You can use a photograph as a texture, but a photograph "AS IS" is not seamlessly tileable. You need some retouch the photograph to achieve this

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David Sporn AKA Sporniket

Of course no one prevents you from taking phtographs, the trick is to make it look like it''s NOT a photograph.
Because photographs dont make really nice textures if you us them without ANY modifications.
I suggest that you try to find a set of plugins called panotools for Photoshop, there was an extremely cool tutorial that came with it on how to convert a photograph and modify it to make a really good texture. The modifications are not huge, but it''s in the little details that you see the difference between a pro and an amateur
By the way, check out most of the machinery and buildings for halflife, it''s all photographs nicely retouched to look perfect.

If you want more info, I am sure I could write more info about it, if I get the time, so ask !


Sancte Isidore ora pro nobis !