Tips for Clean Backgrounds

Like many photographers, I prefer being behind my camera to sitting in front of my computer. Any steps that I can take to minimize the amount of work needed in post, I make sure to incorporate into my shoots. One way that I do so is by carefully choosing and lighting my backgrounds. Evenly lit backgrounds have endless applications and are not hard to accomplish with the right tools and techniques. Here are some tips for getting consistent black, white, and color backgrounds straight out of camera.

For inky-black backdrops, choose a material that will soak up as much light as possible.

Achieving a uniform, black background is the easiest of the options discussed in this article. Thick, non-reflective fabric is your best bet for soaking up the most light. In my experience, velvet is by far the best material for accomplishing a deep black background. Go to a fabric store and pick up the densest black velvet your budget will allow. Cotton, muslin, and polyester are also popular materials readily available in conventional photo backdrop sizes. You want to avoid anything that has a reflective sheen to it—especially if you plan on using strobes as light sources. Seamless paper can be used in a pinch, although obtaining a pure black will be more difficult and may require some adjustments to exposure in post.