Clients having custom backgrounds fabricated with brand matching images is becoming, I am pleased to say, more popular. Some Clients are dabbling in digital backgrounds to various degrees of succes, but mostly the results are far less convincing with problems matching lighting and perspective. I may have a more critical eye but I wouldn’t understimate the casual observer viewing the composite images and thinking “there’s something not quite right here”.
Having a bespoke background created offers a number of benefits, practical and aesthic :
Professionalism and Branding
For companies or personal brands, custom backgrounds can incorporate logos, brand colors, or thematic elements, making the headshot more aligned with the overall brand image. If you’re taking headshots for a group or company, custom backgrounds help create a uniform look across all images, enhancing professionalism.
Enhanced Visual Appeal
You can choose a background that complements your style, personality, or profession, whether it’s a sleek, modern design or something more artistic. Custom backgrounds can be designed to subtly frame or highlight the subject’s face, helping draw attention to their features without distracting from them.
Controlled Environment
With a custom printed background, you don’t have to worry about post-production edits like removing green screens. It streamlines the photo process. You can design backgrounds that are optimized for lighting setups, ensuring no awkward shadows or reflections.
Improved Focus and Consistency
Instead of using real-world settings, a printed background can provide a clean, simple look that keeps the focus on the subject. Whether for corporate, creative, or personal use, a custom background ensures that the setting aligns with the intended tone of the headshot.
Reusability
Once you have a custom printed background, it can be reused for multiple headshots over time, especially if you’re taking headshots for multiple team members or events. If headshots need to be taken over a period of time, the same printed background ensures all images match visually.
Versatility
Multiple Designs for Different Needs: You can switch up the custom backgrounds depending on the purpose of the headshot, like formal corporate headshots versus casual creative portraits.
If you do decide to go down this route, where do you get your banners? I am a big fan of the Tension Fabric Walls from the Banner shop. This is not sponsored post, I have just had the pleasure of building and breaking down these banners over time and can testify to their useability and durablity.
