Behind the images
How we photograph our tiles
Our new angled tile images are photographs of real, physical tiles. They are not AI-generated.
Tile photography is unusually demanding. Glazes reflect light, dark surfaces absorb it, texture creates complex shadows and subtle colours can shift under different lighting. We have spent years refining a method that shows each tile as clearly, consistently and honestly as possible.
A consistent point of comparison
One fixed rig, one carefully controlled view
Every tile is photographed at the same angle using a fixed rig. The camera and both lights are attached to the rig so their positions and angles remain consistent. Markers on the table establish the position of each tile sheet. Together, these fixed reference points remove many of the variables that can make product photographs difficult to compare.
The repeatable angle shows the face, edge and depth of the tile together. It also lets differences in glaze, texture and finish come from the tile itself rather than from a change in camera position.
Two carefully positioned light sources reveal different qualities of the tile. A large softbox, set to full power, provides the main illumination and reveals colour, texture and surface detail. On highly reflective tiles, you may see its soft reflection towards the right side of the finished image.
A much smaller light is set to just 1% brightness and angled so that its reflection travels directly into the camera lens. This deliberate highlight communicates the reflective quality of the glaze. Matt finishes show little or no reflection, while more reflective glazes produce a brighter highlight. What you see is the real tile responding to controlled light, not a digitally added effect.
- 1Reflection light at 1%Attached to the rig and angled into the lens to reveal glaze reflectivity.
- 2Large softbox at 100%Attached to the rig to provide consistent illumination for colour and detail.
- 3Fixed camera and lensMounted to the rig at the same angle and perspective for every tile sheet.
- 4Table position markersSet the repeatable starting position of each sheet beneath the camera.
The equipment
Professional optics and a full-frame sensor
The camera and lens recorded in the original image files are a Canon EOS R6 Mark III and Canon RF 35mm F1.4 L VCM lens.
- Sensor
- 32.5-megapixel full-frame CMOS
- Lens
- Canon professional L-series 35mm prime
- ISO
- Fixed at ISO 100
- Aperture
- Typically f/16
- Exposure
- Manual, with shutter speed adjusted for each tile
- Long exposures
- Up to six seconds for darker finishes
The large, high-resolution sensor records fine glaze variation and surface detail. The 35mm L-series prime lens is designed for high optical quality across the frame and gives a natural perspective without relying on an extreme wide-angle or telephoto view.
ISO 100 keeps the image clean. The small f/16 aperture provides the depth of field needed to keep the angled tile in focus from front to back. Because the rig is completely still, exposure can be balanced by changing only the shutter speed. Dark tiles may require an exposure of up to six seconds, but the result remains sharp and detailed.
Careful post-production
Why the images look so clean
A grey card is photographed as part of the process and used to balance colour during post-production. Each tile is then carefully cut out, with particular attention paid to irregular edges, surface relief and the shadows that give the tile its physical character.
Once each sheet has been cut and cropped, we align matching points across every colour in the collection. This corrects the tiny differences, sometimes only a few millimetres, caused when separate sheets are placed on the rig. The tiles themselves are not reshaped.
A black background is added so that pale surrounding light does not swamp subtle texture, edge detail or reflective glaze. The website files are reduced in size so pages load efficiently. Full-resolution versions remain available in our image library with black, white and transparent backgrounds.
We use conventional post-production for colour balance, careful cut-out work, background placement, cropping and output sizing. We do not use artificial intelligence to generate the tile, its surface, its glaze or its colour.
From camera to website
The making of a Yuki Border Blue image
The work begins with a real sheet of tiles on the rig. The first image below shows the original studio surroundings on the left and the cut-out in progress on the right. Every outside edge is followed carefully so the finished image retains the tile's real outline, depth and character.
A colour change, not a digital recolour
Why the hover transition looks so precise
When you hover over certain product images and the colour changes, you are seeing a completely different sheet of physical tiles. Each colour is photographed separately. We align common points in the finished files so the sheets occupy precisely the same position, making the transition appear as though the tile simply changes colour.
Why it can look AI-generated
Consistency can look almost unreal
The identical angle, controlled reflection, clean edges and simple black background create an unusually consistent result. That precision can make the images appear rendered or AI-generated at first glance.
They are not. Every new angled image begins with a real tile photographed in our studio. The small irregularities, glaze movement, edge character and variation you see belong to the tile itself.
Your finished installation
Light, grout and surroundings will change the result
A tile does not have one fixed appearance. Daylight and artificial light, colour temperature, spotlight position and the direction from which light reaches the surface can all change how its colour, relief and shine are perceived. Glossy and textured glazes can look different as you move around them.
Grout colour, joint width, laying direction and the colours of nearby walls, floors and furniture also influence the finished effect. Our controlled photography provides a consistent point of comparison, but your installation will respond to its own environment.
For that reason, we always recommend ordering samples and viewing them with the intended grout and under the lighting planned for the space.
