When it comes to choosing a backdrop, we should first start with intent. And within color alone, you’ll find variations from hand-painted designs, air-brushed, printed, or a mixture. Photography backdrops come in many varieties ranging in material, design, size, and color. Below is a list of the most reputable online retailers in this space: You can get backdrops at your local camera store or online. And the effort to paint and create these backgrounds tends to make them quite expensive. They also tend to wrinkle when transported. And dirty shoes can easily damage them, which doesn’t help as they’re quite challenging to clean. However, they’re quite costly to care for and handle. And since they’re also hand-painted, they offer a unique sense of depth that other materials cannot replicate.
And this material is more resistant and longer-lasting than vinyl alone. The benefit of canvas backgrounds is that canvas, by its nature, is generally quite thick and robust. They come in many designs and colors with sizes ranging from 60″ to 96″. But, one that offers visual flair that’ll help your work stand apart. They’re typically specially designed to deliver a high-end and sophisticated fine art feel. And they use multiple layers of coating, creating a perception of texture, depth, and tonality. The only real downside here is that they’re relatively small, limiting their use for multi-person shoots or full-length portraits.Ĭanvas backgrounds are custom hand-painted designs on large sheets of canvas. And, without question, collapsible backdrops are the fastest to set up. You can even improvise and stand them upright without the stand.
Or you can create artistic scenes anywhere when using a textured background. They also usually have two contrasting colors on each side, adding versatility. The benefit here is that collapsible backdrops fold up like regular reflectors, which makes them incredibly portable. These usually come in a standard 5×7′ size.
And for this reason, they’re the ideal option for traveling photographers or those shooting in tight spaces that can’t accommodate a full setup. They also come in the same general colors, prints, or painted options. And their quick and easy assembly and teardown delivers superior portability over traditional backdrops. Additionally, they also lack texture, so they’re a bit on the flat side.Ĭollapsible backgrounds are the preferred choice amongst traveling photographers. Plus, the wrong movement can easily cause a rip, damaging that section. So beware of wet and dirty shoes, as they’ll leave marks and damages. However, seamless paper is rather fragile and not as durable as other materials. Plus, these are inherently flat, without creases, which means they require minimal maintenance. And you can easily swap between various colors. The benefit here is that they’re relatively inexpensive given their size and lifespan. You can also modify the actual color with lighting or easily cut out the subject for a full background replacement. They come in virtually every imaginable color, with sizes ranging from 26″ to 107″. And they’re a staple and preferred choice amongst photographers. Seamless paper backgrounds are arguably the most affordable, given their versatility.
In this post, we’ve compiled a list of the ten best photography backdrops and their separating characteristics. So, it can get overwhelming to decide which types best suits your work. While selecting a backdrop seems like a simple enough task, today’s retailers offer plenty of designs, styles, fabrics, and colors. And getting the right one is an essential step towards higher quality photos.
Frankly, regardless of the medium, the background either makes or breaks images. Or, they can distract viewers away from your subject and cause a loss of interest. Not to mention, background distractions can quickly destroy a composition, causing unnecessary work in post-processing. Thus, converting a rather plain, stale, and uninteresting shot into something exciting and dynamic. And the right background quickly transforms the mode by adding depth and texture. But they’re the easiest way to add visual flair to your photographs. However, the backdrop sets both the stage and environment for a photo. Many photographers negate their importance, and they’re mostly considering an afterthought. But, once we step inside into the studio, things change. In the real world, we rely on nature or human-made scenes. And, arguably, the most critical, yet overlooked aspect, is the background. In photography, many elements combine to create the final image.