It is probably fair to say that never before have we taken so many photos. We capture our children, document our food and flatlay our purchases to show off on Instagram, Facebook and other social media platforms. Snap, snap, snap! People invest more time in props, styling and backdrops. 

Vinyl backdrop - Marble Marmi Grey: photo by @prettycreativestyle on Instagram

We are constantly getting requests from businesses, professional photographers and happy amateurs who want to use our 90cm wide vinyl as backdrops to enhance their images. So in this post I'll show you how effective a few sheets of vinyl can be to create the perfect background. 

First some great advice and inspirational photos from the talented Selena who runs @prettycreativestyle on Instagram. She is using vinyl from us in some of her photo styling. Here are her Top 5 tips for how to be successful with backdrops:

1. Quality backdrops are the basis for quality photos.
2. For Instagram it's great having a variety of backdrop choices to go with different shoots.
3. The backdrop sets the tone for the shoot. So depending on what you are photographing in the foreground the selection of the background needs to match the overall theme.
4. I try not to make the backdrop the prominent feature. Any patterns that are too dominating can detract from the items that you are styling.
5. If styled well, a large exposed area of 'blank space' where the backdrop is exposed can make for a very effective styling technique.

Vinyl backdrop - Rustic: photo by @prettycreativestyle on Instagram

Flatlay with vinyl as a Backdrop

Below you can see a typical photo scene that I use when I want to create a flatlay. I have attached a large vinyl sheet to a thin MDF board (I use the backside for another pattern). I recommend to have a few boards with different vinyl patterns so that you can pick the right pattern for the theme. 

This is how the photo turned out. As you can see the nice wood grain vinyl backdrop looks like a wooden coffee table and that was just the look I was aiming for. 

Vinyl backdrop - Sanremo Oak Sand

Top row from left; Vinyl backdrop - Santana Oak Lime & Sheffield Oak Umbra: photo by @wendyhillcosmeticsnz on Instagram
Bottom row from left; Vinyl backdrop - Blackwood & Pino Aurelo Bright: photo by @decorhandled on Instagram

Seamless Vinyl Backdrop

Vinyl backdrop: Marble Marmi Grey​

1. Fold back a few centimetres of the backing paper and apply the sticky bit to the wall. 
2. Place your object on the vinyl
3. Get in close and snap your photo
4. Remove the vinyl from the wall again

This is how the photo turned out. As you can see there is no horizontal line on the backdrop, which is what I was aiming for in this picture. 

Combining Multiple Vinyl Backdrops

Using different types of vinyl as backdrops in the same photo can create a very effectful image. In this photo the brick tile is attached to the wall. The wood grain and mirror effect film are placed on MDF boards.

Vinyl backdrop: Red Brick, Sanremo Oak Sand and Mirror Effect Film

If you have any cool ideas on how to use vinyl in your photos I'd love to hear about it.