1. Paper pinwheels
You Are My Fav suggests folding several paper pinwheels and fanning them out in coordinating or contrasting colours to create a beautifully textured backdrop. Consider choosing a few fans as random pops of colour that will contrast with your outfit or the rest of your staging. We love how this look automatically sets a tone that’s excited and cheerful.
2. Chicken wire and napkin heart backdrop
Even in a picture, you can tell when a backdrop is wonderfully textured. Building a backdrop like this, however, doesn’t mean that you have to spend a fortune and invest crazy hours. We love this little ruffled heart design by Design Love Fest, which is made from wood, chicken wire, and bunched napkins slotted through the wire.
3. Spring blossoms and vines wall
What’s almost as good as a beautiful outdoor setting when the weather doesn’t let you actually shoot outdoors? A gorgeous greenery wall, of course! Whether you choose to invest in real plants or find the best silk leaves and flowers you can, it’ll look delicate and natural. Check the idea out on Free People.
4. White flags and gold balloons
Free People has another suggestion if “green” isn’t really the theme you’re going for! Glam things up a little in a simple way by blowing up and weighing down some gold balloons and arranging them around a few garlands of clean, white flags.
5. Ombre tissue paper backdrop
If you like the idea of texture but you’re looking for something other than a heart, try this beautiful ombre design using the same method! Lovely Indeed, however, suggests using brightly coloured tissue paper instead of paper napkins.
6. Threaded marshmallows
Green Wedding Shoes has an extra unique idea that just about makes out mouths water! For a whimsical look, string marshmallows down a length of thread and hang them from the ceiling, then take pictures through the strings. We love that it resembles big, fluffy snowflakes.
7. Pixelated paper backdrop
If you’re looking for something a little more modern, create your own pixelated design using strips of paper cut into rectangular fringe! We love how Ruffled used different colours and shades of paper to create a more interesting aesthetic.
8. Hanging yarn
Are you also a knitter with a large supply of random yarn ends? Creative Bug has a great idea for using them up! Try turning them into a dangling photo backdrop for another textured look that lets you totally control the colour scheme.
9. Hanging paper chevron
The Glitter Guide suggests creating a hanging chevron pattern by cutting strips of colour paper and affixing them in V shapes down a length of thread. Choose colours that suit your overall scheme or theme and contribute to the shoot’s aesthetic.
10. Clothes pinned leaves
Do you like the idea of a green photo backdrop, but you don’t have access to quite as many vines and blossoms as you need to create the previous plant-based backdrop? Try this pretty green alternative by Design Love Fest
made from jute twine and leaves pinned on with clothespins! For a little flair, add a sign with a quote.
11. Vellum paper leaves and flowers
Do you like the idea of a green backdrop but you want a more pastel look or don’t have access to real or realistic plants? Try making little leaves cut from vellum paper instead! Hang them along threads and intersperse some cute pastel flowers for a little pop of colour.{found on Shop Ruche}.
12. Butcher paper flowers
Do you like upcycling and recycling as many paper products as possible? That’s a helpful skill for creating your own photo backdrops! These little blossoms by Green Wedding Shoes, for example, are made from wrapping butcher around itself and sticking it to the wall in whichever pattern pleases you.
13. Floating stars
Sharncious suggests combining cute colours and a bit of shabby chic wood to make a stylishly whimsical backdrop. Cut stars out of vellum or scrapbooking paper and string them along threads, then hang those strings back and forth between a couple of old wooden ladders. Just make sure the ladders are sturdy and safe if you plan on actually climbing them at any point in the shoot!
14. Burlap and old book pages
Are you looking for a DIY backdrop that’s a little more rustic but still has unique character? Hang a sheet of burlap and fix old drawings, sketches, and book or encyclopedia pages across the surface. We love this backdrop styled by Studio DIY!
15. Geometric shapes
If you’re willing to invest a little more time and patience than some of the previous ideas on this list, then consider creating a 3D geometric wall! Each of these little shapes is folded from brightly coloured card stock and stuck to a base piece of backdrop paper. This idea is great for building interesting visuals that add texture to your shoot.{found on Green Wedding Shoes}.
