Good photographers can take incredible photographs using the most basic tools. However, only with high-quality tools can good photographers achieve true greatness. Nowadays, the costs of cameras, strobes, lenses, and other photography equipment are going through the roof. Being a good photographer is expensive.
Thankfully, one tool that’s vital for producing high-quality photographs is still relatively cheap – custom backdrops. These backdrops allow photographers to take professional-looking photos of their subjects. Backdrops with the right colors and designs can add more depth and new dimensions to your studio photographs.
A high-quality backdrop can instantly elevate your studio photography skills to new levels. However, choosing the right backdrops is very important. If you’re a “budget photographer” with limited resources, you’ll need backdrops that stand the tests of time and repeated use. Here’s how you can buy high-quality, long-lasting backdrops –
Table of Contents
Focus on High-Quality Materials
Photography backdrops come in all types of materials. Paper, muslin, and polyester are the most popular materials used to make these items. High-end photographers prefer using hand-painted paper backdrops for their shoots. However, those types of backdrops are not reusable and way too expensive for budget photographers.
As a budget photographer, your priority should be buying backdrops that last the longest. Backdrops made of polyester fabrics offer the long-term durability you need. This material is easy to clean and print-friendly. The colors or custom designs printed on polyester backdrops always look great.
Plus, if you custom-print your polyester backdrop with dye-sublimation printing, your backdrops will never fade. Plus, wrinkles on polyester backdrops are very easy to eliminate. Just iron these items when they’re clean. They’ll stay crispy and wrinkle-free for long periods after each ironing session.
Buy Washable Backdrops
During photo shoots, backdrops are used for several hours or days at a stretch. During this period, these items pick up a lot of dirt and stains. Photographers need to ensure that none of these backdrop stains appear in their final photographs. The best way of ensuring this is by washing the backdrop before each shoot.
Only buy backdrops that are washable. Paper backdrops tear when they’re wet, so avoid buying those. Instead, buy backdrops made of washable synthetic materials like polyester. Use mild detergents to either hand wash or machine wash your backdrops. Reuse the backdrops once they’re dry.
Custom Design the Backdrops
Photos with unique backgrounds always stand out. If you want to take standout photos, you’ll need backdrops with interesting designs. Make sure the company selling you the custom backdrops offers total customization options. Customize your backdrops effectively by following these basic design guidelines –
- Make sure your company’s logo (if any) stands out in the backdrop.
- Print the backdrops with the right colors to ensure they make your subjects stand out. Don’t use too many colors in one backdrop. If you’re using two/more colors, make sure they contrast each other.
- Consider how and where you’ll be using the backdrops. For instance, if you want to photograph people at events, use backdrops with bold colors. Bold and bright colors make the people standing in front of the backdrops “pop out” from the images.
Use these guidelines to cost-efficiently create the perfect backdrops for your photoshoots.
