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Portrait Backdrops

Tips and Tricks

Portrait backdrops present both opportunities and challenges to photographers. On the one hand they can place a subject in context and make them stand out in a way that highlights them wonderfully – but on the other hand backgrounds can overwhelm subjects and distract from them.

Two Girls Portrait Backgrounds

© Baronoskie | Dreamstime.com

Best Portrait Backdrops

The best portrait backdrops are often the most simple and neutral. A good background doesn’t detract from the subject – it highlights it.

If you want to specialize in portrait photography it's a good idea to buy a purpose-built studio background. However, if it doesn't fit into your budget, here are a few creative suggestions:

• A white wall works fine, especially for high key portraits.

• Plain colored paper, card or cloth can be very effective.

• Mottled backgrounds look great, but can be expensive to buy. If you’re handy, you can create your own with a length of muslin and tie-dying.

The benefits of self-made backdrops include the ability to move it around as you see fit or take it with you to a model's house.

Common Challenges with Portrait Backgrounds

Some of the common challenges that photographers face with portrait backgrounds include:

* Distractions: This can be anything in the image that you didn't even notice when you pressed the shutter release and takes the attention away from the main subject. This can include background clutter or, if the subject is too close to the backdrop, lines and blemishes on the backdrop itself.

* Protruding Elements from Subject's Head: When shooting portraits outdoors, be sure to check for elements behind the model that may look like they're sticking out of a person's head, for example trees or telephone poles. The plainer the background the better

* Competing Lines: If both the subject and background have strong lines they can compete in a way that makes the image too busy.

Probably the most common mistake that photographers make during an actual shoot is to place the model immediately in front of the backdrop. For a better end result, allow some distance between subjects and backdrops. This allows for hair lighting to be used effectively and also prevents any details in the backdrop from being too sharp.

Make sure to check out my page on portrait backgrounds for more great ideas.

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