6 Photo Backdrop Ideas for Taking Pictures of Your Pet

I love taking photos of my pets! Since I began blogging in October 2012, I feel like my photography has greatly improved. Taking pictures of my pets has become part of my job and so I am always looking for fun ways to improve and take creative photos of my pets. I am by NO means a professional, but I've learned a few things along the way.

In the past year or so, I really began to utilize backdrops for taking pictures of my pets. My home is not pretty (at least not to me) and the walls are decorated with marker and crayon paintings from my children. My floors are usually scattered with tons of toys, because my 3 year old thinks it's fun to dump out her toy box as soon as I pick everything up.

If you experience a similar dilemma, using a backdrop to take photos of your pets is SO helpful. I've used a few different items as backdrops, and I'll share my favorites with you to help you get some ideas. Remember that these things DO NOT have to cost you a ton of money.

Wrapping Paper

Wrapping paper is one of my favorite backdrops. There are so many different kinds of wrapping paper and the possibilities are endless. I now find myself buying random rolls of wrapping paper every time I go to the grocery store. I especially love reversible wrapping paper. 

For the photo above, I used a pink polka dotted wrapping paper. I taped the wrapping paper on my entertainment center and opened my front door (it's off to the side) to let good natural light in. And because I also am not in love with my flooring, I placed a white fleece blanket down in front of the backdrop. 

Fabric

Fabric is something I really want to use more often in my photos. I feel like a kid in a candy shop every time I go to a craft store with a fabric section. Funny thing is, I don't sew. 

I purchased a shimmery, blue, tulle material from the fabric store. Behind the sheer fabric, I hung a white shower curtain to a backdrop stand that I made. I also used the white shower curtain for the floor of the photos. Here's the end result.  

Pretty darn cute! I also tried using bubbles as a sort of prop, but they kept popping so it didn't work out very well. Maybe we'll try again another day!

Tablecloth

While I was shopping at the grocery store, we passed a bin full of colorful tablecloths. For whatever reason, they spoke to me. They said "take me home and use me as a photo backdrop". I've used this tablecloth for several photo shoots, and I love the bright patterns and colors. It's durable so I can use it over and over again. Which I do. 

I just tape the tablecloth to my wall and take it down when I'm done. Also of note, I always try to use natural light and no flash so I set up these scenes in places where I know lighting is good. I don't typically have good lighting in my home unless I open a door or curtain. 

Curtains and Blinds

I've been searching for a good flooring prop for photos. I finally found something that works pretty well for both the floor and the wall. I was in Wal-mart and came across a shopping cart of clearance items. They were all blinds and curtains for windows on sale. I saw the wooden one and knew I had to have it. 

In the photo below, the blinds are hanging on the wall as a photo backdrop. I took down a picture on the wall and used that nail to hang them up with. 

You can see in the photos below how I've utilized cropping to get out parts of the background that I don't want. I also used my wooden blinds as both a backdrop and floor surface for the photo. Here's a similar one that I found on Amazon. 

Blankets

Blankets are easy to use, and something you probably already have handy at home. I like to drape blankets over the couch and the floor in front of the couch for a nice backdrop. 

One of my favorite items for flooring in photos is the blanket from the photo above. The back side is a soft and fluffy white and it makes for a nice looking floor in my photos. 

Mesh Ribbon or Fabric

I see this stuff at the store all the time. It's usually sold in 10 ft rolls of different widths and can be made in different colors or material. Ususally paper or plastic. I am not sure if "mesh ribbon" is the proper term, but that's what I see it listed as on craft store websites. Whatever it's called, it makes a great photo backdrop. I have some of this stuff that is a brown paper material, but it looks just like a burlap bag material. It's inexpensive and reusable. It also works great on floors. 

Here's a similar mesh ribbon/fabric that I found on Amazon. Different color and material, but you get the idea. This material seems so versatile. (And it's cheap!)

If you keep your eyes open, the possibilities for creating fun photos with your pets using backdrops are endless. These are all cheap and simple photo backdrop ideas that anyone can use inside of their home. Just remember that natural light and cropping are your friend! I use a free online photo editor called PicMonkey to crop and edit most of my photos. 

Do you like taking photos of your pets? What kind of backdrops have you used? 

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