Studio backgrounds don't have to be plain. You can get creative with your paper backdrops by cutting them, pairing them or even painting them. They are cheap enough to play around with. Savage Seamless Paper backdrops come in a wide variety of colours and sizes to get your creative juices flowing. 

 Colour, according to Cory Rice is the active ingredient in photographic composition. Warm or cool hues can be combined to establish mood in a photograph, while contrasting them can be used for dramatic effect, while saturation can be used to draw attention to a particular subject. 

Sure you can use photoshop to change the colour in post, but using a physical backdrop in a variety of methods to create a unique and original background is still the best way to accomplish the look you are going for in-studio, and save you the time of having to make corrections or changes in post. It also makes you more aware of how you are lighting your subject and the background when you move away from the ‘fix it in post’ mindset, improving your technique as a photographer. 


 Elaine Torres


Portrait photographer Elaine Torres reveals how you can use a few bright coloured backdrops together to build eye-catching studio sets. Layer the different coloured paper to add depth and texture. Use them to colour block or stack your colours together in unique ways.

Got scraps lying around? Don’t just automatically throw them away in your recycling bin. Why not reuse them in your next shoot.  

 “One of the reasons I love seamless paper is because of its versatility and flexibility. I’m always trying to look for new ways to use the paper, not only as backgrounds, but also to create set and props. Savage’s array of roll sizes makes it easier to experiment when creating concepts.” -Elaine Torres.


 Elaine Torres


Torres explains that you can make installations with small, medium and large pieces of scrap paper against a strong paper backdrop to fashion geometric shapes and patterns.


 Elaine Torres


Flip the piece of paper to the clean side and paint a design. It can be anything from polka dots, lines, or just doodles. You can also create props with your scrap pieces of paper such as windows and walls.


 Elaine Torres


Seamless Paper is not just for creating smooth and even backgrounds for portrait photography, you can get crafty and creative with a bit of D.I.Y magic.

A great blog you can turn to for inspiration is blogs, Oh Happy Day, a design and lifestyle site that celebrates fun through original design, projects and party ideas.  Using your Savage Paper you can create large scale craft sets for photo booths and inspirational shoots. 


  Oh Happy Day


From giant hanging paper flowers perfect for a bridal shower or Spring setting, to bright summery fun party backgrounds, you can take advantage of Savage’s wide range of colour backdrop paper to bring your sets to life. Create 3D effects by decorating your set with fancy fans or origami bunnies. Let your imagination guide you.


 Oh Happy Day


Another way to create textures according to commercial photographer Jay P. Morgan is by crumpling, folding, crinkling or cutting and curling paper to create fun spirals. You can even collage various papers together to create an entirely new and unique background.  

You can use your Savage paper to create interesting props. Flowers, vests, dresses, and more, or use more than one backdrop at a time by cutting the edges and taping them to another backdrop. This way you can create a juxtaposition in your shots.


Jay P. Morgan


Change it up completely by using Savage’s Tech Green colour seamless paper to create a greenscreen. You can use this for both photography and video.

Take your paper outside. Using your paper roll on location is a great way to get some interesting contrasting shots. You can isolate your subject from the background.


Fashion and beauty photographer Travis Curry demonstrates how you can add a bit of drama with gels and different lighting effects. Trying diverse lighting, shapes and colours can give you endless possibilities. Create gradients or shadows by playing around with gel colours and lights.


 Travis Curry


Whether you are after a punch of colour, or a softened look, you can change your gels in unique ways to get the desired effect. For a more defined look, you can use your gels and change the colour of your background completely by altering the strength and position of your lighting. This technique is also brilliant for creating a more defined gradient of colour.

Creating shadows is another great way to change things up a bit. You can use a GOBO to create shapes of light, or block your light to create deep shadows for a more dramatic effect. 


 Travis Curry


Designer/photographer Cheryl Woods reveals her secrets to how you can easily customise your paper backdrop according to your shoot. Why not generate an original concept to create a one-of-a-kind backdrop? 

Handmade background can set your shoot apart from the rest. Write personalised hand-written messages on your paper backdrop for couples or wedding studio shoots- romantic poetry, wedding vows, book passages- get creative. You can also build a collection of backdrops with generic messages such as “Sweet 16”, or “Happy Birthday”, that you can reuse.


Photo by The Cinderella Project


Draw, paint, create themes, have some fun with your paper backdrop to produce a truly unique look.

Add different material such as tissue paper, streamers and more to construct interesting and playful backgrounds. Need a space theme? Poke some holes in your paper and add some backlight.

You can even let your client be a part of the creative process. Use photos, postcards, newspaper clippings, or other memorabilia to create a truly personalised backdrop setting for studio or event shoots.