7 Easy White Background Photography Tips

Interested in white background photography? Need a few pro tips to make yours pop? Then you’ve come to the right place! As the largest online marketplace for hourly venue rentals, Peerspace knows how crucial setting is when it comes to creativity.

In fact, we have hundreds of professional photography studios and incredible photogenic spaces in thousands of cities across the globe for your use. Ahead, we share seven tips to make your white background photos pop. Be sure to book a beautiful Peerspace venue after checking out these tips so you can put your new skills to the test!

After all, lighting a white background is one of the most important skills you can learn as a photographer. When you have a firm grasp on white background photography, you can take corporate portraits, product photography, and much more. You can even use a seamless backdrop to create the “infinite white background” effect, which is popular in movies and TV commercials. But if you don’t learn a few basic principles of white background photography, you could spend hours moving lights around trying to figure it out by trial and error.

But don’t fret! Here are seven easy tips to help you master white background photography when you’re on the go or in the studio.

1. Use a proper light meter

With all of the built-in tools to adjust your focus and exposure, it’s tempting to put your camera on autopilot and let it do all the work. But a big part of photography is understanding how light falls on your subject in ways invisible to the naked eye.

When shooting white backgrounds, your background should be brighter than the subject of your photo by around two f-stops. This means you’ll need to use a light meter or the spot meter on your camera to measure both the amount of light falling on your subject and hitting the background. If your background is too well lit, your subject will be in silhouette. If the subject is more brightly lit, then your background will appear gray or off-white.

Love the lighting set up at your place? Then check out these 11 creative at home photoshoot ideas to maximize your four walls!

2. Keep some distance between your subject and the backdrop

The biggest mistake that new photographers make when shooting on a white background is placing the subject right up against the backdrop. But it’s important to leave enough space between them so that you can light both the subject and backdrop separately. And about 10 feet is usually a good place to start.

If your backdrop is too close, then any light you aim at the backdrop will spill onto your subject as well. You may end up with a halo effect or an improperly backlit subject. Your subject will look “flat” due to the lack of contrast. Leave enough space between them, and you’ll be able to light them both separately. Instead, use flags and diffusion to direct and control the light.

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3. Use a seamless backdrop

If you’re shooting in a studio, then you may already have cloth or paper backdrops available. For example, many of the venues and studios available on Peerspace come with the option to rent photo and video equipment directly from your host.

Wondering what types of Peerspaces you can rent that already come with seamless backdrops? Then check out these studios:

• This indoor photo studio in Woodland Park, NY with a seamless backdrop area with 12′ super white seamless paper included in the rental charge as well as color backdrops for an extra charge
• This unique studio in East Atlanta, GA with 7′ seamless backdrops in white, spice, and green screen colors housed within a spacious residential home
• This create within photography studio in Seattle, WA with a variety of seamless backdrops included as well as lighting equipment, a changing area, and Bluetooth speakers
• This multi-room content studio in Los Angeles, CA with different colored seamless backdrops and several rooms for shooting unique content

Why are paper backdrops best for white background photography? While they’re heavier and easier to tear than muslin backdrops, they’re less likely to appear dirty or wrinkled. You don’t have to iron or steam them before your shoot. And, their uniform color means you can easily make adjustments in post-production.

Using a white backdrop in studio to mimic the outdoors in post? Then our 13 cute picnic photoshoot ideas can come in handy!