Perfect Photographic Backgrounds

Oh for the love of all that is holy, let’s get this background thing straightened out once and for all.

I am of the old school thought process: “GET IT RIGHT IN CAMERA!”

More work now, means less work retouching. And since no one bothers with the retouching backgrounds, it seems, it’s VITAL to remove the wrinkles before the shoot.

If your background is wrinkled, iron or steam it.

If your background is wrinkled, reduce the depth of field so that it is not in focus.

If your background is wrinkled, pull the clients forward, so that they are further away from the background and the background is less in focus.

If you can’t seem to comprehend that wrinkles need removed from backgrounds, then switch to seamless paper.

Muslins are the biggest culprit – either spritz the background with hot water, using a garden sprayer or use a steamer. I personally, use a wallpaper steamer. No, I didn’t buy it for the studio, it’s what I had on hand. Steam is steam. Some folks spritz their backgrounds with fabric softener. I’ve not done this, but I hear it works well, too.

Seriously, people, having wrinkles in your backgrounds is the result of pure laziness. I love perusing images of my photographer friends, but I just wind up shaking my head because there are beautifully lit, posed and processed images out there that have backgrounds from hell in them. This does not seem to be an affliction that only new photographers suffer, seasoned pros do it, too. If you are going for the “heavily draped” background, then make sure there is more than one or two drapes in it – again – laziness – if it’s meant to be draped, then DRAPE it.