Making Yourself Stand Out From a Studio Backdrop

1. Tonal Contrast: The Cheapest Fix

Simply put: dark against light, light against dark. If you are wearing black, choose the lighter wall. If you are in cream, the grey or coloured room will hold you far better.

This is decided when you choose an outfit, which is why it is worth knowing what backdrops a studio has before you pack. Our backdrop guide covers what is typically available, and the roundup lists room colours per studio.

The exception is a deliberate low-key or high-key look - black on black or white on white - which is a real style, but it needs rim light to work, which is lever three.

2. Step Forward Off the Wall

Standing with your back against the backdrop is the default and rarely the best position. Take one or two steps forward.

Two things improve at once. The backdrop falls further out of focus, which softens it and pushes it visually behind you. And light falling on you drops off before it reaches the wall, so the wall darkens slightly relative to you - free separation.

It also eliminates the hard shadow you cast onto a wall you are pressed against, which is the single most common amateur-looking artefact in a studio photo.

3. Rim Light on the Shoulder

A rim or hair light is a source behind and to the side of you that catches the edge of your shoulder, jaw or hair, drawing a bright line along your outline.

It is the most elegant form of separation because it works even when tones match. If a studio room has more than one light, experiment with turning so that one of them falls behind your shoulder rather than in front - you will see the edge light appear on the preview screen.

Not every self photo studio room offers this, since many run a single large frontal source. Where it exists it is usually the difference between a competent portrait and a striking one.

4. Colour Opposition

Separation does not have to be light versus dark; it can be colour against colour. Warm skin and a cool backdrop separate naturally, which is part of why blue and green rooms are flattering.

Avoid backdrops close to your skin tone - beige and warm tan walls make faces blend, which is why they are less common in studios than you might expect. And avoid a backdrop the same colour as a large part of your outfit unless you are deliberately going for a monochrome look.

The related trap is a red backdrop with a red outfit, which comes up every Chinese New Year - see CNY colour traps.

Frequently asked questions