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How to Create Your Own Portrait Backdrop

Backdrops for photography portraits can be purchased at most photography outlets, or you can save some money by making them yourself. When you set out to make your own portrait backdrop, you will have complete control over the color, style and size of your backdrop. Portrait backdrops should be a neutral color background that won't distract the viewer's eye from the subject of the photograph. You can easily identify this by hanging the backdrop, taking a test picture and seeing if the backdrop is overpowering your subject.

Things You'll Need

Photo backdrop stand

Instructions

- 1
  Measure the area you want the backdrop will cover. Generally a 6 foot wide by 8 feet tall backdrop will be large enough to use with your model, either sitting or standing.
- 2
  Go to a fabric store and look for nonreflective material that is available in muted or earth-tone colors that could be used for your backdrop. Nonreflective materials are best as they will not reflect the studio lights back to the camera when the picture is made. If you are unsure if the material is reflective, shine a flashlight on to it. Reflective material will shine or even sparkle; nonreflective will be brighter but will not reflect the light back towards you.
- 3
  Measure the material and add an extra 6 inches to the height of the material. Take the material home, lay the material out on the floor, fold the top 6 inches in half, and sew it to create a loop where the cross section of your backdrop stand will be fed through to hold the backdrop in place. Slide the crossbar through the loop, attach the crossbar to the vertical bars, and you are ready to start shooting.

Photography