If choosing the right product photography backdrop for your e-commerce images sounds like a one-second decision, you are either a professional photographer or haven't recognized the sheer importance of the process. The perfect product photography background can increase CTR (click-through rate), lower your post-editing costs, evoke emotions, increase merchant rankings, and strengthen brand recognition.

This guide clearly explains this key part of product photography so you can get the most out of it.

WHY USE PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY BACKDROPS?

Let's start the conversation with the reasons for using some prop to shoot the object against that makes it so important:

PUT A PRODUCT IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Fundamentally, you need your product to shine and the rest to be a background, so you use a product photography background.

But sometimes, this supporting actor gives another dimension to the show's star or even outshines it.

CAPTURE USER'S ATTENTION AND DRIVE CTR

A colorful background can make users stop and pay attention in an information-crowded space like a social media feed.

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SHAPE BRAND IDENTITY

By consistently using some color or texture, you can contribute to the recognition of your brand, where a user associates a vintage, marble, or sequin photo background with your product.

INSTILL PROFESSIONAL CONSISTENCY

In an e-commerce business where the same items are traded on multiple platforms, a user-friendly, intuitive web design can help retain customers. At the same time, inconsistency contributes to an unprofessional feel and may scare off potential clients. Merchants using backdrops for product photography ensure a consistent feel and look across category and product pages.

INTRODUCE CONTRAST AND DRAMA

A product photography background can be used against a contrasting-color table surface to invite a dramatic effect. See below how we married shadows, a black backdrop, and a white table to echo Dr. Bradley's products' B&W design.

REDUCE THE POST-EDITING WORK

Professional photo equipment is designed for easy usage, so you can keep things spotless with no effort by wiping off vinyl or quickly washing a cloth. Once you have a homogeneous, spotless layer of color at the back of a photographed object, post-editing tasks boil down to resizing and manipulating the product.

TRIGGER EMOTIONAL RESPONSE AND CREATE A SENTIMENT

A pink or sequin background oozes femininity, while a retro or wooden one is more associated with masculinity. While the statement sounds sexist, it's also true, so if you need to make a product image of a female cosmetic product, using some sequin will add some glitz and glam to it.

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ALIGN WITH E-COMMERCE MARKETPLACE STANDARDS

Many marketplaces, such as Amazon and eBay, have strict product photo requirements to create a harmonious user browsing experience.

MATCH YOUR PRODUCT BACKDROP TO THE DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL

Product photography backdrops can be creative or classy, colorful or B&W, brand-affirming, or universal.

Choosing the right background for your product images means improving the user experience within the framework of a specific distribution channel. You want to showcase your product design against a white background on your online shop's product page, but you want it to pop and grab attention in your Instagram feed.

TYPES OF PHOTO BACKGROUNDS

Product photography backgrounds exist for every budget, purpose, and taste, including small businesses, from small photo studio box kits for $50 to complex roller systems for thousands of dollars. Let's examine the major types.

BY MODEL

Backdrops are an essential studio element, with options ranging from simple paper rolls to high-end roller systems. Let's break down the differences between backdrops types:

Rolls of material

If this is paper, fabric, or vinyl, many of the backdrops will come without support systems and are reusable. They'll come in rolls or just in one piece.

A paper option, for example, is usually heavyweight solid color rolls of paper that can be mounted on a stand or pinned against the wall.

Its low cost and easy tear-off make it popular with pros and amateurs. It's also wrinkle-resistant, giving a smooth, endless backdrop for a photoshoot.

It comes in different colors and sizes, with minimal roll, usually 4.4 feet wide by 16 feet long.

Backdrop stands

Product photography background stands differ, but the simplest model has two steady tripod stands holding a horizontal crossbar for a paper roll. Such photo backdrop stand systems come with clamps, crossbars, and sandbags.

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Ceiling roller systems

A professional photo studio will have a motorized system of background drives that allows remote background change. The roller system is usually mounted on the ceiling and has a few colors of background rolls.

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BY MATERIALS

Some materials, like seamless paper, offer a creaseless experience. Others, like wood, are supposed to enrich an image with texture or a cozy feel, like furs.

These materials are most often used to produce professional photo backdrops:

• Paper [classy, universal, creaseless, seamless, colored, matt, or with slight reflective effect, may come with printed patterns]
• Cloth [washable, silky, seamless]
• Muslin
• Plexiglass [reflective, glossy, durable]
• Rose cloth [textured flower cloth gives many dimensions to an image]
• Sequin [textured and glamorous]
• Vinyl [durable and seamless]
• Wood [textured and vintage]
• Marble [classy, reflective, and heavy]

Naturally, there are cheap, expensive, single-use, and durable props. So, if you want to DIY a product image quickly, you may do so with a piece of white cardboard to shoot against. Consider spending on a mountable motorized system if you need a commercial-grade roller system.

When selecting a perfect backdrop for new products, the material used to create the equipment matters for these reasons: budget, durability, transportability, waterproofness, reflective characteristics, susceptibility to creases, and universal qualities (you are likely to use glittery or textured designs less often than plain, black-and-white ones).

7 TIPS ON HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT BACKDROP FOR PRODUCT PHOTOS

For those struggling with how to choose a good studio product backdrop, the below algorithm may come in handy.

1. Think of the budget‍

If you only have $50 bucks for the entire shoot (shout out to all e-commerce beginners!), you'd better get a tripod and use cardboard from a dollar store for a background.

When purchasing photo equipment, precisely a versatile backdrop for product photography, consider durability, expected life span, and ROI (return on investment). You could use a cheaper version or a substitute if you only need it for a short time.

2. Account for deadlines and time restraints
   

Professional photo background systems that need mounting onto a wall or ceiling may cost a lot and, in terms of shipping, may require weeks or even months if ordered from overseas. Consider your deadlines — are you prepared to wait for a sea shipment to save a few hundred dollars on delivery?

The best backdrops for product photography will come from specialty stores with proven names and usually have smooth ordering and delivery processes. That said, custom equipment for bigger studio setups will take more time to procure, produce, and mount than standardized sets.

3. Think of the distribution channel when choosing backdrop product photography
   

Marketplaces call for white backgrounds — no, they mandate white backgrounds. However, social media invites all sorts of creative, colored, and textured ones.

A colored photography surface to shoot against is limiting. It changes the vibe of the image. If misused or to complement the product, it can overpower it.

4. Consider texture when choosing your backdrop for product photography

Simple shapes can stand out against textured backgrounds, like sequins or floral cloths, adding glam to a sleek bag or boldness to leather accessories and men's perfume.

Plexiglas provides a reflective surface, which is ideal for capturing an extra layer of an object. However, be mindful of fingerprints and dust — always wipe it clean before shooting.

Some vinyl backdrops also reflect; test them in-store with lighting to check for reflections.

5. Add creative angles: smoke, water, light

Some more imaginative types of product photography, like hero shots and commercial advertising, call for extra layers. These are some of the creative background ideas for your next product shoot:

• Smoke can add a bit of mystery to a shot.
• Water can be dispersed to create a rainbow effect at the back.
• Light can be put through shades or palm trees to provide a creative shadow for added emotional impact.
• You can also add a foreground, like a glass with water drops, to mimic the effect of looking out onto an object through a window during a rainstorm.
• A mirror can also be used as a background on rare occasions. However, you'll need to do much planning to edit out a product photographer.
• Falling objects like feathers, flowers, or snowflakes can be captured or edited during retouching.

6. Consider color compatibility
   

Choose a background color that complements the product without overpowering it. Neutral colors like white, gray, or beige work well for most products.

Specific colors can also enhance the look of certain items. Warmer backgrounds, like beige or light brown, can complement natural or organic products, while cooler tones can enhance tech gadgets or metallic items.

7. Use backgrounds to reflect brand identity
   

The backdrop should align with the brand's image. For instance, a high-end brand might use sleek, minimalist backdrops with a matte finish, while a playful or eco-friendly brand might choose more natural settings. The choice of backdrop reinforces brand identity and makes the product more relatable to the target audience.

Overall, a product photography backdrop can play the leading role on your set or serve as an invisible assistant — just helping make the photographed item look more prominent or ordinary, uniform or unique, contrasting or homogeneous.

TAKEAWAYS

While most e-commerce product images are done against a white backdrop, colored and textured ones are guaranteed to be your show-stopper. There are product photography backgrounds to fit every budget, purpose, and style — from affordable mini studio kits to advanced, high-end roller systems.

To choose the right backdrop background, do this:

• Set a budget to assess your options realistically
• Consider deadlines and time restraints when ordering equipment
• Think of the distribution channel to work for the desired result
• Keep in mind texture to achieve the perfect shot for your product
• Add creative angles (if you find them suitable)