Vinyl Backdrops:
After attempting to stage my flat lays around my dark apartment in Boston and on my worn furniture covered with water rings, I became frustrated and was ready to splurge on either a marble pastry board or a marble table for bigger items. Thankfully, before I dropped a ton of money on items I wanted only for amateur photography, I stumbled upon affordable vinyl backdrops that many professional photographers use to create realistic backgrounds.
What’s great about vinyl is that they are easy to carry, store (I roll them up), and clean (wipe with a soft damp towel), and simple to unwrinkle (steam). I admit that initially I was skeptical, so I bought two different backdrops to test them out: one marble, and one white wood.
How I use them:
Here are some before and after examples of how I staged and photographed my fashion flat lays using faux backdrops (because my apartment was so dark, I took my flat lay photos outside for natural light):
Madewell clothes on white wood vinyl backdrop. This photo is cropped and edited in Lightroom and then VSCO. You can’t even tell the background is fake!
Small luxury items and summer clothes on white wood vinyl backdrop. This photo is cropped and edited on Instagram.
Lace and dressy themed items on marble vinyl backdrop. This photo is cropped and edited on VSCO making the final product look elegant and Insta-worthy.
Verdict: I would say that I like the white wood backdrop more. The vinyl backdrop is matte, making the faux white wood more realistic looking than the faux marble, which, is missing the shine of genuine marble. However, you can still trick viewers into thinking the marble is real with some strategic camera focusing and good editing (admittedly the matte on the vinyl marble is obvious if there is too much focus on it).
The wood backdrop works beautifully with food photography as well:
Overall, I would say these exceeded my expectations and were a low-cost way to make my Instagram posts look great.
Below are backdrops options from amazon with great reviews. I bought them to try them out and the quality was comparable to the ones I purchased from Etsy:
- 3-Pack Vinyl Backdrops in marble, natural wood, and white wood, 23 x 35 inches
- 1 Double-Sided Backdrop in black marble and white marble, 34.4 x 15.7 inches
- 1 Double-Sided Backdrop in two different types of wood grain, 22 x 35 inches
Other Backdrops and Tips:
Luckily, I moved to a new home with lots of natural light, allowing me to photograph inside. Playing around with other backdrops, here are some favorites besides the vinyl ones.
Blankets and Linens
Photo: Before and After editing
Having a clean, bright background (I prefer white) is always ideal for attractive flat lays. Here, I used a white fleece blanket that is subtle enough so that the objects grab the attention, but it also adds some texture making the overall picture more interesting. The watercolor painting is an original by the talented fine artist Helen Wu.
Having a white background also allows for adding bold, colorful, statement items (like this watercolor painting) without overwhelming the audience. They will also focus on the Chanel Chance perfume, which is another main object in this flat lay.
Clothes
Photo: Before and After editing
Clothes with fun patterns, or unique textures can also make flat lays look versatile and stylish. Here, I used a lace and pearl top that was the perfect background for my halloween-themed flat lay.
Maps
Finally, maps are useful for vibrant, travel-themed flat-lays.
What are your favorite backdrops to use?
So this is how people do it! I really need to invest in some of these. i have the same issue with light and not having the surfaces, these will work great.
This is MEGA helpful, i still need to work on flat lays. Thanks so much for sharing this with all of us!
I use vinyl backdrops for my flatlays and food photography as well! they are so useful and look so good! Using maps and linen is such a great idea!
Thank you! I have been wanting to take better photos. I think I’ll get some of these for sure. I can practice since I’ll be at home for a while!
My photos are far from being professional! I envy all the bloggers, who know how to take such outstanding Photos. I’ll try to make use of some of your tips! 🙂
Those backdrops ARE SO NICE! i HAVE BEEN NEEDING SOME NEW PHOTO SUPPLIES AND BACKDROPS SO i WILL HAVE TO CHECK THESE OUT.
Thanks for the photo tips. This is very useful for me and my website
I have always had issues with light. I am taking a photography course right now to help with that. I do love the backgrounds. And actually I liked your marble better than the wood!
I SUPER LOVE THESE PHOTOS! GREAT TIPS, THANK YOU SO MUCH…I CAN’T WAIT TO APPLY THESE TIPS.
these mash-ups are really great. i love the presentation. but, of course, these items are indeed beautiful. thank you for the tips! <3
I’m sold! I honestly didn’t know how these amazing insta photos were captured so perfectly. I look forward to more!
THESE ARE AMAZING TIPS! I AM USING FABRICS FOR MY BACKDROPS (I LOVE FUR FABRICS AND SILK).
This is such a helpful guide! I plan on messing around with photography more now that I’m off and have been meaning to learn how to make things more presentable!
Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for the inspiration! Flat Lays are always fun for me, but sometimes I want to mix it up beyond my traditional style. Thanks for showing us how you do it!
Absolutely love all the flat lay and that natural light just enhance everything. I too use lightroom for editing and it looks great.
Great info! Your flatlays look so good and I know it is much easier said than done. Great job.
Thanks for the tips and inspiration! You make the prettiest flatlay!
I have marble contact paper that I like to use. I’ve also used scrapbook paper for backgrounds—there are all sorts of backgrounds–wood, lace, sand, etc.