, soft look. However, when shooting men, I tend to use a higher f-stop because wrinkles and textures often enhance their character, giving a distinguished look. Of course, exceptions apply—if the subject has a “pretty boy” vibe, I might lean toward a more forgiving lower f-stop.

Editing with Textures

While the lighting and settings created a great base, the final mood came together in post-processing by adding textures. Here’s what I did:

Textured Background
I brought in high-resolution images of corroded junk and blended them into the background. By playing with blending modes (Overlay, Soft Light, etc.), I created a gritty, aged effect that perfectly complements Kit’s aesthetic.
Layering Textures on the Model
To add even more depth, I layered textures over the model himself—close-up shots of fibers worked well here. Again, I adjusted blending modes until the effect felt natural but impactful. However, I didn’t stop there:
- I created a mask for the texture layer.
- Inverted the mask (Command + I).
- Used a soft brush to paint texture onto specific areas where it felt appropriate—like leather straps or fabric—leaving other areas untouched.
Building Atmosphere
Combining these textures creates the illusion of a dirty, worn, and well-used world—perfect for Kit’s retro superhero in a dark, gritty universe.

Example gritty texture image. When you’re walking around, try taking photos of random stuff. In this case, I believe this came from Nucly (they have the high resolution version, like 8k instead of this which is compressed 2k)

The Power of Texture in Storytelling

Textures aren’t just visual elements; they’re storytellers. In this photo, they convey a sense of history, hardship, and resilience. Kit feels like a character pulled straight out of a graphic novel—a hero operating in a world that’s seen better days.

By manipulating textures, you can amplify your subject’s story, whether it’s dreamy and ethereal or raw and gritty.