Choosing the right backdrop is an essential step in product photography. If the product you’re photographing doesn’t compliment your backdrop’s color, you won’t be able to take high-quality shots. Modern-day business owners are very particular about the photos of their products. Well-taken product photos help convince shoppers to make purchases.
According to Etsy, one of the world’s leading eCommerce stores, 90% of its userbase judges products based on their photos. Product photographers play key roles in the modern-day retail industry. That’s why they must always aim to take better product photos. A key part of doing this is selecting the right backdrops for the products.
Product Photography: What are Your Background Options?
It’s easy to shop for premium-quality custom backdrops. Several online sellers offer these items with full customization options. Users can customize the colors, materials, styles, content, and designs of the backdrops they purchase. However, the customization part can be awfully confusing.
Before deciding the color or design of your backdrop, you need to choose the right material. Your options include –
- Paper:Paper backgrounds provide smooth and non-reflecting surfaces. For product photographers, these two qualities are very important. These backdrops come in various colors. Paper backgrounds with the right colors can be used to photograph all types of products. However, paper is a damage-prone material. It’s hard to clean/wash these backdrops. Reusing paper backdrops multiple times is also out of the question.
- Muslin:These backdrops are also durable and tear-resistant, like polyester backdrops. They’re washable and last longer than paper backdrops.
- Polyester Fabrics: By far the most durable material in this list. Seamless polyester backdrops are tough, long-lasting, and highly cost-effective items. These backdrops can also be customized to feature all types of colors and designs. They’re also wrinkle-free and suitable for all types of product shots. Polyester backdrops are also washable and reusable.
Overall, polyester fabrics are the most durable. But, your polyester backdrop needs to feature the right colors. Or else your product photos won’t look clean or consistent. Here are some color guidelines for product photography that users should consider –
- Natural Products:If you’re photographing natural, health-conscious products (e.g., food items), opt for neutral colors. Backdrops with colors like grey, beige, and other lighter versions of other colors look amazing with such products. The light colors help convey a sense of serenity and a natural feel.
- Luxury Items:Wood-related colors like dark brown, cinnamon, greenish-white, and gray always look good next to luxury products. Pick shades that nicely contrast with the colors of your products.
- Utility Items: Backdrops with metallic colors always elevate the product in the final images. They added layers of texture and grain in metallic colors make simple, utility products appear special. Silver, metallic blue, gold, metallic green, metallic orange, and metallic purple are some colors you should consider. These colors make simple products like pens, furniture items, etc., appear special.
The best part of working with polyester backdrops is that they’re cheap. If you’re a product photographer, you can easily buy five or ten of these backdrops, each with different colors. Use backdrops of different colors to make the products look amazing in the final photos.
