If you’re not one of those renegades who shy away from social media these days, you’re already familiar with some basic tricks and tips that Instagram users can avail themselves of to create more effective visual content and thus grow their following. Still, even seasoned Instagram influencers don’t always pay due attention to such a seemingly minor detail as background, especially when shooting portraits. But truth is, a poorly chosen backdrop can detract from your overall composition and scare off your potential followers, which is the last thing most Instagram users would want. Even if you’re not the tech-savviest person in the world and don’t possess any photography skills, you still can create an effective backdrop for your photos! All you need is your creative eye and some fantasy. And below you can find some useful recommendations that will help get you started.
Crop and Cut Out
Oftentimes, we find ourselves so carried away by the moment when capturing some interesting or exciting subject that we hardly notice any distractions or unsightly objects unexpectedly appearing in the background. Luckily, today’s market is overflowing with affordable post-processing tools that can help you quickly get rid of unwanted elements and allow your viewers to focus on your subject matter. You may crop out your image or cut out any specific area until you’re fully satisfied with what you see. Just make sure you don’t go overboard with all this cutting and cropping. The more you delete, the harder it is to maintain sharpness and clarity of your pictures.
Blur or Remove
Lots of Instagram stars intentionally blur their backdrops to add some intrigue or sophistication to their images. What’s more, by blurring your backdrop you can zero in on your primary point of interest onto which your lens is focused. Not only will you lend your pictures a more professional look, but also reduce the distraction of some messy background that is difficult to get rid of using other tools. You can go even bolder and remove the background entirely! Thus, you’ll make your followers fix their eyes entirely on the foreground object. Intrigued? Go explore some cool background remover editing tools! See more options to decide which one to use for your projects.
Use Poster Boards
Poster boards are not only an essential resource in business settings but also come as a real lifesaver for anyone who’s looking for effective backdrops. Poster boards come in different sizes and colors. They are easy to use and experiment with! Just spread it behind your subject or secure it to the wall and start hitting your shutter button. You can combine some different colors and make a bunch of cool photos that will wow your audience.
DIY Backdrops
If you’ve ever participated in creating theatrical sceneries, you can try and craft an effective backdrop yourself! For this, you can use poster boards mentioned earlier and turn it into a canvas. You can draw on it, fix some plastic decorations to it, tuck cloth pieces to it, and much more to produce a great DIY backdrop. You can also use fabric and just fasten it to the wall. If you choose the texture, print, and color wisely, your photos will look mega authentic and professional. If you have some empty space on your wall you can cover it with old newspapers or book pages. It will create a stylish and slightly quaint look that Instagram users like so much. To create a fun and upbeat mood, you can never go wrong with DIY streamer backdrops! You can use garlands, LED flashing lights, etc.
Use Different Perspectives
It might come as a surprise for you, but by merely changing your vantage point, you can entirely change the way your background looks and feels in your photos. it’s a good idea to take pictures from different angles instead of snapping shots at your eye level all the time. You can lend more depth and dramatic feel to your pictures if you opt for a low vantage point. You can also capture effective shots from above if you want to achieve the effect of intimacy and make your viewers relate to what they’re beholding. Switch between linear, aerial, and forced perspectives to make one and the same background play different parts in your photographs.
These are only some tips you can follow to ensure your background complements your photos. Employ your creative vision and take advantage of some helpful photo editing tools to create mesmerizing Instagram pictures!