DIY Custom Wall Backdrops

 When I showed you the reveal of my new guest room (here), I shared that the room was to have a dual purpose.  Since we only have guests that stay with us a few times a year, it’s primary purpose will really be a photo studio for me.

Prior to remodeling this room, I took most of my up-close photos on my kitchen table, with our white, plank walls as a backdrop (seen here).  While that white wall made for a great backdrop, it was extremely inconvenient to have to clear the table every time I wanted to take a photo – which is usually every single day.  That meant my tripod was always sitting in the middle of the kitchen floor, and my camera and any props I used, were on the table most of the time.  The things that normally should be on the table got moved to the counters…where they usually stayed.  I needed my kitchen to be just a kitchen and need photography to take place somewhere else, and my guest room is serving that purpose wonderfully (even though my son is living in it until fall).

Two backdrops isn’t a lot of variety, so I wanted to find a way to have more backdrops, without needing more walls, and I wanted them to be easy to put in place, so using a large piece of wood, or something like it wouldn’t be easy and quick to use.  Since I know many of you do a lot of photography for your blogs or businesses, I thought I’d share how I came up with several new backdrops that you can make and customize  yourself, with any look you want them to have.

First, I selected a few of my antique graphics (see them all here).  I picked rectangle shaped images, since photos are rectangle shaped, and that shape would work nicely behind the table that I place most of the items I photograph on.  Make sure you choose images that are high resolution, since the image will be enlarged, and you don’t want it to become overly pixelated.  You can really use any image you want, but you want your backdrop to be a backdrop – not the main focus of your photo, so select one that doesn’t draw the eye to any specific part of it.  I choose a piece of sheet music, and an antique ledger page.  Both are interesting, without being too distracting.  There is such a huge selection of scrapbook paper available in craft stores, so you could select a sheet with a nice design, scan it at high resolution, and use that as well, so you can really design any type of backdrop you’l like.

Next, I went to BuildASign.com.  They turn images into banners (and magnets, bumper stickers, and signs, etc.), ranging in size from 2 x 2 ft., all the way up to 10 x 3 ft.  I recommend measuring the space you’ll use as a backdrop first, so your banner won’t be too large or too small.  I didn’t do that and one of my banners is larger than I really need it to be.  It still works (and looks great, but I really didn’t need one as wide as it is.  If you decided to create multiple banners like I did, it’s easier to store them if you get all the same size, since you can just hang 2 cup hooks and hang them all together on those hooks.  Hindsight is 20/20, so you can learn from my oversight.  It looks crazy pretty though!

Select the size banner you want to create, then upload your image.  You’ll be able to preview the image and see how it will look once enlarged as a banner, so you’ll know whether your image resolution was high enough.  My images were slightly pixelated, because I choose such large banners (6 and 5 feet wide), but I knew that wouldn’t be obvious as a backdrop, so I proceeded.  That really is all there is too it – just order your banner once you are happy with the preview.  Their prices are super reasonable (a 4′ x 4′ banner is just $35.32), and everything ships free.  If you sign up to receive their emails, you’ll also receive discount codes and special offers via email, and you can follow them on Facebook as well.

They also have retractable banners, that come on stands, so they are easy to just retract and store in a closet, but I wanted one that I could hang behind my table, so I choose the regular banner with grommets to hang it by.  We purposely had to hang it crooked on my wall, because the floor isn’t level, but the walls are, and I wanted the banner to hang level with the table. Since I knew the top of the banner won’t show in my photos, I didn’t worry about that, and if you aren’t using an ancient building with floors that aren’t level, you’ll be able to hang your banner straight!

I received both of my banners and am totally thrilled with them.  The images turned out even better than I expected, and even if you don’t have a need for photo backdrops, these would look awesome hung on a wall.  Doesn’t the old ledger page look wonderful?  I’m sure the man who wrote in this ledger, never dreamed one of his pages would end up as a photo backdrop!

The vinyl they are printed on is very durable, so I know I’ll get a lot of use from them.

The last backdrop I created is super economical as well.  I found an old pull-down projector screen at a thrift store for $15.  I’ve used projector screens as backdrops before (read about it here), and they look great, but they had stands, which would get in the way between the wall and my table.

I wanted one that could be hung, so I can just retract it when I want to use the metal wall as the backdrop.  I spray painted the screen with chalkboard paint, hung it, and now I have another backdrop to use, giving me lots of variety, and it was quick and easy to do.

 You could use any color matte paint (use very matte paint, so you won’t get reflection in your photos), but I wanted the chalkboard paint, so I can actually write on it, if desired.

 I can leave it hanging above the metal wall, and just pull it down when I need it.

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Blessings,

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