Make Your Own Photo Background Prop

Once you replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts, you will begin to have positive results.

~Willie Nelson

Amazon requires simple, clean photos with a pure white background. 

I've learned a couple of things to help me get my photography from point A to point B. For one, use a white sheet of paper, white poster, or white foam board for your background if you're taking pictures of products with color. If an item is in a polybag or is light / white in color, then do as the film guys do, and use a green screen (green / or blue background). 

I've been laying my products down on top of a poster and snapping my pictures. One of my biggest problems I have is keeping my own shadow out of the picture. I haven't invested in lights yet (on my wish list), so I have to make do with house lights during the day when I also have natural light coming in through the windows (not the most ideal). 

I wanted to be able to stand my products up, or at least lean them against my background, so that I could snap the picture easier (and even use a tripod). 

I thought about it and thought about it, and I came up with this:

I went to Home Depot and looked around until I found two small pieces of the same size wood. These were already partially painted white. I have no idea what they are supposed to be used for, but they did the job I wanted, so I bought 4 pieces.

My hubby gorilla glued the pieces together for me. Sweet man!

I went to Walmart and bought two pieces of foam board for a couple of dollars. The foam board has blue on one side and white on the other side. I cut the pieces in half (one half about three inches bigger than the other half), then I used the larger half as the "stand up piece". I attached velcro to the wood blocks, then to the foam board (one wood "stand" on each end of the foam board). 

Next I sat the standing foam board just on top of the other piece to create a photo background. I made one for a white background, and one for a blue background.

Now I can stand my products up and take my photo. 

A couple of notes: I didn't mess with trying to get a pure white background. That is something that has to be done in a photo editing software program. I use Photoshop.

I probably should have sat in a chair to get a better perspective with this photo, but I wasn't shooting for Amazon here. I just wanted to show you how the background prop works. I also should have put these items against the blue background (or at least the pad of paper).

The reason I used velcro is to change out the background from white to blue and back.

Disclaimer: I am a complete amateur photographer, but I do know that light is everything in photography. I see tabletop photo lights in my future (Hubby? Are you reading this?).

Photo Tip: I learned something the other night. This works for all cameras (not cell phones, but real cameras). If you press the button just halfway first (you will hear a little sound, but it won't snap a picture just yet), and allow your camera a couple of seconds, it will auto adjust to the light to give you a better picture.