When shooting indoors, backdrops and props are important. I’s more important to find ways to create boudoir photography sets on a small budget that will still wow your clients and you. When my boudoir business really started to take off, I moved from shooting in hotel rooms to opening a small studio in my area. I would never have appreciated all the fun props in the hotel rooms enough until the day I got the keys to my empty studio. Thankfully being a poor art student for many years taught me how to thrift and expand upon my creative mind.

Backdrops:

Buy “backdrops” from a local fabric store instead of an online “backdrop boutique.” This has by far been my largest money saver! I can get a 9×5′ backdrop from my local fabric store for under $20. I simply go to the local fabric store in my hometown that I love and bum around until something catches my eye! The one disadvantage to buying backdrops this way would be the width (usually only 5′ wide). For me though since I’m only working with one person at a time it works! If you really needed to you could sew them together. To avoid the seam if you’re not good with sewing try and shoot with a shallow depth of field or fix it in post processing. Personally, I’d rather edit for 1 extra minute then spend $500 on a backdrop. This has by far been my largest money saver! I can get a 9×5′ backdrop from my local fabric store for under $20. I simply go to the local fabric store in my hometown that I love and bum around until something catches my eye! The one disadvantage to buying backdrops this way would be the width (usually only 5′ wide). For me though since I’m only working with one person at a time it works! If you really needed to you could sew them together. To avoid the seam if you’re not good with sewing try and shoot with a shallow depth of field or fix it in post processing. Personally, I’d rather edit for 1 extra minute then spend $500 on a backdrop.

Image above: To create this look I hung a black cloth backdrop ($9) from the wire (mentioned below) and then bought Christmas bulbs from a local shop. I strung the bulbs over and under the wire while draping them. My clients LOVE this backdrop! It’s great for boudoir but also seniors, kids, and head shots.