Quick, Easy and Cheap Backdrop Ideas

Quick, Easy and Cheap - No, not your last date...  If you are wanting ideas for seasonal holiday photo backdrops, look no further than your kitchen pantry or linen closet.  Photos here show a backdrop and table cover simply draped with inexpensive, flannel-backed tablecloths available from most general merchandise type big box stores.  This fun buffalo check set up is made with two of these tablecloths from Walmart for the 2019 holiday season.  

My friend and I decided we needed to take 2nd annual photos of our adorable, four-legged, wonder twerps and wanted something fun and festive that wouldn't break the bank.  Yards of fabric were out of the question since we have large families to buy for, so I did some digging and came up with this idea for our impromptu little living room studio.  We simply took the matching tablecloths from thanksgiving and placed the larger rectangular one over the backdrop frame and the smaller round one over the folding table base.  These tablecloths were $5.97 each.  The next step was placing props and lighting. 

In retrospect, I would probably have done a quick press between towels on a low heat setting to remove the creases, but hindsight is 20/20.  Since this is a plaid, we did try to align the striping so as not to blind or confuse our audience.  Keep in mind if you use vinyl you will have some light reflection but you can use this to enhance the photo or with a little Photoshop knowledge, you can clone it out of the final image.

Next on the list, add your subject.  This is great for still life, pets, children or other portraits.  Simply wrangle your hissing cat, drooling pup, screaming tiny human or rabid rat, focus, click and done.  The backdrop can also be embellished after the fact by adding text overlays and Photoshop brushes and graphics as in this example.

A quick addition of a furry Santa bag, some pinecones, and a willing floofy friend and your backdrop becomes even more versatile. 

While checking your stash of fine linens or timeworn treasures, keep your subject in mind.  Even the most well-behaved children, fur-faced buddies, or your favorite Aunt Mildred can have accidents and come with pre-installed sharp parts such as claws and teeth.  Please don't use delicate, nostalgic or historical items if Fido and Uncle Lester are a little testy or "on the sauce".  

Other items that work well for backdrops or bases are paneling, fabric tablecloths, bedsheets, large pieces of fabric or felt and faux fur.  Experiment with a wide variety of colors and textures, depending on the mood of your planned photo and allow yourself to be surprised with the results.  On one pet photoshoot, the owner asked what I was doing with a large roll of kraft paper.  She was pleasantly surprised and the resulting photo was her favorite of the entire session.  

King Ralphie lays upon a bed of black faux fur in front of a stained paneling sheet.

Ralphie is a lumberjack, but he don't care upon his seat of faux fur and his backdrop of black felt.

Sweet Pea longingly awaits the end of this photo session whilst sitting on her base of faux fur and backdrop down comforter.

Here we witness the elusive "frog dog" in his native environment upon the floor.  The shot was quickly captured before the ensuing army crawl to escape the bright lights and paparazzi of his international fame.  

In the end, what is most important for your photoshoot is the comfort of your subject, the quality of your shot, and your happiness or that of your client for the session.  Just think, your Walmart tablecloth could be framed on your wall or that of your client for all to see as you sit at your table next Thanksgiving.  

Have fun folks and Happy New Year one and all.