Create a Photography Backdrop
The background you see behind a person in a professional photograph is called a backdrop. When you first get started in photography, you may not have a big enough budget to purchase ready-made backdrops for your subjects. Making photography backdrops is not that difficult, and may save you money. Follow these guidelines to create your own photo backdrop.
Steps
- Obtain muslin fabric when you create backdrops for photography. Muslin fabric is a low-priced cotton found at most fabric shops.
- Muslin comes in a selection of widths. Purchase 4 yards (3.66 m) to 5 yards (4.57 m) of the widest material possible.
- Muslin material comes in shades of white, and can be dyed any color.
- Wash your fabric before making photography backdrops. The material may shrink when you first wash it, but should not get any smaller with subsequent washings.
- Dye your fabric before you dry it. Adding different colors will give you a selection of backdrops to work with.
- Work outside when dying muslin material, in case of spills.
- Follow the directions on the dye, adding the correct amount of dye to a large bucket of hot water.
- Put rubber gloves on to protect your hands from the dye, and place the muslin material into the bucket of hot water and dye.
- Move the fabric in the bucket to make sure the dye covers the entire piece.
- Keeping the fabric in the dye for a longer period of time will produce a darker color.
- Bunch up the material and submerge it for only a few minutes to obtain a tie-dyed look.
- Take the muslin material out of the bucket when you have obtained the hue you desire. Rinse the fabric with warm water until the water runs clear, and then set the color with cold water.
- Dry the fabric.
- Spread the muslin material on the floor and smooth it out.
- Use a ruler and pencil to draw a straight line along the edges of the material.
- Cut the material along the pencil marks with scissors. When you create backdrops for photography, you want exact edges.
- Apply double-edged iron-on sewing tape along the outer perimeter of the material. When you are making photography backdrops, taping the edges will prevent them from fraying.
- Fold the end of the material over the tape, maintaining a straight line.
- Place the muslin material on an ironing board, and iron the edges with a hot iron.
- Make a backdrop stick hole by folding 1 end 4 inches (10.16 cm) to 5 inches (12.70 cm) over itself. Insert double-edged iron-on sewing tape at the edge of the fold and iron it on.
- Hang the finished backdrop on a wall with thumbtacks, or insert a backdrop stick into the backdrop hole.
Tips
- Hang the backdrop on a clothesline rather than in the drier for minimal shrinkage.
- You may want to buy some PVC pipes, and then buy a curtain, (of course a pattern/color you like) and then just stick the curtain through one of the PVC pipes. You can look up how to make a PVC pipe backdrop on any Internet searcher (eg Google, Safari, etc.).
- You can iron the backdrop for a smooth, crisp look or leave it wrinkled for a different ambiance.
Things You'll Need
- Muslin material
- Washing machine
- Dye
- Large bucket
- Hot water
- Rubber gloves
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Scissors
- Double-edged iron on sewing tape
- Thumbtacks or backdrop stick
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