Shot by Suki Pantal on the Taj patterned backdrop
Why use vinyl photography backdrops?
For a relatively small investment compared to original hardboard ones:
- you can have a range of different textures ready to style and shoot.
- they're light and easy to transport and store, no more lugging heavy surfaces between shoots!
- vinyl photography backdrops won’t take over your workspace too much
- the extra thick ones will literally just jump open and flatten for immediate use
Our vinyl photography backdrops are:
- rolled and posted to you in an industry standard double-walled cardboard tube
- only left inside the tube for a few hours so they don't arrive all curly!
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high enough quality to shoot small items on without giving itself away as a print
Our printed vinyl photography backdrops can be used in loads of different ways.
- as a tabletop surface emulating anything from a table, bar to a kitchen worktop
- as a vertical backdrop behind your subject
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as an infinity curve (scoop) - when you curve a single backdrop sheet to make both a horizontal table surface and vertical wall surface in one. Read our blog for more info.
How do I style food on vinyl photography backdrops?
- If you're using your backdrop as the table surface, setting up is as easy as simply laying it flat on a clean, sturdy and level surface.
- To hang your backdrop behind your set as a wall, you can use masking tape to stick the backdrop to a vertical surface, use plastic clamps and a photography 'C' stand, or use an overhead stand, or even a clothes rail with clamps.
Here’s a set up at Scene Studios by Rob Smalley for Belvoir Fruit Farms - we used a stand and clamps for this one. Shot with the Drip backdrop as the dark distressed tabletop and the Safe photography backdrop as the rust textured background.
And here's one with with Crackle wood backdrop and Forest green backdrop
Getting the light right
Whether you use natural light, continuous or flash, there's a few things to consider when shooting with vinyl photography backdrops. They're printed on a non-glare premium vinyl material, but as with any smooth, flat surface you may notice a little bit of a highlight on the surface at certain angles. These highlights can add to the drama and be part of your aesthetic or you may want to control them.
Darker prints (with more ink coverage) will reflect the most light, while paler prints will appear flatter. To reduce highlights on your backdrop we recommend using soft, diffused light. Any light source can be softened with a diffuser, thin white material (like cheese cloth or bed linen) or tracing/baking paper. This will soften both the highlights and the shadows.
Adding black fill card to control light hitting the backdrop where the light is strongest (also known as flags) We recommend buying A1, A2 and A3 black card to slide down the sides of your set when needed. They are particularly useful when using backlight if the top edge gets ever exposed and ‘blown out’, losing its detail.
These two images show the difference made by adding the black 'flag' to the right of the set.
Everything went a little darker, but it helped keep the light more consistent across the surface and the detail in the backdrop on the right hand side, closest to the light source was improved.
Using low, side light that will illuminate your subject and props rather than the flat surface. However, this is a lighting style in its own right, so might not always suit every brief.
If you notice highlights after shooting, try these quick edits –
- In Instagram see if a soft vignette will remove the highlights or play with the 'highlights' slider.
- In Lightroom you could,
- Use the 'Dehaze' slider to remove any 'light haze'.
- Add a selective gradient or brush area and reduce the exposure, whites or highlights (same as vignetting but only in the selected area).
- Increasing the texture or clarity can also help if you’ve lost detail in the backdrop. Try +10 to start.
How to clean vinyl photography backdrops
Our waterproof vinyl can stand up to having food and liquids sat on them for a good length of time. We recommend leaving wet styling to the end of your set up and only placing food straight on the backdrop for your final shot, then cleaning away straight after.
To enjoy your backdrops for a long time, protect them from:
- heat – don’t place hot dishes, food, grease or pans straight onto them
- knives and sharp objects – they are strong but not impermeable, please don’t chop on them with blades
- strongly coloured food or dyes
- direct sunlight for prolonged periods
- always remove tape carefully and clean any liquids or damp food off your backdrops straight after your shot is completed
- wipe gently with a damp cloth only – no chemicals or abrasives should be used as these can damage and scratch the print
How to store vinyl photography backdrops
- Accidentally folding or crushing the vinyl against something hard can leave a permanent dent or crease.
- Protect from frost or extremely hot rooms – they do need to be stored at an ambient temperature.
- You can keep them lightly rolled in the original tubes, but we recommend storing your backdrops flat if possible. A plan chest like the one below is the ideal, but an art portfolio case is perfect too.
