how to make your own backdrops for photography

#How to make your own backdrops for photography portable

You mount them on the ceiling or wall so that they are suitably high, and allow the paper or fabric to roll off. If you have a permanent studio and never plan on taking any of your backgrounds on the road, fixed bars or rollers are ideal.

#How to make your own backdrops for photography portable

The basic options for mounting are fixed bars or portable stands. In general, you want some ability to change and mix up the backgrounds. The determining factor tends to be the size and type of backdrop you are using, as well as the frequency with which you plan on changing them. There are a few options for mounting backdrops. If you’ve used a backdrop with a three-dimensional image, a reflection will make it clear that the background is not real. When shooting with vinyl, you need to ensure that the lighting does not reflect into the camera lens. Stretching the vinyl on the mounting allows for the image to present well. Similar to canvas, you need to stretch them to eliminate folds. Some vinyl backdrops come with printed flooring (such as hardwood floors) and can be used together, provided you deal with the interface. If you are doing full-length photographs, you will need to consider what you are using for the floor. Standard sizes are about 6 feet wide by 8 feet tall. Most suppliers have a range of sizes. Canvas tends to hang in stretched out to avoid any folds. If you don’t manage them as rolls, they can be difficult to handle. White seamless paper is often ideal for a studio set up when you want to cut out the background and replace it with something else.īecause canvas is a much heavier material, these backdrops typically come on rolls.

The rolls generally have lots of paper, somewhere in the range of 9-12 yards (27-36 feet). When the paper is too damaged, you roll out more paper and discard the dirty or damaged section. Because it is paper, you need to be aware of dirty or wet footwear because they leave marks and can damage the paper.

Seamless paper also provides the flooring in front of the background without a corner edge. It comes in large rolls of varying widths, with 53 inches and 107 inches being the two most common sizes. Seamless paper doesn’t usually have any texture. This type of backdrop takes a lot of space, time and effort, but makes for great photographs. It makes the subject appear to be floating with an infinite background and is a great way to create cut outs to modify your background. However, it is also the least flexible (it won’t move) and is only one color (usually white). A cyclorama is a practical and durable backdrop. By curving the corners, the background flows from wall to wall to floor. Cycloramas or Cyc StudiosĪ cyclorama or cyc studio is a fixed (built in place) backdrop consisting of two intersecting wall sections that have been curved seamlessly into one another and the floor so that there are no visible corners. You also need to be aware that the backgrounds are two dimensional even though they can appear to be three dimensional. On the other hand, vinyl backdrops are a little reflective, so you need to be cautious about how your lights are set up. Finally, they can feature images that appear three dimensional (like a bookcase). Also, they are quite pliable so they can be moved about without much difficulty. They are great for children, parties or events and are washable, so they work for different types of cake smash, food fight or spray images (be careful about the rest of your studio). Vinyl backdrops can feature unusual or creative backgrounds. Unimpressed dog in front of a vinyl backdrop They are a great addition to every photographer’s arsenal of backdrops.

Muslin backdrops can look modern or retro, depending upon the style of lighting. However, you may need to clean larger sizes in a commercial machine. Another great feature is that you can easily wash them if soiled. They are, however, very portable and generally look good. Because muslin backdrops have been in use for a long time, some photographers don’t pay much attention to them. They come in various weights and sizes and can be dyed in a single color, have color splotches, or be hand painted. Muslin backdrops are constructed from a cotton fabric. The lack of a seam makes the image appear to float with an infinite background. This makes it ideal for product photography as well as studio shots. Seamless paper provides flooring as well as the backdrop without a visible interface between the floor and the background. In addition, if you have colored paper, the background colors can seep into the edges of your subject. The cons of using seamless paper are: the rolls can be awkward to transport if a wide size (even just from the store to the studio), the paper can be easily damaged, and the backgrounds have no texture. There are pros of using seamless paper: the look is clean, you can modify the background colors with lighting, and the images can be cut out for background replacement. Product photo on a seamless white paper backdrop